Symptom 3: Abnormal Menstrual Cycles – The Biological Disarray
The third symptom we’ll discuss is the impact of struma ovarii on menstrual cycles. Any significant disruption in the usually routine ebb and flow of the menstrual cycle should ring a bell. The menstrual cycle is a carefully choreographed dance of hormones, and the introduction of an ovarian tumor can throw off its rhythm.
Affected individuals may experience unusually heavy periods, medically termed as menorrhagia. These are not the usual fluctuations that women often face. It’s a drastic change, periods that become so heavy they interfere with the normal rhythm of life, lasting longer and causing severe discomfort.
Conversely, there may be instances of oligomenorrhea, where periods are infrequent, irregular, or unusually light. It can be unnerving when periods that were once predictable as clockwork suddenly become sparse or disappear altogether. This irregularity doesn’t just signify a hormonal imbalance but also possibly alludes to the presence of a more severe condition, such as struma ovarii.
The effect of struma ovarii on menstrual cycles isn’t restricted to the frequency and flow of periods. Women may also experience severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS), with amplified physical and emotional discomfort. These escalated premenstrual symptoms can contribute to further biological and emotional disarray.
Changes in menstrual cycles serve as a biological distress signal. When your body’s innate rhythm gets disrupted, it is a subtle hint that something isn’t right. As struma ovarii introduces itself through this symptom, it creates a biological disarray that nudges you to pay attention to your body’s regular patterns. (3)
