Common symptoms of Long COVID often overlap with signs of menopause. This can make it difficult for women in midlife to know the best way to find relief. Experts say hormone therapy may be able to help.* 

What is Long COVID?

Long COVID is a condition where people who have been infected by COVID-19 continue to experience long-term symptoms. The vaguely defined condition is estimated to affect up to one in five people in the U.S., and millions more across the globe.

People with Long COVID report a wide variety of symptoms, including loss of taste or smell, persistent cough, fatigue, body aches, and many more. Some people experience ongoing symptoms for months or even years past the initial COVID-19 infection.

Long COVID and menopause can share symptoms

There is currently no test for Long COVID, and certain symptoms of the syndrome are also commonly experienced during the menopause transition, such as: 

• Exhaustion
• Brain fog
• Difficulty sleeping
• Feeling dizzy
• Headaches
• Muscle aches

Menopause expert Louise Newson, M.D. says that this can make it difficult for women to identify the source of their symptoms. While she acknowledges the reality of Long COVID, she says that women in midlife should also be screened for perimenopause, a time of fluctuating hormones before periods fully stop.

“Many of the women who complain of Long COVID are in their mid-to-late 40s,” she says. “It seems common sense to look at the obvious things first, such as whether they are actually in menopause.”

COVID Virus May Trigger Early Menopause 

Newson thinks that the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the virus that causes COVID-19, may actually kick-start menopause earlier than normal. Many women reported changes to their menstrual cycle after getting COVID-19 or the vaccine, but Newson says this is not all that unusual.

“Quite early on, lots of women were saying their periods were changing, but we know that any infection can affect [the] ovaries,” she says. “The first thing ovaries do [during an infection] is switch off, which is a good thing, but it might mean that the body is no longer producing the right hormones, and you can become perimenopausal.”

Other infections, including malaria, tuberculosis, and mumps have also been known to trigger early menopause.

If you’re experiencing fatigue, brain fog, and other confusing symptoms, Newson recommends tracking your symptoms, taking note of any that seem to be getting worse. If you suspect you may be in the early stages of menopause, she suggests speaking with your doctor to see if hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may be right for you.  

*Whittaker, R. (2022, December 29). Women who think they have long Covid may actually be suffering from menopause. Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11581905/Women-think-long-Covid-actually-suffering-menopause.html