Menstruation, lack of sleep and IBS
#318 - 02/03/03 05:47 AM
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Claire
Reged: 01/27/03
Posts: 65
Loc: Paris, France
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Hello all.
I know this has been discussed on many forums before but I wondered if, even after having significant improvements since following Heather's diet, like me, they still find that around certain times of the month, symptoms do reoccur. I find that around ovulation and a week before my period starts, I have to take extra care with my diet and be gentle on myself in general. Does anyone also notice that if they have a few bad nights sleep, their symptoms seem to creep back?
Eagerly waiting for your replies,
Claire
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My IBS is always worse when I'm extra tired. I have no idea why. I don't have my period anymore (hysterectomy) so I don't know when I ovulate (I have one ovary) but there are times that my IBS is worse and I can not connect it to anything I have eaten or any medications I am taking.
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And if I know that!!
In my case hormone fluctuations seem to be my main IBS trigger these days!! Somehow the symptoms get even worse when I get bad PMS! The last two cycles were a nightmare. Okay, my symptoms start flaring up when estrogen levels start rising. Around the estrogen peak I have one or two very bad days of bloating, cramping. Then a short break, then very different symptoms (mainly rectal and sigmoid cramps) around day 12/13 when I also feel my uterus/cervix kind of moving/cramping. Then it gets better again, but around day 15-18 I get this PMS anxiety (along with chocolate cravings even though that's the last thing I can eat).
This state of mind seems to tear down the barrier between my mind and gut - the tiniest annoyance or misunderstanding does immediately lead to severe colon cramps. I tell you, that's the scariest bit, I think I go crazy then. For the remainder of the cycle (average 23 days) it's 'just' a very delicate balance, the fact that I eat or drink, too much or too fast or whatever, triggers more cramps (alongside tender breasts etc). But then, miracuously, about one day before my period, all ! symptoms stop completely and I'm completely symptomfree until about day 5 or 7 of the next cycle!!! Wonderful BMs during my period! It's so weird! But thanks to the PMS and detailed diary keeping I am now very sure of this connection and I'm hoping to cut the problem by the roots and take birth control pills or so. I just pray that they won't have any adverse effect on the IBS, because I know my situation is very much on the edge, I am being quite ill, really, and I can't risk it getting worse...
By the way, lack of sleep also triggers my symptoms but that's easier to avoid than the hormone fluctuations....
Would love to hear more on this from other people!
Susaloh
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Dear Susaloh
That's amazing! I have symptoms around the exact times you mention. Is estrogen the hormone to blame? For a long time, I didn't have periods and wasn't ovulating...or so I thought. Then boom, out of nowhere came a positive pregnancy test and nine months later a beautiful little baby Juliette. Since then I have had a couple of periods and I always feel so much better when I start to bleed. I now keep a close watch on my symptoms in relation to the day of my period and there definately seems to be a pattern. Now I just stick to plain foods and don't take any risks from straying from Heather's diet. This means giving up even my one cup of decafeinated coffee that I sometimes treat myself to.
At least I feel more in control now in the sense that I have a better idea of when the symptoms are likely to occur.
I would really be interested to read Heathers comments on this issue.
Bye for now,
Claire
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Hormone fluctuations seem to definitely be tied into IBS, though researchers haven't pinned down the precise reasons why. Typically, most women experience flares (particularly with diarrhea and cramping) in the days right before their period and when their period begins. This is when prostagladin production increases as prostagladins trigger uterine contractions - the problem is they can also trigger gut muscle contractions, and thus IBS attacks.
I found this to be one of the most frustrating things about my own IBS. No matter how rock solid I was for the whole month, it all went right out the window when I got my period unless I totally cracked down on my diet and started taking my soluble fiber supplement before I ate anything. Even then I'd sometimes have the diarrhea without the pain.
However, I have found that since I started yoga, this problem has completely disappeared. It took over 6 months for this to happen, but it's been miraculous. The strange thing is that I can still get pretty bad cramps (and I'm hoping the yoga eventually solves those too) but I never, ever have my IBS flare from the cramps at all. I don't know why this happened but I sure do appreciate it. I've always worked out regularly but other forms of exercise never had this effect.
The lack of sleep as a problem is also really common. Fatigue and stress of any kind can definitely worsen IBS or precipitate an attack. There is detailed information about this at http://www.firstyearibs.com/day5learn.html
Making sure you get enough sleep every night, and even naps as you need them, can be a great way to keep yourself stable.
- Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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My IBS symptoms really seem to flair up the first day of my period, so that is the one day that I have be very careful what I eat.
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Claire,
I can really relate to this!
Itry to get an early night whenever I can!
Hormones really play havoc with IBS. I suffer from PCOD and because I haven't had a period now for 4 months my IBS is really bad and I'm sure this is the reason. I found it improved when my hormones were regulated by the pill but that doesn't help me right now as I would like to fall pregnant again.
Kerrie
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What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
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I have similar symptoms. My worst day is the day I get my period. I can spot for two or three day before I actually get my period, but I find that one day is the worse. I feel pretty good after that.
I found the pill actually made my symptoms worse. My IBS symptoms started shortly after the delivery of my daughter, almost three years ago. I went on the pill and not only did I experience the symptoms, I also had headaches and I found myself experiencing postpartum depression. I was on the pill for eight months and then went off it. I felt so much better and now my cycle is 35 days.
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Hi All,
This is my first time to the board. A question about IBS and hormones - has anyone noticed that the birth control pill (OrthoTricyclin) has had an effect on their IBS? I'm thinking about starting to take them, but since IBS is so connected to hormones, I'm afraid it would make it worse! Anyone have any experience with this? Thanks,
Lily
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That was the type of pill I was on and as I said before I think it made my IBS worse and caused my postpartum depression. Everything improved when I went off it. I felt so much better, but my IBS didn't go away.
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I started on birth control (Mircette) last June. my IBS has continually gotten worse since then, but I've had a lot of other factors that have increased my stress level, and my symptoms have seemed to have gotten worse progressively for the last 4 years. currently i'm getting tested to rule out anything else. Anyway, when I started on the IBS diet things started to get better (late November).
Mircette is a rather mild BC pill. I've heard more bad than good about Orho-Tricyclen, though. None of my friends who started on it are still on it... it really messed with them (they are not IBS sufferers, but i think it's a stronger pill/ higher dose and causes more/ stronger side affects such as weight gain and moodiness, etc) I'd talk to your doctor to see if you should start out on something more mild than Ortho-Tricyclen, and work up to that if you need to.
good luck!
Beth
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Hi Kinoz
Good luck with the babymaking! As somebody who has had irregular periods for years and who thought she wasn't ovulating, I was overjoyed to discover that I was pregnat last year. Though the IBS was a bit wobbly during the pregnancy, since I stopped breastfeeding and my hormones seem to have settled down, things are getting better. However, I put a lot of the improvement down to Heather's diet too.
I just wanted to ask you what contraceptive you used as, having just got my baby to go through the night, I'm not ready to think about falling pregnant again!
Well, must go, it's bathtime!
Claire
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