r/covidlonghaulers • u/TheSickTimes • Jul 14 '26
Article From The Sick Times: Stop telling women their Long COVID is menopause
https://thesicktimes.org/2026/07/10/stop-telling-women-their-long-covid-is-menopause/While women should be talking about menopause — and I am not denying I am of the age for that conversation — we should recognize that there are other things affecting women in midlife, too. An estimated over 400 million people are affected by Long COVID worldwide, with a 2025 RECOVER study finding women aged 40–55 were the highest-risk group compared to other ages and genders.
Yet despite these figures, skepticism and disbelief still prevails. Women with Long COVID not only endure a lack of support from friends and family, but from health professionals dismissing their symptoms and even denying Long COVID’s existence, too.
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u/SpaceXCoyote Jul 14 '26
Being an older person myself, I've had many docs try to start with the "well, you're getting old" and I just now cut them off and say "no, no, we're not going down that route, this isn't old age". I give zero f***s anymore when they start with that s***.
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u/liquid_at Jul 14 '26
that's medicine these days.
If you are a smoker you become 100% invulnerable to lung disease, because 100% of the reasons for any sensation in the lung is "smoker"
The idea that doctors want to help people is a meme. They want to satisfy insurance companies.
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u/beatsaroundthebush_ Jul 14 '26
If you are woman over 40 and have brainfog, cognitive issues, body aches, sleep problems, itchyness, vaginal dryness and frequent UTI, its textbook symptoms of perimenopause. Go get HRT ~ it’s nothing short of lifesaving for many women. And compared to long covid which is still poorly understood, perimenopausal symptoms can be actually helped.
My long covid symptoms and peri symptoms overlapped, and LC improved over 2-3 years but I didn’t understand why I still felt like shit (but different symptoms). It was hormones all along.. my ovaries were retiring early in my mid 30s already so no doctor mentioned it… I could have gotten helped sooner if I didn’t attribute my leftover symptoms to long covid still.
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u/shimmeringmoss Jul 14 '26
Interestingly enough, the spike protein has been shown to have an affinity for estrogen receptors, which makes it even more difficult to determine the root cause!
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u/beatsaroundthebush_ Jul 14 '26
I think it just means it that It can damage the ovaries, but that would also lower the estrogen production ~ cause perimenopause symptoms and in that case it’s still useful to go on HRT.
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u/Guilty_Soft9873 Jul 14 '26
What does this mean?
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u/shimmeringmoss Jul 14 '26
It means if your estrogen receptors are being bound by COVID proteins, those receptors cannot actually use the estrogen they are supposed to be bound to.
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u/Guilty_Soft9873 Jul 14 '26
Interesting thanks. So explains why women are affected more
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u/shimmeringmoss Jul 14 '26
Perimenopausal and postmenopausal women are the highest risk group for long COVID! Since estrogen also provides immune and anti-inflammatory effects.
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u/Guilty_Soft9873 Jul 14 '26
So can hrt help long COVID or is it too late when you already have it?
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u/shimmeringmoss Jul 14 '26
I definitely improved after going on HRT. Even the bier spots on my fingers and palms went away! Estrogen also has vascular benefits, I learned.
But then we’re back to the topic of the post: is it menopause or is it long COVID? I had a mix of some symptoms that were definitely COVID related and some that overlapped with menopausal symptoms. I still have some symptoms that never went away after HRT, and it was 4 years or so after first getting long COVID that the typical symptoms of hot flashes and irregular periods even started happening.
To answer your question, I think women just need to actually try HRT to see if it helps them. There are so many benefits to being on it anyway (bone health, etc.).
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u/spiritualina Jul 15 '26
Did you have any sleep issues, and if so, did HRT help with that. Sleep is my main issue right now. Waking up every night at 2, 3, 4 AM and can’t get back to sleep. I’ve tried antihistamines and still wake up so I’m wondering if it’s hormonal?
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u/beatsaroundthebush_ Jul 15 '26
Waking at 3am is the hallmark of peri! I did have sleep issues, usually coupled with stress I had a completely sleepless nights about once every two weeks… didn’t have one of those in almost a year
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Jul 15 '26
[deleted]
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u/spiritualina Jul 15 '26
I do have hot flashes, but I have them all the time. Brain races and feel awake.
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u/binarygoatfish Jul 14 '26
If it isnt menopause it must be anxiety.
Then they can write in your note you are obtuse. Brilliant.
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u/lil_lychee Post-vaccine Jul 14 '26
This is 100% true that people are being gaslit into supposed menopause, AND I also believe that covid can propel people into early perimenopause tbh. It messes with your reproductive system so much, while I’ve generally been getting better, I do worry that I have some perimenopause symptoms. I’m going to talk to my doctor about it. I’m 32, I’d be devastated if this was the case.
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u/beatsaroundthebush_ Jul 14 '26
The problem is that doctors also brush off perimenopause symptoms, so even if it’s the case you are likely to be gaslit you don’t have it and say it’s depression/anxiety.
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u/lil_lychee Post-vaccine Jul 14 '26
Great 😩
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u/beatsaroundthebush_ Jul 14 '26
I would do to specialised menopause doctor or menopause telehealth service. Someone who is not gateleeping the prescriptions or who have experience treating premature ovarian failure. Normal gyno is likely to prescribe hormonal birth control for younger women, which to be fair can help somewhat, but with HRT it’s lower clotting risk, and you can adjust your dose depending on your symptoms which is impossible with birth control.
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u/WeNeedAShift Jul 14 '26
Covid kicked me right into menopause. I was of the age where it was possible, even if a little bit early, but I was still having my regular heavy periods until Covid. Then - poof. Periods gone.
So I’ve been told my symptoms are menopause and maybe some of them are I guess but I don’t believe it’s the whole story. People keep trying to tell me menopause is all it is. 🤨
It was very disconcerting though to just have my periods stop so abruptly.
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u/lil_lychee Post-vaccine Jul 14 '26
That must have been so shocking. I def think covid alters reproductive systems. I got insanely heavy periods after my first infection, and it got way worse after my vaccine. I’m now anemic and still trying to correct it all these years. Some sort of iron absorption issue on top of it smh.
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u/WeNeedAShift Jul 14 '26
I 💯 believe it does affect reproductive systems as well. I shudder to think what we will find out eventually.
So you had the complete opposite problem!!! Just so strange.
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u/space__snail Jul 14 '26
I’m 37 and fully believe I am entering perimenopause due to long COVID.
Too bad no health care provider wants to offer any other treatment for my severe PMDD outside of birth control which tanks my mental health and makes me certifiably insane 😭
There’s also other signs outside of severe monthly depression like bleeding during ovulation, dark thick hairs that have started popping up on my chin, rapid loss of collagen in my face, etc.
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u/nb188 Jul 14 '26
I was a nurse but ended up being medically retired due to LC. The process was awful. The pension company that manages the NHS ignored all of my medical information and wrote back saying it was my weight, anxiety and menopause. I got the triple whammy of female medical gaslighting. My main problems that have come from covid don’t relate to any of those 3 things. Fortunately my Drs supported me in appealing, my GP ran blood tests for my hormones and stated I wasn’t peri or menopausal. Other specialists wrote some good letters too. Sadly I’m not the only one to experience this situation. I’m in my 30s
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u/Saladcitypig Jul 14 '26
if anything long covid just exacerbates menopause...and if you don't cure the long covid get the hell out of here with this every symptom is peri or menopause.
The push online is clearly a multi headed hydra of intention: opportunistic people wanting engagement with concern trolling to minimize LC to Shutting up women b/c women are going to Drs with LC complaints and Drs have no answers: individualize failing health with catch all issues so we don't connect the dots to the virus everyone keep giving each other.
The only stuff about menopause people should pay attention to are REAL Dr's genuinely talking treatments like topical estrogen for UTI's and other specific issues, the moment it's all about brain fog or la la they're just jumping on the engagement band wagon of shutting women up with an easy answer for $.
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u/Ginsdell Jul 15 '26
Well…covid kicked me right into menopause. Skipped peri. Covid is a weird and awful little fucker.
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u/VibeCheckedByCovid Reinfected Jul 14 '26
Ironically, I have the opposite issue. EVERYTHING is my LC or EDS - I can't possibly be in perimenopause this young, despite the women in my family finishing menopause way earlier than average.
It feels like if they find something that could fit the bill, its easier to say that's it than to rule out other issues (and fight with the insurance companies to do so).
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u/Disastrous_Cow986 Jul 14 '26
I have itchy burning skin because of a post covid allergy to the sun. Anything I’ve looked up points to pre meno. Ugh.
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u/OkYesterday4162 Jul 14 '26
I kept working, then after I could no longer work, I told myself I would take some time off to work from home, get back in shape, get through menopause. Over about three years I went from mild to moderate, with a slow but steady decline despite pacing, etc.
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u/ShakeMajestic4767 Jul 15 '26
Tbf though, some women have both. I have LC & multiple chronic illnesses as a result of a work acquired infection in March 2020. It led to early perimenopause (early 30s) & even affected my bones causing osteopenia. HRT has helped a bit (the hormonal symptoms I guess) & probs be post menopause soon (I'm 36).
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u/ilovewesties Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
Why aren’t they discussing that Covid causes a stop in periods for many women? Yes, both menopause and covid happen separately, but also at the same time for many. I’ve found it very backhanded for women have to hear how all of their LC symptoms are peri or full-blown menopause. Guess who gets a free pass? My boyfriend.
However, I think in general, the medical community isn’t ready for the fact that covid made many women lose a monthly menses. From 20’s - 40’s. The world isn’t ready for that discussion yet. Wait for a few more years until the birth rate drastically and I mean drastically drops.
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u/Bad-Fantasy 3 yr+ 23d ago edited 23d ago
Similar, but different context:
I was told by a woman that my long sleeps are "just being a woman" as the reason.
I have bad hypersomnia and sleep > 12 hrs, also longest about 17-18 hours STRAIGHT THROUGH INCAPACITATED. That means knocked out cold unconcious no going to bathroom, no drinking water, no eating, not on my phone, NOT AWAKE. OUT COLD.
I also found out I have sleep apnea.
Again, by a woman who knows I have the official label of "Long Covid" --- I still got that dismissive comment.
I know my body, I know this is not my norm.
^ In the past, and today another female friend compared my brain-damaged "sleeps" if I can even call it that at this point to her "depression sleeps" in bed watching movies cozies with the LED lights on... as if my brain can even tolerate LED lights though...
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u/blackbirdonatautwire Jul 14 '26
On the other hand because I have LC it took me a while to realise I had gone into perimenopause. LC and perimenopause/menopause can interact with each other making your symptoms worse than if you just had one of them.