Cycle starting after being sick

[EmpiresBurn]

Has anyone else experienced the start of a new cycle after getting over the flu or covid? My last cycle was Christmas of last year and started almost immediately after having covid. Now I just got over a seasonal flu and have had 2 nights of clusters. Just wondering if there is a correlation 

[lbh]

Yep. Cycle started just on the tail end of COVID for me and out of season. Still going…7 months later. 

[snafu]

it is believed that the inflamation caused by infections can trigger ch. search "full monty" on the boards for futher details how to get this under control.

good luck! please report back

[Darren]

Yup. Lots of discussion about this on the forum earlier in the pandemic. Definitely seems like a relation. That said, people that have found it happened to them are probably more likely to reply in those threads. So, it may not be as statistically common as it seems when reading the replies.

I can say that for me, my last cycle started only a few days after recovering from COVID. And that cycle ended up being three times longer than any cycle I had previously. 

As snafu noted, the belief is that vitamin d levels get low in the body while fighting covid (or other), so, I guess that can trigger a cycle. 

[Bailey]

I had covid in April and was at the end of my average 3-year remission period, but it did not trigger a cycle.  I did start a cycle this fall instead no cold/covid that I am aware of.  That being said, the last 2 of my last 3 cycles occurred immediately following a cold and I also started to wonder if there was a correlation.  I recommend including this type of info in your headache journal (store it in the cloud).  I fully detail all headaches, treatments, and any changes in daily life at the beginning of a cycle.

[Bb008]

On 12/2/2022 at 12:56 PM, lbh said:

Yep. Cycle started just on the tail end of COVID for me and out of season. Still going…7 months later. 

@lbh I have been following your posts because I believe my husband is in a cycle that was triggered by Covid and is lasting longer than usual. Were you able to get any relief? I hope you are feeling better!!

[lbh]

@Bb008 thanks for asking! No I haven’t - still on medication and still in cycle with no end in sight. This has been the longest cycle I’ve ever had.

Interesting data point here - I’ve never been so sick with “normal” stuff in my life. I’ve had COVID, strep and the flu this year (little kids…). 3 weeks ago I went to an ENT, who diagnosed me with a pretty significant sinus infection including inflammation in my sphenoid sinus. I’m now trying to treat that, but I don’t know how long it has been there and it’s entirely possible that it’s aggravating my clusters. 
 

So, your husband should consider seeing an ENT to see if COVID caused any inflammation in his sinuses. The sphenoid specifically is way back there next to the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, and symptoms of infection include deep seated headache and pain around the eyes. It’s too early to say whether treating this infection is going to end this cycle, but it sure feels good to be doing something more than just waiting. 
 

good luck.