That time of the month...
#279330 - 08/21/06 01:50 PM
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Lisa Marie
Reged: 07/17/06
Posts: 1566
Loc: Lakewood, CO
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I see a lot of posts where women complain of their symptoms getting a lot worse during their periods. Well, I would like to pass something along to you. I have always suffered from migraines, most of which were triggered by my period. Every month I would have a day or two of horrible migraines. My IBS (especially C) would also get really bad. An OBGYN finally suggested I stop having periods. I currently take the Necon birth control pill, and skip the fourth week of placebo pills. Therefore, I never get a period. I never have the up and down hormone changes, and I feel great in that department! No more PMS, drastic drop in migraines, and no more hormone-induced IBS symptoms. Just thought that might be something some of you would like to try. Apparently it's becoming a fairly common treatment for menstrual migraine sufferers - why not let it help your IBS too?
Lisa, IBS-C
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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I do that too
#279350 - 08/21/06 03:44 PM
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Nelly
Reged: 08/06/04
Posts: 4381
Loc: Within stray mortar fire of DC
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I stop my periods with depo. It helps tremendously with the IBS. A bunch of us here have found a lot of help this way!
I have a good friend whose wife suffers from migraines with her period. I've just suggested this to him as well. It's hard to keep a good thing to yourself!
~nelly~ 
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Not getting my period kinda weirds me out. (To each her own.) Chemical birth control also messes with my mood the rest of the month. Glad it works for you, though. 
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I've done that a few times as well, but I'm with Snorkie, it feels a little weird. I'm glad that you're finding relief with it, though. It helps to keep yourself feeling balanced 
What I found that helps me with the up and down hormones and PMS symptoms is taking the lowest dose of birth control I can that is effective for me. I take Lutera, which is generic for something else, I can't remember at the moment. Extremely low dose hormones and it's worked wonders with me!
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I take the bc pill continuously mainly for my endometriois. It does help tremendously with my IBS - as not having a that time of the month eliminates most of the symptoms during that time for me!
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>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<
Michelle
IBS-A, pain predominant
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So here is a slightly off topic question... How much weight can one gain simply from pms and retaining of water? is there a way to get around that?? I went from about 143 pounds up to 150 within a couple days (and it wasn't from my eatting habits)
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I used to gain as much as five pounds around my period. But I don't have any of that fluctuation anymore. No bloating, cramps, or moodiness! I thought it would be weird NOT getting a period, but I've gotten over that.
Lisa, IBS-C
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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I'm using NuvaRing continuously (once a month, take the old one out and put a new one in), and it's great! I don't miss taking a pill every night, and I certainly don't miss my period/withdrawal bleeding (you don't actually have a period on the pill, just withdrawal bleeding when you stop the hormones).
I'm more stable now than I was on the pill, but still a little C (very little cramping, though). Good thing it's apple season now - it makes it loads easier to get my IF!
--AC
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many people/docs believe that if you don't have at least a couple per year that it can be bad for your health. The idea being that if you don't allow your system to flush itself out you'll end up building up things in your system that shouldn't be there. I don't know if there is any truth to that.
Also, while skipping periods for some people seems to work well, there are others who is doesn't work for. Some people end up with break through bleeding anyway.
That said, I will be forever envious of those who are able to skip periods. LOL. I wish I could.
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If you're not dead, you've still got time.
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I've found through trial and error (and more errors.... too many to count!) that the pill wrought more havok with my body than going w/o anything. But then I got the depo shot (one poke in the butt every 3 months) and my symptoms actually got a bit better, and attacks further apart.
I've heard that from a lot of people, but please don't use the patch! B/C pills/shots seem to work really well, even the implant thing they use in the UK seems to help my friends, but the patch has caused so many problems (cysts, horrible pain, worsening of IBS symptoms) that I can't believe they still sell it!
But I'm glad to hear it's not just my little circle of friends who benefit from the b/c pills/shot. (And I'm ibs-d, pre-disposed to crohn's - helps all kinds!)
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Personally I have a couple predictable signs that it's close to that time.. My cheeks get all puffy and I look like a damn chipmunk.. So I gain lots of water retention and if I don't actually go through with my peroid I will keep that water retention.. Plus it doesn't really affect the whole hormoes thing unfortunalty.. but thats just my personal body...
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Quote:
many people/docs believe that if you don't have at least a couple per year that it can be bad for your health. The idea being that if you don't allow your system to flush itself out you'll end up building up things in your system that shouldn't be there. I don't know if there is any truth to that.
No, that's right up there with "you have to have colonics to flush out your colon" as medical misinformation. Remember that if you're on the pill/patch/implant/ring, you are not having a period! The endometrial lining does not build up. When you stop the hormones, you have withdrawal bleeding but not a real period. If you're on continuous use of hormonal birth control, then the build-up is even less - there's literally nothing to flush!
You can read more at The Well-Timed Period or No Period. Of course, everyone is different, but no one should be afraid to use menstrual suppression if they want to.
--AC, period-free for 3 months now
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From what my OBGYN told me, the symptoms you're talking about are due to changing levels of hormones. Are you on a triphasic pill where the hormone level changes each week? When taking the pill constantly (like I do), you take a monophasic pill, so the hormone dosage never changes, and therefore, you don't get those symptoms! I admit, it took trying a few different pills before finding one that worked for me (and that didn't make my skin break out), but it's been worth it. Having very small, very rare episodes of "spotting" is way better than having a period every month!
Lisa, IBS-C (period-free for over a year!)
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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I'm on the pill continuously and I'm getting bad acne from it. My doctor suggested I switch to another pill but I'm not sure which. Which did you find helpful with your skin? I've been on about 4 pills in the past and they were all great for my skin (except the one I'm on now) but I'm not sure which to try again, and which are monophasic.
Any help/advice would be great.
Thanks,
Kat
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Kat
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Kat,
Before I started all this, I used ortho-tricyclen, which was wonderful for my skin. But as its name suggests, it's a triphasic pill. The one I'm on now that seems to be great for my skin is Necon (a monophasic, which is generic for Modicon). (However, I also attribute my clear skin to my vegetarian diet and Arbonne skin supplements). But regardless of those two additional things, this pill definitely helps keep my skin as clear as the ortho-tricyclen did.
Good luck!
Lisa, IBS-C
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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P.S.
#279662 - 08/23/06 02:13 PM
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Lisa Marie
Reged: 07/17/06
Posts: 1566
Loc: Lakewood, CO
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You can tell they're monophasic if the pills are all the same color (other than the placebos). If each week is a different color, then the pill is most likely triphasic.
Lisa, IBS-C
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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Thanks! -nt
#279665 - 08/23/06 02:32 PM
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K2
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 1191
Loc: Canada
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Kat
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I've had this happen, too, and it takes some trial and error to find the one that works best with your body. In my experience, the monophasic low dose pills work best for me. I am on Lutera (it's a generic pill)and haven't had any breakout problems.
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Re: Thanks! -nt
#279769 - 08/24/06 08:38 AM
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K2
Reged: 01/29/06
Posts: 1191
Loc: Canada
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Yeah, I'm switching back to either Minestrin or Marvelon (both Canadian brands) which are both low-dose monophasic pills. I don't think I had any problem with my skin while taking those so hopefully it'll help.
Thanks for the info
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Kat
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I agree; the lowest hormone dose you can stand will probably be best for your skin. And I found that I can't tolerate much (if any) testosterone in my pills.
Good luck!
Lisa, IBS-C
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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I cant take the pill it affects my heart. But i have calmed my tummy symptoms down by eating less for that week and getting a 30 min back massage during that critical time of the month.
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