Woman Details 'Awful' Rare Condition That Makes Her Allergic to Her Menstrual Cycle: 'It Was So Painful'
“I was desperate to make it stop,” said Georgina Jelley
SWNS
A woman is hoping to raise awareness after learning she has a “painful” rare condition that makes her allergic to her period.
Georgina Jelley — a 28-year-old from London, England — was fitted for an IUD, or intrauterine device, in April. A few weeks laters she started experiencing rashes, itchy and burning eyes, and headaches.
Doctors believed she was having an allergic reaction so they prescribed her oral steroids and antihistamines and her symptoms went away after a few days, according to SWNS.
"It was such a strange burning sensation in my eyes. They kept watering and my cheeks were red too,” she told the outlet. "I thought maybe it was a reaction to my fabric conditioner or something. I saw my GP, who prescribed me steroids and it calmed down."
However, the symptoms returned three weeks later and were much more severe, impacting her vision and causing worse headaches. Jelley went back to her doctor before being sent to St. Mary's Hospital for an MRI, which ultimately came back clear. She was reportedly told that her symptoms were signs of eczema.
"But I just knew that it wasn't," she insisted. "I felt really fobbed off, the doctors kept telling me it was just eczema and tried to give me topical steroids to treat it. But I just knew that it wasn't.”
SWNS
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"My final reaction was three weeks later, and when I started to experience the allergic reaction, I moaned to my partner that it was also my time of the month, which added to what I was going through,” she recalled. “He then had a light bulb moment and realized that I'd been on my period every time I had the reactions."
After doing some research on her own, Jelley suspected that she had a condition called progesterone hypersensitivity and quickly saw her doctor to receive an official diagnosis.
Progesterone hypersensitivity is a rare allergic reaction to progesterone, a hormone produced by the ovaries. It’s triggered ahead of a woman’s menstrual cycle — when there is a natural rise in progesterone — and starts to improve once the cycle is over.
Symptoms include rashes, hives, swelling, redness and itching of the skin. If the allergic reaction is severe, it can even cause a cough, loss of breath or anaphylaxis.
Treatment for progesterone hypersensitivity includes managing symptoms with corticosteroids and antihistamines or taking medications that can lower progesterone levels or block production of progesterone entirely.
SWNS
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"It was awful,” Jelley said. “My eyes were so red - it looked like I was wearing an eye mask and it affected my vision. It was so painful and I was so worried.”
"I was told it's a rare condition, but maybe it's not and people just know that they have it," she added, per SWNS. "It was shocking to think I'm actually allergic to my own periods."
Jelley’s doctor ultimately switched her to Depo-Provera contraceptive injections to stop her periods, and she hasn’t had another allergic reaction since.
"I feel so much better since having my coil removed. It was so painful and horrible, and we had no idea why it was happening,” she said. "I work full time and have a daughter to look after, it was a lot to go through. I spent nearly $520 on creams to try and treat the problem. I was desperate to make it stop.”
"I want to raise awareness of progesterone hypersensitivity,” she continued. “I knew it wasn't just eczema — you know your body and you should always listen to your gut."
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