I had COVID this time last year (January 2021) and I had what was considered a mild case. I lost my sense of smell for about two weeks, which became distorted a few months later (It's now about 95% normal now, just a few smells don't smell like they used to). I didn't have a fever or coughing fits, but I had some significant fatigue, brain fog and body aches. I recovered quickly and thought I was fine,, but then I developed a rapid heart rate and my brain fog and fatigue would set it in if I did anything strenuous with my body, like work out or do heavy lifting at my job. I also broke out in nasty acne that would not go away, along with major shifts in my menstrual cycle after infection. I thought I was fully over COVID, but I actually wasn't.

I had tried everything to fix the acne and fatigue. But since my job is a physical job and I was required to wear a mask all day, it made everything worse, especially for my cycle. My PMS, which used to be just mild, became near life-altering. I had a lot of bloating, very painful acne breakouts, much more fatigue and brain fog, worse cramps and my emotions were all over the place. I hated it, so I went to my PCP, who recommended that I see an OB/GYN to rule out PCOS or any other hormonal imbalances.

I finally see my OBGYN and she has me get blood tested for my hormone levels and thyroid. It was good timing, as I was in the bout of PMS when I had the tests run, so I figured we could pinpoint what was going on. Turns out my hormone levels were completely normal and my thyroid was normal, as well. I also showed no signs of PCOS. Nothing could explain why my cycle became so wild, so my OBGYN put me on 50mg of spironolactone back in October 2021, mostly to treat my acne.

And you know what? It worked for my acne, plus switching to another cleanser. My face cleared up and the acne that would occur during my cycle became smaller and heal quicker. Which yay! But it (MAY HAVE) also did things I didn't expect: since starting it: my periods have become more regular, my bloating has decreased significantly and it even improved my brain fog and fatigue, especially around my time of the month. And now recently, my rapid heart rate has improved and doesn't happen as often and I have far more energy during the day! I feel so much more normal AND LIKE MYSELF AGAIN!!!

I know my case may be anecdotal, but that's been the only major change in my life that I made, besides giving myself time to improve. If you're having more cycle related issues, it may be worth it to talk to your doctor about it.