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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 11/19/2008 11:36 AM (GMT 0)
I have noticed that approx 2 weeks before my period is due I start getting some of my bad symptoms kicking up again. Usually this includes alot of wind, some blood, urgency to the loo etc.

I mentioned this to my GP who is trying to get my system back on track and the only thing she suggested was to start taking the contraceptive pill.

Now with the combination of Preds, asacol, aziathyioprine etc I don't know if that's such a good idea. I hate being reliant on medications anyway so I'm a bit unsure whether this is the right way to go.

Has anyone else experienced this too? And if so, what do you use to help?
Posted 11/19/2008 12:59 PM (GMT 0)
I notice that a few days before my period, I start having some D.  I went off the pill years ago because I thought the hormones from it made my UC worse.  I'm not sure what the answer is, I guess it's just another one of those joys of being a woman with UC!

Posted 11/19/2008 1:22 PM (GMT 0)
Lots of women have that problem right before their periods. I have a friend who doesn't have UC that has D 2 weeks before her period. Hormones as usual :)
Posted 11/19/2008 1:36 PM (GMT 0)
But D with blood and mucus???
Posted 11/19/2008 1:56 PM (GMT 0)
Those of my troubles that I do not blame UC, I blame on my period.  Together they are the evil stepmother to my cinderella. You can guess where I am in my cycle right now.

My experience is I get more severe symptoms just before and during my period.  Yesterday and today I woke up with D, blood and mucus with an emphasis on the blood and mucus.  All compliments of the tag team of uc and menstruation. skull

 

Posted 11/19/2008 2:20 PM (GMT 0)
For as long as I can remember, I always had "mini" flares before my periods - yes even blood, mucous, D etc. It was getting so bad that these mini flares were turning into real flares that went out of control. That is why I opted for the endo ablation - to help with my flares and my painful periods as well. I still have PMS symptoms but to a lesser degree. I still get watery stool but that is it now. I was not a candidate for birth control pills because of my past history - I am extremely sensitive to hormones because they cause intense migraines as well as me being over 35 and a smoker. It seems that women just can't get a break eh?!
Posted 11/19/2008 2:21 PM (GMT 0)

Even before UC I always had poops just before and during my period.  I think a lot of women do.  My group of girlfriends even refers to them as "period s--ts."  smilewinkgrin

I'm guessing that these extra poops you're having encourage more blood and mucus simply because you have UC.  Just my guess.

Posted 11/19/2008 2:28 PM (GMT 0)
that's so reassuring to know!

When i mentioned it to the GP she seemed baffled and could only suggest one option - ANOTHER medication :(

What do you all take for controlling the PMT symptoms? I have read that Evening Primrose oil is beneficial but not really tried it yet. Anyone tried it?
Posted 11/19/2008 2:30 PM (GMT 0)
@ Red_34 - I have the same kind of experience, my PMT symptoms kick off the UC and then it all just snowballs downhill from there.

What's endo ablation??
Posted 11/19/2008 2:32 PM (GMT 0)
Yep yep yep. It was so bad that I did start bc and that helped for the most part.
Posted 11/19/2008 3:00 PM (GMT 0)
You may want to look into bioidentical hormones as a way to naturally balance your hormones and cycle and reduce PMS symptoms. Check out Suzanne Somers' book, Ageless: The Naked Truth about Bioidentical Hormones to learn more:

http://www.amazon.com/Ageless-Naked-Truth-Bioidentical-Hormones/dp/0307237257/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227106768&sr=1-2
Posted 11/19/2008 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
BC pills is what I think caused my current flare (which has been going on since Feb.) so I'll never take it again. But yeah, my periods are horrible! Last month, I was up all of the first night with diarrhea and nausea. I take Tylenol, which helps with cramping but not anything else.
Posted 11/19/2008 4:23 PM (GMT 0)
Endometrial ablation is where the doc burns off a layer in your uterus. It had stopped my periods which in turn stopped the horrible excruciating menstrual cramps I get and the mini flares.  But the endo ablation is not for everyone.  It is mainly for women that are done having children or not going to have children and it has to be medically necessary before a GYN will do it.
Posted 11/19/2008 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
yeah, my symptoms kick it up a notch the week before my period too- I just deal with it. I've never been on the pill, & really dislike the thought of taking hormones. Plus I take enough meds as it is. Things settle down when my period ends. Of course, I only get my period like 4-6 times a year, thanks to god-knows-what! But I find if it's an especially bad period, the UC symptoms beforehand are especially bad, & vice versa.

Posted 11/19/2008 6:00 PM (GMT 0)
You should consider rectal meds maybe every second night once you ovulate. 5ASA is still an antiprostaglandin, and will help with some of the hormonal symptoms that affect the bowel during your cycle. Of course, if you have endometriosis, those symptoms might require other intervention...but do try the Rowasa (or Salofalk if you're not in the US)...

q
Posted 11/19/2008 6:48 PM (GMT 0)
Count me in on the things get worse at uc time. The gas alone is a killer. I'm 49 so the idea of bc pills doesn't sound that great considering other complications. So I just ride it out. I am a pamprin girl.
Posted 11/19/2008 7:29 PM (GMT 0)
My symptoms Definitely get worse around and during my period. It's terrible because I can't even wear tampons anymore, because every time I have to go to the bathroom so much and every time I do, it pushes the tampon out of "position", and you can't change your tampon every hour or more, it's just uncomfortable and unnecessary, so now I just wear pads, which I hate but oh well. :(
Posted 11/19/2008 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
Oh, and I've been on birth control (and a few different types) for years, and it's never helped, unfortunately.
Posted 11/19/2008 8:41 PM (GMT 0)
It's common with having IBD, the fluctuations of hormones can exacerbate IBD symptoms...and there's no guarantee that the BC pills will help, infact for some, including myself, it made my symptoms worse because afterall BC pills do contain hormones. You won't know until you try of course because we're all different, but taking a good probiotic is a really good idea because we tend to have bacterial over-growth issues with having IBD and BC pills can also add to that issue. So taking a good probiotic daily is wise whether or not you're on the pill.

:)
Posted 11/20/2008 4:47 AM (GMT 0)
I am in the middle of a flare right now. And I am curious about something. I was put on BC pills back in June at age 48 due to Provera not stopping what was an ongoing period, ended up being 45 days in length. The pills stopped the period finally. However, I've noticed that with my past 3 pap smears, within a couple of weeks I've had a flareup. The first was back in January after a cryotherapy procedure back the end of December, the second in July after the pap smear at the end of June and the third showed up 2 weeks after my pap smear the end of October.

I am having slight issues on and off with urgency and the staining of my pants from the urgency, twice in a row the other night, there is bright red blood, mainly on the tissue, but sometimes when my stools are hard, there is some present on the stools. This all started with again the problem of multiple bm's that came on. For a week now or a little over I've had bright red rectal bleeding. I called my gastro doctor yesterday asking if they could call me in some rectal enemas of Rowasa since I had just been in there 3 weeks before and was feeling great, things were very normal. 10 days later that totally changed.

I am also noticing low pelvic cramping with this and have on and off for a few weeks. I started my enemas last night. I'm hoping this will improve soon as I do not want to spend Thanksgiving with this problem. My rear feels swollen and feels really heated inside or burning. Wondering if this could be hemorrhoids? I sit a good deal of the time at work, and at home afterward some. But I am up and about at home a good deal doing things around the house.

I am taking probiotics and have been since this flareup started. Any thoughts would be appreciated. This is the second flare I've had since September. And this really stresses me.

 

Posted 11/20/2008 12:32 PM (GMT 0)
You're right, it does sound like hemmies. I have the same feeling of burning and a swollen feeling especially upon going to the bathroom to a bit afterwards. I believe I have internal/slightly outside hemmies. If the Rowasa doesn't help you, ask the doc if you can try either the steroid foam or the steroid suppositories to ease the rectal inflammation and/or hemmies.
Posted 11/20/2008 5:09 PM (GMT 0)
I have suppositories also but I can tell this has gone slightly up into my side as did the previous flare and that is why they are having me use the enemas. The suppositories did me no good last time as they haven't helped this time. So I'm hoping things will improve with this. I do not like the rectal pain either that I am having on and off. Very miserable.
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