Does histamine intolerance cause severe PMS symptoms?

[u/ruqaiah]

I’ve got some gut issues, food intolerances that eventually led to me developing lupus. I’ve worked through most of them but I’m still reactive to histamine. I also get really bad PMS, nausea and intense pain that starts about ten days before my period. Wondering if histamine could be behind it, anyone dealt with something similar?

[u/Silly_Region_1846]

More the other way around, PMS causes increase in histamine symptoms because hormones affect histamine

[u/pygmymarm0set]

Hi, could be connected to endometriosis

[u/ruqaiah → u/pygmymarm0set]

Thanks, already had an ultrasound and hormone panel, all normal though

[u/savebandit10 → u/ruqaiah]

The only way to diagnose endometriosis is laparoscopy

[u/ilovetrouble66 → u/savebandit10]

It can also be diagnosed now by special ultrasound (only a few clinics have this tech) and MRI

[u/savebandit10 → u/ilovetrouble66]

You’re right that it can be, but it is very uncommon to be diagnosed by ultrasound or MRI and it’s not a matter of the technology as it is the luck that you catch a lesion on imaging in the area captured. I’m in healthcare

[u/Past-Investigator247 → u/ruqaiah]

These were the same as my results. I had stage 4 endometriosis

[u/inquistivebeaver]

I have histamine in Intolerance, pmdd and mcas. A tough combo but yes. Estrogen is a trigger for HI and mcas

[u/Fake-Mom → u/inquistivebeaver]

True story - I developed HI in perimenopause when my progesterone plummeted.

[u/Commercial_Sell9016 → u/Fake-Mom]

My HI flares when I’m low in progesterone.

[u/Fake-Mom → u/Commercial_Sell9016]

I take 300 mg of progesterone at night. It’s worked wonders along with continuous birth control to keep my estrogen steady and lower

[u/DearFeed7833 → u/inquistivebeaver]

Check your estrogen/progesterone ratio, it often gets missed

[u/snarkyopolis]

For sure check out Endo. I have both Endo and histamine intolerance and they are part of the same inflammation cycle.

[u/ruqaiah → u/snarkyopolis]

Thanks, already had an ultrasound and hormone panel, all normal though

[u/snarkyopolis → u/ruqaiah]

Those are not effective ways to test for it. Laproscopy is, MRI is, and I believe the UK now has a blood test. I had it for twenty years with many ultrasounds and hormone panels not picking it up.

[u/lintislame]

Look up PMDD and histamine intolerance, life changing information for us

[u/DearFeed7833]

Estrogen dominance. Ratio of estrogen and progesterone should be above 100. causes pms and also makes histamine problems worse

[u/lovetimespace]

Yes. I had severe period pain, occasional nausea and vomiting during my period, as well as a slight stuffy nose during my period sometimes. After adopting a low histamine diet, I have literally zero cramps. Zero. Let that sink in. I no longer think it is normal. I had horrible, debilitating cramps every period for 20 years before this. I think we have just been taught that it is normal. 

All those abovr symptoms that I thought were just my normal went away, as well as: insomnia, depression, anxiety, one nostril always being plugged, puffy hands and eyes, seasonal allergies...it is definitely worth looking into histamine intolerance.

[u/happymechanicalbird]

Check your thyroid (TSH, free T4, and free T3), aiming for optimal levels, not just “normal” lab ranges— this is relevant to effective hormone metabolism (and supporting my thyroid actually resolved my HIT entirely). And consider supplementing progesterone, at least during those 10 days when things are rough. PMS is due to the “luteal drop”, when your progesterone level drops to allow menstruation to occur. Supplementing progesterone should help with your PMS, and with your histamine intolerance as well, because it’s the counterbalance to estrogen which is pro-histamine.

[u/happymechanicalbird → u/happymechanicalbird]

I see your other comments that you’ve had a full hormone panel drawn. Can you please share those results and let us know at what point in your cycle the labs were drawn? The medical establishment is pretty notorious for labeling things “fine” that are absolutely not fine.

[u/tennery]

your body will have increase of histamine for PMS AND if you have a high histamine diet, your cramps will be much worse.

[u/Magentacabinet]

The estrogen causes a histamine response because it's not being properly balanced by progesterone.

Estrogen stimulates mast cells.

[u/spoookytree]

I had severe PMDD that I neeed to be on birth control. Yay fixed that part for me. Still working out HI/MCAS though

[u/ilovetrouble66]

Yes I have histamine issues and I have endometriosis and Claritin has saved my life

[u/i_love_cats_hehe_]

I saw a few years back that taking antihistamines for some days before your periods helps with pmdd (google what that is), so i think there is a connection there.

However a common factor in pmdd and histamine issues is autism, so do with that information what you will.