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Ladies need advice/input - IBS like symptoms before period?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 12/9/2016 3:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi guys. Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the holidays as best they can.

So I have had 2 flex sigs - one on 9/20 and another 11/22 and both showed no inflammation. So I am finally in remission after a 2 year flare :)

I have been having issues with my period for a while now. It was kicking my flare into high gear. I finally got the Mirena IUD in July, added 6 mp and by September I was in remission.

I am having some issues with the IUD and am seeing the OBgyn next week. However we both think the issues are my body readjusting to the IUD since I've gained about 7 pounds and my body is most likely producing estrogen or more estrogen again.

So the last two periods since remission I have had some days of mucus right before my period comes, along with cramping (IUD related). My GI is convinced its IBS symptoms now and was nice enough to scope me to double check last time. The mucus just worries me. It's only on the tp...not a lot. No other UC symptoms.

Does anyone else get like this? I am hoping the IUD stops my period all together but only time will tell with that. I am seriously considering ablation to stop my period all together.

I've never had this before but I know this last flare did a number on my body. Prior to UC I had D and cramping before my period. I'm wondering if the mucus is just part of the new normal because of everything my body has been through :(
Posted 12/10/2016 2:26 PM (GMT 0)
Bump...any input ladies??
Posted 12/10/2016 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
Congrats on achieving remission. Sorry I'm of absolutely no help on the other issue...
Posted 12/10/2016 5:37 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks John! It was a rough, long flare. Almost got surgery. 6mp was the last shot I was giving it. This time it worked. Next time surgery. Can't and won't go through it again.

Hope you're taper is going well and your not having issues. I see you're down to 10 mg! Congrats. Hopefully it just keeps going down.
Posted 12/11/2016 12:19 AM (GMT 0)
I always have a random night poop the day before my period and I never poop at night. I had tons of cramping when I had a mirena and I spotted non-stop for the 18 months I had it. Oddly, I started passing mucus in my stool when I had my period with the mirena, but neither my go nor my gyn was worried about it. As soon as I had it removed everything normalized until I developed IC two years later.
Posted 12/11/2016 1:57 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Mom. That makes me feel so much better. The mucus only lasts a couple days it seems. This month I'm tracking. The cramping last month was insane and I've had two c sections! But it seems to have stopped. I've had weird spotting/periods with the Mirena. 3 weeks straight spotting. Then 2 weeks. Then 10 days then back to 3 weeks. Last month was almost like a real period but lasted 11 days. My period is due tomorrow so I'm curious to see how long this one lasts. I see my obgyn on Thursday to get it looked at and decide what we want to do. January will be 6 months and I want to give it until then before changing anything.

My gi said to just keep it because it's helped my uc and he thinks if I ride it out I won't have a period at some point. But he's a man and doesn't know what spotting for 3 weeks is like. Guess time will tell.

It's so hard to see random mucus and not jump to flare because they usually go hand in hand. Finding my new normal at this point since basically diagnosis. New meds. Never have been on hormonal bc this long. It's all new.

I'm just not ready to throw in the towel and get an ablation because in my heart I want one more child but it kills my body uc wise. I keep saying maybe on these new meds it won't. I just watched a ccfa forum discussion by two ibd/ob specialists and they said some great things about being able to stay on my meds and stay in remission.
Posted 12/11/2016 2:14 PM (GMT 0)
I didn't get a "real" period with my mirena for about 6 months, but I was bf-ing at the time. You should give it a bit longer, but that constant spotting was a deal breaker for me. I have my annual with my gyn on Wednesday and I am going to ask for the mini pill. My body loves the progesterone end of my cycle.
ETA: I also had two c-sections and got my mirena 8 weeks pp. the cramping was brutal!
Posted 12/11/2016 4:20 PM (GMT 0)

TotesMagotes said...
Hope you're taper is going well and your not having issues. I see you're down to 10 mg! Congrats. Hopefully it just keeps going down.

Thanks, everything is going well and I'm upbeat now with a plan to continue my taper with another drop soon. It's just taken a lot longer than I'd like, with set backs a few months back (pausing taper, adjusting meds several times, and then resuming taper). As you know all too well, it's typical for uc to make things waaay more difficult than is really necessary.
Posted 12/11/2016 11:30 PM (GMT 0)
@mom - yes the spotting is so annoying. But I keep telling myself its better than flaring. I just hit the 5 month mark. Only 2 months basically in remission. So I do feel like my body may be readjusting all over again. I talked with my obgyn about the mini pill. Its something I wanted to try if this didn't work. Please keep me posted on how you do on it. My body seems to really like progesterone too. I flare in pregnancy when estrogen starts to beat out the progesterone. So when you say your "body loves the progesterone end of my cycle" what do you mean? Yes I had 2 c sections as well. The worst part about the cramping is not knowing if its UC or uterus?!?!?!

@iPoop - that's fantastic!! I'm so glad things are smooth and you are upbeat. Yes I know the struggle all too well. I can't tell you how many "plans" I had that never panned out because UC decided to throw a wrench in it. The end of the flare went the complete opposite of how I thought it would go. When my GI said I had no inflammation I didn't believe him...for like weeks...and then made him scope me again.
Posted 12/12/2016 12:01 AM (GMT 0)
Our hormone levels fluctuate during our cycles. Progesterone levels rise after ovulation and then drop around menstruation, estrogen is higher leading up to ovulation and the lutenizing hormone peaks at ovulation which is the worst for me because I now have ovarian cysts.
I always feel fantastic for the two weeks in between ovulation and getting my period.
Posted 12/14/2016 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks mom! So maybe I have it backwards. My body is the best from getting my period up until ovulation...when I have a few bumpy days then the 10 days before I get my period are brutal both mentally and physically.

I have flared during both pregnancies though the last trimester....26 weeks right around the time estrogen starts to get really high. I never did well on combo pills and am not having any side effects from the mirena so I assumed my body liked the progesterone.

I did some research and have read that the mirena can cause mucus with stool. I read nothing on why. Seeing my obgyn tomorrow to discuss. We are worried about the mini pill for me because its systemic versus local with the mirena.

The cramping has pretty much stopped but the on/off mucus worries me. It usually stops once my period is done. I just dont want it to trigger anything if it is minor inflammation. For all I know it could just be IBS or the mirena affecting my colon lining with the hormonal shift. My gi is convinced its not UC. We are going to ride out this period (unless things get worse but I have no other symptoms) and scope at next visit which is right when I get my period and should be having mucus if my body follows suit with the last 2 months.

I know I am trying for perfect. This could very well be my new normal after all my body has been through. And I would hate to take the mirena out since its broke the cycle with the flare and cause issues with UC or find out it wasnt the mirena in the first place. UC suuuuucks.
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