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Posted 12/10/2010 3:44 PM (GMT 0)
Hi to the ladies out there! Have you experienced or heard missed periods due to Asacol or Rowasa? When I was dx I was put on prednisone which I was on from April to July and asacol from apr to current. I never skipped a period the whole time. The only thing I started doing differently was adding Rowasa (generic) in Nov for 2 weeks and started it again and taking them for about 2 weeks now. I'm 2 weeks late and I know I'm not pregnant. Ijust to be sure, I did pregnancy test 2x and they're both negative. Any ideas? Thanks for your input.
Posted 12/10/2010 3:47 PM (GMT 0)
To add, I am 40 years old and not on birth control pills but I am confident I'm not pregnant because I haven't been sexually active (kinda lost the drive after my diagnosis - sorry TMI)
Posted 12/10/2010 3:53 PM (GMT 0)
I haven't missed one because of asacol. Are you flaring really bad, stressed out or just starting to exercise? Those things can make a period late. Ovarian cysts have made mine late too.
Posted 12/10/2010 4:08 PM (GMT 0)
Do you think it could be early menopause? I do think that UC itself, when symptoms are bad, can cause women to miss periods, but I don't think that mesalamine based drugs do.
Posted 12/10/2010 11:51 PM (GMT 0)
I was always irregular but I never missed a period.....Are you flaring?
Keep us posted.
Posted 12/11/2010 12:47 AM (GMT 0)
I haven't missed a period in so long, I don't even remember the last time I missed one. Even when I was anemic and flaring badly, I still got it. I have heard of people missing it on prednisone or if their weight is low from flaring or if they are losing a lot of blood and are anemic. I am on birth control pills, that definitely helps to keep things in check. You should see your gyn if you don't get it soon, a missed period could probably mean a lot of things or nothing at all. I take Asacol and generic Rowasa too. I also have no sex drive (tmi)
Posted 12/11/2010 4:27 AM (GMT 0)
I miss my periods all the time due to being anemic or at least that is what I thought... But since you mentioned it, I have also lost my sex drive since I was diagnosed, have you been able to do anything about that? my doctor just told me that it would come back once I was in remission and when I stopped prednisone. that'll be the day.
Posted 12/11/2010 7:13 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the replies. No, my flare isn't bad right now. the rectal meds and dividing the Asacol 3x throughout the day seem to be working and I'm really happy about that. Being this late with my period is unusual for me since I'm normally very regular. Even though I am still underweight (113 lbs at 5'6), my weight has stabilized and i actually am 10 lbs heavier than i was in April/May. I have an appointment with my GP this coming Wed. And not sure what kind of tests she would do. Maybe a pelvic exam and some blood work?? I will keep you posted.
Posted 12/11/2010 7:37 AM (GMT 0)
Ryverwise, about losing the sex drive, it makes sense what your doctor said. I'm sure once were feeling pretty good for a while, it'll probably naturally come back. I'm married and I feel sorry for my husband. He always gives me a hard time but hes very patient with me. What do you mean by "never been in remission"? I'm just asking because I want to understand what different people consider as remission (sorry for going off track)
Posted 12/16/2010 6:48 AM (GMT 0)
sorry it took me so long to reply, I can't figure out how to get an email when someone responds, but thanks for writing back.

what I mean by never been in remission is that I have never had a good long break from these flares, there has been short amounts of time where I thought that I was in remission (1-2 months maybe) but I just found out from my recent colonoscopy and new GI doc that I never have. I have bad scars in my colon from it and a mass amount of pseudo polyps, I don't think I remember what it is like to be a normal healthy person anymore. I haven't had a nice solid stool since I was 18 :( thats not something I ever, ever thought I would look forward to. and my GI said that because I am so sick and have been for so long that what I think is healthy, isn't, he said I'm just used to the pain and disease, so a bad day to a normal person is a great day for me! sort of pathetic...

I'm glad you are married to someone who is patient and understanding, most of the time, right? my boyfriend is 27, I think that for a woman, no matter what your age that its a little easier to go without sex, but a 27 year old young man? thank god my boyfriend has never gone astray... he has even surprised me with tucs pas and preparation H. :) what a guy.

sorry for the ramble on and not to bother you so much but any thoughts on imuran or remicade?
Posted 12/16/2010 8:50 PM (GMT 0)
I was in a year+ remission and I didn't get my drive back. Sorry to be a downer. Hopefully you will get yours back when you're feeling better.

How did your appointment go?
Posted 12/16/2010 11:40 PM (GMT 0)
I lost my period for months when I was first diagnosed and was at my sickest. Not only can anemia factor into it, but low body weight - particularly very low fat percentage - can cause a period to be late or stop. It's also possible you're entering into perimenopause, which can cause your periods to become irregular. http://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/guide-perimenopause
Posted 12/28/2010 7:21 PM (GMT 0)
I have never missed a period but when I FIRST Started taking Asacol last year, I was also on the pill and started spotting the SAME MONTH I started the Asacol. This went on for about 5 months until my doctor said "Your Asacol is obviously interfering with the absorption of the pill, you should probably have been using a back up method if you've been spotting....its not working..." Good thing my boyfriend and I didn't get a surprise in that time period!
I have since gone off the pill and am having regular periods.

In my experience the low sex drive thing for me is because I'm worried and preoccupied about my flaring.....its more mental than anything (I guess sex is 80% mental!) and THIS IS WAYYY TOO MUCH TMI but hey if we talk about our bowel movements why not our sex lives? I find that if I can find a way to enjoy sex my stress level goes down and my flares get better (or at least I can forget about it for 15 minutes...30 minutes.....an hour? heehee)

What's the other saying? Most of life is just showing up? Unless I'm feeling REALLY UGH I will at least try and I usually end up enjoying myself! sex with a committed partner never made anyone MORE SICK, right? :) This disease already takes so much of my energy and life, it doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon might as well have a little fun ya know?!
Posted 12/28/2010 7:32 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry I didn't update this thread sooner. I finally got my period, 3 weeks late but I was happy to get it. I think it might be a hormone thing but I have a physical appt in January and will make sure I mention it. I also have been waking up soars in sweat at night (unless I sleep with only a thin sheet over me which means I would pretty much be shivering from being cold trying to fall asleep). My mom thinks I might be pre-menopausal, which I guess could come as early as 40. I just thin my body is so out of whack. I am very underweight. Probably malnourished. I really wonder if I'm just gonna be sickly from here on or if I can get strong and healthy again. It's been a tough year and it looks like I might be welcoming the NY in not so healthy condition.
Posted 12/29/2010 2:46 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, I missed my period also for about 3 months. Last one was in late September and it started again in November, but because of my age, it may be perimenopause also. I'm leaning towards perimenopause myself. But it may be this UC as well, not flaring as much like in 2008 but was stressed out in late September because my doc got the surgeon's report of my last scope and they are recommending at some point in my life to get a colectomy. It was then that I stressed out. Still settling down from that stress still. Then I got my period in December, one week early.
Posted 12/29/2010 6:17 AM (GMT 0)
KatKat, I'm sorry to hear about the report. I haven't read much on surgery options I think because I don't want to be more scared than I am already. But I've read quite a few on here who have gone through surgeries and are happy they did. Sometimes it makes me wonder if it might be worth it if it will get one off having to take so much medication. I hope it works out for you.

I was talking to my brother who us a respiratory therapist and he said that my chest infection is causing my night sweat (probably not hot flashes). I have so much going on right now but I have an appt with my gp tomorrow and hope I'll figure something out.
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