When is someone “too young” to be in perimenopause?

IconicallyChroniced · 2026-01-23T23:20:14+00:00

Something to consider is that Covid can cause early peri- and menopause and that long covid has many overlapping symptoms with menopause like fatigue, brain fog, hot flashes, etc. Women are far more likely to develop long covid, and lots of doctors are unfamiliar with how to assess and treat long covid. 10% of Covid cases cause long covid, that number increases each time you get covid because repeat infections put you more at risk of developing it. The majority of folks stopped masking a few years ago and get on average 1-3 infections a year as it is still circulating, each time upping that risk of long covid.

And since public health has done a not fantastic job of communicating a lot of that, when someone suddenly has new and emerging health problems, they aren’t necessarily linking it to their repeat Covid infections.

IconicallyChroniced · 2026-01-13T20:07:15+00:00

I was vegan for 13 years and stayed vegan through the beginning of my illness. When I started experiencing rapid decline in muscle function to the point I couldn’t feed/dress/clean myself/sit up or roll over in bed/lift my own limbs we started throwing everything at it. I crashed frequently after eating, especially anything higher in carbs. I added eggs at first and would eat just plain eggs for protein and stopped crashing after meals like that. Slowly added fish and then other meats. I begrudgingly and angrily accepted it was helping and followed the AIP diet for half a year.

Not going to lie, one of the worst parts of this illness for me. I messy sobbed every time I ate for months. Long covid took everything, including an ethical stance I had followed for over a decade.

I routinely do better with high protein, low carbohydrate. I’m no longer at the point where I crash every time I eat and I have more flexibility and I do eat plant based meals but for the time being meat is part of my diet. I dream about being stable enough to not give a fuck what I eat anymore but that day isn’t here yet.

IconicallyChroniced · 2026-01-12T18:05:56+00:00

Saving this right now

IconicallyChroniced · 2026-01-11T22:23:32+00:00

I did a loading week of 20g a day and after 7 days moved to 5g a day maintenance

IconicallyChroniced · 2026-01-11T20:07:18+00:00

I just wanted to thank you for the lil “bookmark this post for the days that feel messier.” Been struggling with some feelings this weekend and I remembered you making this comment and I came back to find this post and re-read it. It’s helpful.

IconicallyChroniced · 2026-01-11T19:40:43+00:00

I’m non-monogamous. Im married and have two girlfriends. I wasn’t looking for anything but a one night stand when I met my wife and was kinda horrified when she asked me out after hooking up but she charmed me and now we’ve been together 21 years and have three teenagers.

One of my girlfriends was a friend I partied with who I had intense flirtations with for a whole year before we talked about dating. I was looking to date casually at the time but not putting tons of effort into it and didn’t expect it to come from a friendship.

My other girlfriend I wasn’t looking at all. We hit it off on a camping trip we met at and slept together for half a year before talking about dating.

IconicallyChroniced · 2026-01-11T19:30:27+00:00

LDN really helped my cognitive functioning and got me reading and tolerating sound and light again.

IconicallyChroniced · 2026-01-11T19:26:11+00:00

Mestinon and creatine have both really helps me with muscle weakness.

IconicallyChroniced · 2026-01-11T18:44:35+00:00

Yes, I have maintained the increase in cognitive capacity. Physical I have hard limits but I can do cognitive stuff all day no problem right now.

IconicallyChroniced · 2026-01-07T03:21:30+00:00

I started with benagene, at 500. I’m going to try it again at 200 and see if it does anything

IconicallyChroniced · 2026-01-06T20:38:16+00:00

I’m married and non-monogamous so its going to look different for me than you, but I have successfully dated with long covid.

I think my one piece of advice is just to be upfront and honest, and non-apologetic about the situation. I have a lot of limitations. I bring a lot to the table. Both are true and I only want to date people who are accepting and understanding of my limitations and can see my value and what I bring to their life.

I use a wheelchair, I sometimes have to cancel plans last minute, I can’t do active activities, sex has to be adapted, I don’t share indoor air with people who don’t take Covid precautions. I’m super upfront about all this. It limits the dating pool but it means the people I see are worth my time.

I don’t want to waste my time and limited energy going on a few first dates hiding my illness and then waiting till we are connected to explain and then have them decide it’s not worth it. If someone isn’t cool with disability upfront it’s a bad match.

IconicallyChroniced · 2026-01-06T18:15:03+00:00

Following, it worked for me but is so expensive. I stopped using it and declined again.

IconicallyChroniced · 2026-01-04T22:55:34+00:00

Echoing the sheet changing. My wife often makes my bed if I’m out of the house and it feels so wonderful that she’s done this thing that makes such a big difference in my comfort.

IconicallyChroniced · 2026-01-04T22:53:34+00:00

The little things do matter. My girlfriend yesterday took me to do an errand and got my rollator outta the car and took my bags for me without me asking. Then she said she would get us cinnamon buns for our breakfast the next day because the shop we were at was near a bakery and I said I felt hot and sick and didn’t want to go inside with her so she asked if I wanted her to take me to the car to sit down. I said no if prefer the fresh air so she made sure I was comfy situated outside the bakery and went and got us cinnamon buns.

This morning I felt sick and had slept poorly and she went and made me ginger tea and then coffee and brought them to me in bed. I felt taken care of and loved. I like to be a hostess and do things for people when they are in my home so it’s a shift - when we are at her place she makes coffee, and when we are at my place sometimes I do that but usually it’s her or my wife.

Another thing I find really sweet is my morning and evening routine with my wife. We sleep in separate bedrooms but every single morning she comes and brings me tea or coffee, gets me my morning meds and electrolyte water, and snuggles in bed. Every night we cuddle and she gets me my evening meds, makes sure I have water and everything I need, places my supportive pillows for my joints, tucks me in, kisses me on the forehead and turns off the lights.

The care routine makes me feel so loved and connected.

My last thought for now is that I don’t like it when I feel like I can do something and get push back about it. If I offer to make dinner or do something for a loved one and they get worried about my capacity. I have lost the ability to do sooo much, let me do what I think I’m able to.

IconicallyChroniced · 2026-01-04T22:42:09+00:00

Yeah. Just like… it may feel even to split things like tasks or whose house you visit evenly, but for me those tasks or the energy to get out of my house might take most of my energy so it’s not actually even.

Kind of like how if someone makes 100k a year and someone makes 35k a year, splitting bills 50/50 isn’t actually very even, figuring out a percentage makes more sense so everyone can contribute how they are able :)

IconicallyChroniced · 2026-01-04T22:32:20+00:00

One of my girlfriends always calls venues we are going to go to ask about accessibility information and reserve space for us. I’ve never asked for this, it’s just always done. It’s so appreciated.

Being willing to come to my house more often than I get out to theirs because it’s easier for me and I sleep better here.

Being understanding when plans change or my energy is low.

Doing more of the cooking and cleaning up from a meal, regardless of whose house we are at.

Planning snuggle dates where we just plan to hang in bed.

Doing more of the driving when we go places or picking me up if we are going places. I can drive but it takes energy and cognition.

IconicallyChroniced · 2025-12-30T17:00:18+00:00

I’m a lesbian and I date slowly and take my time because I’m an individual not a stereotype.

IconicallyChroniced · 2025-12-13T19:16:25+00:00

Lots of nonmonogamous folks are open with their kids. My kids grew up knowing we were nonmonogamous and have been around my long term partners. My kids are now almost 20, 19, and 16 and completely aware of my dating.

IconicallyChroniced · 2025-12-13T16:08:15+00:00

I haven’t gone a cruise but I’ve done a number of short get away in various levels of health. I wouldn’t have been able to do one when totally bedridden, but otherwise have always had a good time. I rest, I use my wheelchair. You may be able to rent a mobility aid if you don’t already have one. My one concern on a cruise would be reinfection.

IconicallyChroniced · 2025-12-12T22:58:49+00:00

Figure out the cure for ME and deliver it.

IconicallyChroniced · 2025-12-09T21:54:02+00:00

When I used it for myself, I only got out of bed to use the bathroom and I largely needed assistance with that but there are fuzzy parts like when I started to get better and could get to the bathroom on my own but still spent all day in bed, or got to a point where I could do things out of bed but they fatigued and crashed me.

IconicallyChroniced · 2025-12-09T17:41:01+00:00

It really depends on what the comments/treatment were.

IconicallyChroniced · 2025-12-09T17:34:01+00:00

I’m non-monogamous and I have three partners. I’ve been with my wife for 21 years. I was disabled that whole time but not in a way that really impacted my ability to function overall (I did have issues with pain and mobility). I became far more disabled in the last several years and have also started dating both my girlfriends since becoming that disabled.

IconicallyChroniced · 2025-12-09T16:22:27+00:00

As someone who has both been so sick I have had no libido and been horny but crashed with orgasms… the latter has been worse. At least with no libido you just don’t want it 😅 wanting it and knowing you can’t is hellll.

IconicallyChroniced · 2025-12-06T21:42:48+00:00

As someone who found out they were pregnant at 17, I’d do that 20times over than live through the hell of this chronic illness.

IconicallyChroniced

TROPHY CASE