IBS and Periods
#293831 - 12/15/06 01:41 PM
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amytd30
Reged: 10/27/06
Posts: 5
Loc: Colorado
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My IBS goes haywire when I start my period and the craziness lasts about one week. I have not figured out how to stabilize my system so that it doesn't FREAK out every month. What works for you? THANK YOU!
-------------------- Suffering from IBS since February 2006.
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Depends on what your normal symptoms are and then what your hormones cause. For me, hormones cause symptoms to be amplified -- and it's always the same. I'm A, mostly C, but I get really C before and then it "breaks" with D at the very beginning of my period. Eating more IF about a week before and then scaling down to mostly SF the day or two before I start my period helps some. Oh, and also cutting down on salt (which royally stinks because I can eat it IBS-wise and I crave it).
-------------------- IBS-C, D and nausea with acute attacks, stable on EFI for 3 years
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I would love to know this to. Mine makes me so sick some months like this month i went 2 weeks with really bad c and since my period started this week i have had cramps and a nd then go and then today i had d with cramps off and on all day. I seem somewhat better till my period hits then its horriable for about a week! Please pass on any help you get! Sheila
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OKAY, Since I'm not getting any help from my doctors I probably will get better advice here. I have the same problem but for some reason in the last couple months my period has gone haywire I spot very lightly for 7-8 days and then the deluge begins for 24-36 hours it gets to the point that I have to change every hour both the first response team and the back up. Sorry I didn't want to be TMI
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Before I stabilized, my period would totally amplify my D and all my other normal IBS symptoms. Now, though, I usually have one day of C (which was never a problem for me before). It's not terrible, just uncomfortable for a day. Now the C is the best signal to me that it's coming.
I think the more you stabilize, the less intense all your symptoms will become, including the effect your period has on your IBS. I doubt it will ever go away completely, but at least for me it is totally bearable... hardly noticable really. I just try to be very careful with my diet when I see that it's on the way.
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One thing that helps me is to take OTC pain medication for cramps. It helps head off the D I can get with cramps. I know a lot of things like Aleve say that they can cause stomach upset, but I find the relief worth the small risk of tummy trouble. Other than that, I use the peppermint capsules more often and try to eat as safely as possible, and just generally take good care of myself.
-------------------- -Carol
IBS-A
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If your tummy is more upset than usual around your period, remove all the more iffy foods from your diet at that time such as veggies and fruit. Just stick to safer foods like protein (white poultry meat or fish) and soluble fibre staples like white bread, potatoes and white rice (organic white Basmati rice is best). This approach greatly reduces my IBS discomfort and results in less D around my period although, unfortunately, it's impossible to remove all IBS symptoms at that time of the month.
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Sounds crazy, but it's done wonders for me. My IBS used to amplify BIG time during my period. It was awful. I finally switched to a monophasic pill (constant hormone dose all month) and simply skip the week of placebo pills. It's perfectly safe, and not having cramps or PMS is the BEST!
-------------------- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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