Woman Develops Rare Condition That Makes Her Allergic To Her Periods

A 28-year-old woman from the UK developed a shocking, rare condition where she became allergic to her own periods. After several misdiagnoses by doctors, the woman, Georgina Jelley, did a little digging by herself and discovered that the symptoms that she was experiencing were actually those of progesterone hypersensitivity. 

Georgina Jelley's journey to diagnosis 

A few months earlier, Jelley was fitted with an intrauterine device or UID, after which she started experiencing rashes, itchy and burning eyes, and headaches, People reported. Her doctors, who believed that she was having an allergic reaction to the UID, prescribed anti-allergy medication.

"It was such a strange burning sensation in my eyes. They kept watering and my cheeks were red too,” she said, as per People. "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 kept returning after every three weeks, each time worse than before. At one point, her eyes swelled so much that it affected her vision. Doctors concluded that the condition may be eczema, but Jelley didn't believe it. ''I just knew it wasn't.''

After realizing that she experienced the symptoms every time she was on her period, Jelley took the issue into her own hands and delved into research. She concluded that she had developed a rare medical condition where women experience allergic reactions to their own periods. 

She later had the intrauterine device removed, after which the symptoms subsided.

What is progesterone hypersensitivity?

The condition is called progesterone hypersensitivity, which essentially means that women who possess it become allergic to the excess progesterone in their bodies ahead of their periods. The symptoms, which include rashes, itching, redness, and swelling of the eyes, are somewhat similar to those of an average allergic reaction or eczema. Due to these similarities, the condition is thus often misdiagnosed and not treated properly. 

Jelley told SWNS that she wants to raise awareness about progesterone hypersensitivity. "I was told it's a rare condition, but maybe it's not and people just know that they have it," she said. "It was shocking to think I'm actually allergic to my own periods."