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For the ladies with UC- that time of the month?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 1/30/2012 2:36 PM (GMT 0)
Hey ladies, just a quick question. Do you do anything in particular to prepare for your period to prevent getting a UC flare?  We all know your period can upset IBS (it definitely upsets mine), but now I'm about to have my period next week and worried it will exasperate the flare I'm in.  I just happen to start tapering my Prednisone down by 5mg/week starting this Friday too, so I will still be on the Pred but tapering during my period.  Getting a little worried and thinking of taking the enema twice a day maybe 3 times next week just to 'ward off' any colon upset. 

I take my birth control pills 3 packs in a row which greatly helps my IBS/UC symptoms. OB/GYN even said I could take them constantly with no harm, but I had some precancerous glandular cells in my endocervix last fall and have to have them removed. They were deeper than thought and thought I"d need a hysterectomy but it turned out the oncologist was able to get clean margins on my biopsy.  She claimed no evidence that taking the pill back-to-back causes that, but after all that I just want to keep my system 'cleaned out' on a semi more often basis than never :)

So ladies, do any of you experience flare-up symptoms when you have your period?  Any tips you have for keeping the UC at bay during that week?

Thanks!

Nikki

Posted 1/30/2012 2:56 PM (GMT 0)
I personally never had a connection with my periods and my UC. I have really light periods though and have never had PMS or anything. I know others have a connection though.
Posted 1/30/2012 3:00 PM (GMT 0)
I definitely have increased symptoms, I recently found out I also have adenomyosis- Im having a radical hysterectomy and they are taking my ovaries as well-

Carlie
Posted 1/30/2012 3:14 PM (GMT 0)
I seem to need to go to the bathroom more times in a day(sometimes 5-6) when its the day before my period but my stool thankfully is still normal.  I've never really done anything for it.

The enema increase certainly wouldn't hurt. :)

Posted 1/30/2012 4:05 PM (GMT 0)
Hormones have always affected my flare-ups. After my initial diagnosis I had a miscarriage and then had a flare. After giving birth to my first child my UC got tremendously better. When I was pregnant with my second child I had increased mucous for the last 2 months that cleared up right after giving birth. Now I am having a terrible flare and had to give up breastfeeding my 2nd child overnight because I started on Prednisone. My period was incredibly heavy and painful but I don't know which was worse, the period, the engorged breasts or the UC! My UC is still not better now so I am looking at Remicade to clear up this flare. Not sure how all of this will affect my periods in the future but luckily I have 2 healthy kids now.
Posted 1/30/2012 4:11 PM (GMT 0)
Ok Im in the same situation as yours. Started the pill 3 packs back to back and had pre cancerous cells last year and got successfully treated.

Now when I had my periods once a month the day before was all bloating and well mmmm substance after gas...

The first 2 days of periods its all about being bloated and I feel my uterus have spasms that pushes my colon therefore i feel more urges to go.

The ocnsistency of stools seem to be more skinny and they seem to burn my bum much more!

Ok now some tricks. I found that eating less helps a lot. Cutting all dairies and wheat helps too.
Doing a bike ride or some sport helps as well.

I found it difficult to do properly my nightly enemas with my periods as my periods were quite heavy before the pill. Maybe do a suppository instead?

But overall I feel doing the pill back to back was my best option cause I have less UC symptoms because i dont have my periods so much as well as they are lighter.

Have you ever considered the Mirena coil? Thats my next option, Its very UC friendly and they can stop your periods for quite a while. Just a thought :P
Posted 1/30/2012 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
Carlie, I'm so sorry to hear about the hysterectomy - I know getting the ovaries removed can be the most difficult part.  I'll be thinking of you!

Tournevice - I've never been too comfortable with having anything 'inserted' as my form of birth control :)  Although I take Yasmin and found the hormone in that pill really helped the hair loss I was having and also helped my low potassium levels as it can increase those.  I was taking the pills for 5 to 6 packs in a row which really helped my IBS, but now back to the 3 in a row. Really only to make me feel better cause of that cancer scare. I guess if my next PAP comes up abnormal and I need a hysterectomy eventually I'll go off the pill.  Although I do feel like the constant stream of hormones really helps my IBS and UC!

I NEVER take ibuprofen either -I'm sure you also don't. I agree doing a workout is key to helping the cramps and bloating down. Being in a flare right now I can't do my usual intense cardio classes but I'm getting back to the gym today and see how that goes. Maybe start yoga back up this week at least and hopefully that will help the cause next week.  But I did always notice my cardio classes seemed to really take down the PMS symptoms.

My periods are WAY lighter too since taking the pills back to back (which I've been doing for over 10 years now).  Usually maybe 3 days and that is it.  Start Sunday, no cramps till Monday night, by Thursday its practically done. Definitely helps the UC being so light.

Posted 1/30/2012 7:31 PM (GMT 0)
I've posted about it before. I had the same - more symptoms around the first day of my period. But it started after I was on Prednisone for 2,5 months in Spring last year. The first period just a three days after tapering Prednisone was like a nightmare. I was terrified that everything was coming back, so I understand your worries :-)
Advice from me? If you are on Prednisone just maybe don't taper during the period. I know that sometimes being on this stuff a day, three days longer can freak somebody out, but why taking a risk? If you just can postpone lowering dose for a couple of days.
In my case, I took strong pain killer and returned on prednisone for a couple days, small dose, as my tapering was going smooth. Don't know if hadn't panicked too much, but the most important thing, I haven't flared! Since then (Aug 2011), every month (I was on mini pills as estrogen gave me a terrible headaches) was less severe but I had more symptoms. And they got to normal after the first, second day of period. With or without suppositories.
Now I have Mirena, for a week so not too much experience with this stuff so far. Really hope it will stop my periods at all :-)
Posted 1/30/2012 9:59 PM (GMT 0)
I wish I could not taper, but that would mean doing 3 1/2 weeks at 40mg of Prednisone instead of 2 weeks.  So its quite an extension the way the days work out. It doesn't help that I'm going on a rather big vacation either the 14th or the 21st (I fly standby so hard to know the date in advance!) and I really want my period over in plenty of time before that.  Just bad timing overall!

I think I'll double up on the enema dose to twice a day for part of my period, hopefully that will take down the Pred taper effect a bit. 

Posted 1/30/2012 10:10 PM (GMT 0)
If I have my period while not on birth control pills it does bother my UC and seems to make things worse.

For this reason I actually just went back on the pill. I take a low dose pill and when I am low dose birth control my period doesn't bother my UC. Probably because when you have a period on birth control, it isn't really a period so I think the hormone fluctuation is different and doesn't bother me.
Posted 1/30/2012 11:09 PM (GMT 0)

MNBeachgal said...
I wish I could not taper, but that would mean doing 3 1/2 weeks at 40mg of Prednisone instead of 2 weeks. So its quite an extension the way the days work out.

I meant not to postpone the whole tapering schedule. I thought about not lowering the dose while you'll have your period. If you've just lowered the dose, stay on it during your period, and lower to next level afterwards.

Hope it won't be so bad, as it is really bad timing for you! Keeping my fingers crossed.
Posted 1/31/2012 1:39 AM (GMT 0)
I listened to a webcast a few months ago posted on the CCFA website, dictated by an OBGYN. She suggested that if you notice your symptoms getting worse while pms'ing or when you get your period to go on one of those birth controls that let you have only 4 periods a year.

I thought this made a lot of sense. I don't know if you tolerate birth control well, but it seems like a good option.

I started Remicade a month ago and didn't get a period this month. Freaked me out, but apparently it does happen.

Good luck!
Posted 1/31/2012 2:41 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Guategirl, that's actually what I do.  I take 3 birth control packs back to back then have my period - so that is a period every 10 weeks which amounts to about 4 or 5 a year.  I've been doing it for over 10 years now (before the 'official' packs that come in that format came out).  I definitely attribute it to one of the things that let me be in remission for so long.  Luckily I've never had any issues with birth control pills, and they really help my skin and hair too!

 

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