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Females: Menstruation and Colitis

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/21/2007 3:52 PM (GMT 0)

Females with colitis…change during menstruation? My BMs are looser and the cramping/flare is worse. Is this related to colitis? Any thoughts on remedies?

Posted 8/21/2007 4:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hi...what's happening is that the hormonal changes produce prostaglandins which affect the bowel as well. My periods were absolute hell from day one....and with the addition of UC...double hell.


What worked for me was the addition of ibuprophen (antiprostaglandin) at the first sign of my period..taken for one day every 4 - 6 hours. Worked like a charm for cramps..etc. I've had a hysterectomy in '93..no need for the ibuprophen any longer.

Other options for antiprostaglandin is naproxen..which in the US comes in the form over the counter called aleve.

You'd have to do a search on your own for natural remedies if that's what you would consider.

The "new" midol is supposed to have added ingredients for pms symptoms...but I believe it's a diuretic.

You could use a rectal med just before your period..that might help.

quincy
Posted 8/21/2007 4:18 PM (GMT 0)
Before UC never had any problems with my period, matter of fact, the first day of my period I could go to the gym and work out (run & lift weights no problem) Now with UC the first day is a killer! Yesterday was my first day of my period, I ached like a mother scratcher and I didn't take anything for it. I suffered all day but today I'm fine no cramps. During a flare with no meds, I seem to bleed more on the first and second day.
Posted 8/21/2007 4:30 PM (GMT 0)
I have always had very painful periods - needed to take ibuprofen every 4 hours for the first three days and even at that I was still in pain.  My UC symptoms (bleeding) first started during my period. For the next 2 months I had UC symptoms during my period, but lasting a little longer each month until I had UC bleeding all the time. I started on a bcp shortly after that and my period cramping is much less now (which is good because ibuprofen is a no no with UC).  My UC symptoms are still a little worse during my period, but I think the pill has helped some.
Posted 8/21/2007 4:39 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, ibuprophen is definitely contraindicated with UC.
Although, for one day..I don't see there would be much of a problem if it helped cramping, etc.

Birth control pills are definitely a good suggestion. The ones that prevent periods except for 4 times a year are a great option.

Worth checking out....I wish they had that when I still had periods.

quincy
Posted 8/21/2007 4:40 PM (GMT 0)
I have always had bad periods - sometimes excruciatingly painful but it made my Uc 10x's worse for sure. Even healthy women have a change in bowel habits when they are due to start their periods so imagine what it does for us. And I am at a point where I can't tell the difference between Uc pain and menstrual pain anymore because once a month for a week long I am just one painful mess. I increase my Canasa to every night about 1 week I'm due to start and until a few days after and then I go back to every other day. It seems to help keep my Uc symptoms in check. But for my menstrual cramps, I sometimes use Naproxen even though it can make my Uc symptoms worse. So to me, it's a toss up - Uc symptoms or horrible cramping menstrual pain. Tylonel very rarely works for me during that time. Also in the past I've had to resort to Darvocet. If you can look into birth control (if you're not already on it) and it might help ease your symptoms.
Posted 8/21/2007 5:27 PM (GMT 0)
I've always had looser bm's and cramping when I get my period, even before having UC. Now, I've noticed that I get a bit of blood on my stool when I get my period. It lasts a few days and then settles down. I think I may do the enemas every night leading up to my period and see if that helps.
Posted 8/21/2007 5:45 PM (GMT 0)
MY UC def. gets worse during this time. I just pop some tylenol and pray it ends soon :)
Posted 8/21/2007 6:05 PM (GMT 0)
yes, I think I get a little diarrea along w/my period if I have bad cramping. Aleve at the first sign or even a day before I get it (sometimes I can feel it) really helps. I know that naproxen sodium is not great for me to take.....but a few pills once a month is not that terrible.
Posted 8/21/2007 6:33 PM (GMT 0)

hi all,

thanks, glad to know i am not alone! i'll take some aleve and hope the week ends quickly :)

birdie

Posted 8/21/2007 11:37 PM (GMT 0)
I noticed that I have Diarhea & more urgencies a week before my period starts as well as cramping. Once my period starts, everything stops thankfully. A friend of mine that doesn't have UC also has diarhea around the time of her period.
Posted 8/21/2007 11:43 PM (GMT 0)
My aunt said she LOVED when she got her period because she felt totally cleaned out. Hmmm. She never had cramps, however...how interesting.

I learned lots of curse words during my period. Let's see, that was once a month for 25 years like clockwork and always on a Friday or Saturday. Lots and lots of interesting words!!


q
Posted 8/22/2007 3:47 AM (GMT 0)
It's already known that hormones play their role with IBD, they do with IBS as well...

birth control pills are not always the answer, they cause bacterial over-growth for one thing along with other health risks the older you are while taking them...for anyone who feels they must take B/C pills I hope you're taking a really good probiotic along with it....which even if you're not on the pill you should be taking a good probiotic as it has many benefits for IBDers (and IBSers as well).

:)
Posted 8/22/2007 10:25 AM (GMT 0)
hi,

so great to know im the only one. I always had cramping during my period but now its worse. Now, there is a bit of a flare up with cramping and bleeding. I take a 7 day course of enemas which helps it all to settle down and by then, my periods are ready to start again. Booo Hoooo
Posted 8/22/2007 11:55 AM (GMT 0)
I don't know about you ladies but I get ONE good week out of a month. I have 1 1/2 weeks for my body preparing for my period and another 1 1/2 weeks recovering! It stinks!
Posted 8/22/2007 5:44 PM (GMT 0)
Sherry, that's how it was for me for the longest time but the primadophilus has helped with that issue for me, it's not completely resolved but it's alot better then what it was.


:)
Posted 8/22/2007 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
Sherry...I had ONE good week out of the month. I was worse on the pill, mind you...with headaches, bloating..etc. But, I'm talking in the mid to late 70's. A lot has changed regarding bc.

I still had only one good week regardless..totally sucked.

q
Posted 8/22/2007 10:27 PM (GMT 0)
it is just so hard to determine what is UC and what is the period because the symptoms are so the same...pain, D, cramps...not to mention the blood scares me even more. part f the deal, i guess, but still nice to have other people understand :)
Posted 8/24/2007 9:50 AM (GMT 0)
I had VERY bad PMT and cramps etc around and at the time of my period and definately noticed my UC kicking up a bit just before my period was due.

I started taking evening primrose oil tablets which seemed to make quite a big difference. It balanced out my hormones and really decreased most of my usual period symptoms aswell as reducing my UC symptoms. Evening primrose is known to help with balancing the hormones around the time menstruation cycle.

I used to take ibuprofen regualrly for my periods when i was younger as my cramps kept me in agony, often bed-ridden. However, much more recently, after reading about the possible link with ibuprofen and UC i steer totally clear wherever possible. In fact i strongly believe that it probably contributed to the actual cause of my UC occuring in the 1st place!
Posted 8/24/2007 10:29 AM (GMT 0)
great to know about the primrose oil, i hadn't heard of that. i will definitely try it next time around!
Posted 5/13/2012 5:17 PM (GMT 0)
Ibuprofen may have contributed to my problem, too, I think. I used to take 4 pill/4 hrs for the first day of my period over the last 10 years until I started getting new trouble with my bowels. I did a lot of research online and came across the info that Ibuprofen is associated with IBD. So I instantly switched to Panadol.

My heart goes out to all of you. I did't imagine that there're so many out there with the same problem. I wonder why we're developing it, and whether we have to stay on meds.

My symptoms get worse before my period. It's not exactly diarrhea, but bloating and stomach problems and joint pain. I get sinus-infection-like symptoms (headache, fever, nasal drip) and it affects my stomach greatly. I used to get cramps a couple of days before my period, now it's about a week before.

I read about the evening primrose oil a few years ago. I'll go look for it, because I started thinking maybe I need something to balance my hormones.

A lot of you are mentioning probiotics and folic acid. I'll add those to my list, as well.

For whatever it's worth, before I was diagnosed, only Thai food seemed harmless enough to consume. Coconut milk might well be soothing during a flare up. But if you don't drink enough water, it can constipate you.



-----------------------------------
31
Was diagnosed in March 2012 after I had a sigmoidoscopy
6 tablets of 400 Asacol stopped the bleeding
I flare up before my period
Posted 5/14/2012 12:42 AM (GMT 0)
I am currently in a flare and notice that each month the day before my period and for the first 2-3 days I have an increase in BMs and more blood. Somehow the change in hormones causes havoc on my system. At first I looked to my diet and then my meds but this month I didn't change a thing and on my last day of my period by BMs became more solid and I had less blood. Not sure how to solve this problem other than waiting for menopause!

I was always told to stay alway from Aleve and Advil/Motrin with UC. I stick to Tylenol 3s if I need something stronger for pain.
Posted 5/15/2012 2:07 AM (GMT 0)
I've always gotten a loose tummy the days before and during my period, even before UC.

There was a webcast last year on the CCFA website, stating that they have found that a lot of women get diarrhea right before their periods (not necessarily UC related though), and so they were recommending women with UC for whom this was an additional problem to LOOK INTO BIRTH CONTROL PILLS THAT DECREASE YOUR PERIODS TO 4 TIMES A YEAR, and discuss with your doctor.

My husband had a vasectomy precisely so I WOULDN'T have to be on the pill any longer!
Posted 5/15/2012 3:10 AM (GMT 0)
I too have bowel changes during my period. It's funny because I suffer from constipation, so during my period I actually get some relief although I do have more rectal bleeding. Funny toss up. I also have increased bleeding before my period, so sometimes I think I got my period when I actually didn't yet.

I do have a question for ibuprofen users, I'm taking asacol and it says not to take NSAID such as ibuprofen with the asacal. BUT it's the only thing that will knock out headaches, which I get a lot of with or without my period. Have you all had any interactions when taking both meds? What could happen if I take both? I know it's hard on the stomach but tylenol does NOTHING!!!
Posted 5/15/2012 6:39 PM (GMT 0)

pb4: how does the primodophilus help w pms?  is this something you heard about or discovered on your own?

also the evening primrose oil tablets sound promising.

i too have like one good week a month :)

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