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Flare and period cycle

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 1/12/2009 10:56 AM (GMT 0)
I know this has been discussed before but i wanted to talk about it anyway. Every month, a week before my period, I start flaring. It starts with headache, nausea and gas. Then, i guess the acidity causes a flare. I take cortico steroids and it takes about a week and a half to settle down. Then, the whole cycle starts again.
I am nervous that my steroid enemas might harm in the long run.

Does anyone else have the same problem? What do you do about it?
Posted 1/12/2009 1:37 PM (GMT 0)
I had to do the same thing. I would always have these mini flares right before my periods. If you are able to use Rowasa then maybe you should use those instead of the steroid enemas. It wasn't until the last couple years that these mini flares would turn into full blown flares for me. I am 38, done having children so my GYN said I would be ideal for the endometrial ablation. I had the procedure done and now I haven't had a period in over a year which in turn caused these mini flares to disappear.
Posted 1/12/2009 2:14 PM (GMT 0)
I have posted on this topic before as well. If you look it up a few weeks ago, we had a good, long one with some ideas on it....including birth control pills- pro's and cons. My daughter is in the same boat as you are. Sometimes the pre-period flares bring on a 3 week state of misery. We just tried acupuncture last week. So, far, so good. Will keep you posted on it's success. The practitioner believes she can help with the pre-period side problems and treated those particular pathways.
Posted 1/12/2009 2:24 PM (GMT 0)
Wow Sherry! I am so glad the ablation procedure worked SO well for you!!!! I am 38 as well ( in a couple of weeks) and done having kids. I had it done in Oct. of '07. It actually worked quite well for the first several months, but for some reason I am having trouble again. My period is not very long, maybe 2 days, but it is the after "stuff" that has become a problem. It lasts for days and days. I have never had this before. Anyway, I need to go for my yearly exam and I will ask about it then. I too have a mini flare around the time of my period. Not every time, but it is still scary!!
Posted 1/12/2009 6:18 PM (GMT 0)
Happychic, I asked my GYN what were the chances of my endo walls growing back and he said that it is rare but it can grow back in patches. And sometimes in women that have this happen to them, they would of been better off getting a hysterectomy. Yes, so far knock on wood. I've been very lucky to have this take so well. Of course it didn't feel like it at the time! lol I had an adverse reaction to the pain medication and had to go to the ER by ambulance. But now, of course, I am grateful to have had it done. Oh and btw, I had mine done in October of '07 as well :)
Posted 1/12/2009 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
I guess I'm lucky. I don't get flares around my period. I do have a hard time figuring out how much blood I'm loosing from the flare when I have my period. It is especially troublesome when I'm going into remission. It is really difficult to figure out whether or not my colon is still bleeding. And then of course there is the extra loss of blood to contend with.
Posted 1/13/2009 1:37 AM (GMT 0)
Sherry, I have heard about the endo walls growing back. Of course I hoped it wouldn't happen to me! I thought seriously about the hysterectomy, but I just didn't want to go through the surgery. I had a c-section in '05 and the recovery was AWFUL! I am considering a hysterectomy in the future as a last resort. It would be wonderful to be period-free!!!:)
Posted 1/13/2009 1:59 AM (GMT 0)
It's quite common for periods to exacerbate IBD and even IBS symptoms, more common than not actually....your steroid enema will not harm in the short or long run.

:)
Posted 1/16/2009 4:30 AM (GMT 0)
OH yes,  my monthly period Always causes some GI issues.    And it has even caused me to flare.   I hadn't thought of the possibility of the ablation.   Good idea.   I would definately be looking into it if I hadn't already decided to pursue surgery for my UC>   
Posted 1/21/2009 1:27 AM (GMT 0)
Hi all

Sorry for the late response. Thanks a ton for all the replies. I am meeting my GI tomorrow and will discuss with her.

Thanks
Chere
Posted 1/21/2009 1:32 AM (GMT 0)
Usually my stomach gets really bad during my period... I asked my Gyno about it and she said, "Well then, maybe you don't need to get your period every month." So now I'm on the nuva ring, I put a new one every three weeks and get my period every 6 or 9 weeks. That way, my period is less often--thus it is less often that I flare up.
Posted 1/21/2009 1:59 AM (GMT 0)
Its nice your GI is a HER! Mine is a pediatric GI and he is a male and really had no idea what to do about my problems with my period and my UC. I ended up taking ortho lo to kind of even out my hormones. I've had a good experience with it but others haven't. See what your options are :)
Posted 1/21/2009 3:35 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, I was always adversely affected by my monthly cycle. Of course back then, the 1960s (I was diagnosed in 1962), the options for helping were non existent. No GI seemed to see a correlation. By the time I reached menopause in the 1990s, I finally figured out on my own that there was a hormonal affect...for me. My UC came on SUDDENLY and extremely (pancolitis) one month after my first period. After menopause my flares became less frequent, and less intense. I believe there is a connection for some of us.
Posted 1/21/2009 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
I definitely have a huge increase in colitis symptoms with my period. I would love to have an ablation or even a hysterectomy, but I always thought the ovaries were responsible for all the hormonal fluctuations that cause all the additional colitis trouble. I am excited to read that others were helped just by having their periods stopped.
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