Crohns and bad periods?

[valleysangel92]

sooo.. I've recently been diagnosed as crohns and am discovering the wide range of affects it can have.. and have seen some people saying that it can have an adverse affect on the menstrual cycle?

I have suffered with irregular and very painful periods since i was 17 (20 now).. i was given all sorts of medications which brought little relief until i was given the mini-pill cerazete which has now stopped them completely..

when i was having periods they were always late, sometimes skipping one completely, lasted 7 days each time, were heavy and so painful that id be in bed all week... could this all be related?

 

[SarahBear]

Hi, valleysangel92!

It's very common for Crohn's symptoms to worsen during periods, but I don't know that Crohn's alone would cause the problems you're describing. I did a quick search for you, and it appears that IBD can cause irregular periods (something to do with inflammation affecting hormones), but it seems that that's about the extent of it. Irregularity caused by Crohn's should only be while the disease is active.

Has your doctor ever suggested endometriosis? It's common in women with Crohn's and it can cause everything you described.

 

[valleysangel92]

thanks for your reply

ive had active disease since i was 15, its just taken till now for them to figure out it was crohns -_- so in that way the irregularity makes sense

um endometriosis has been mentioned once by one of my gps, but they didnt really go anywhere with it, so maybe once ive got a bit more control i'll go back and ask about it in more detail

 

[Naturelover]

Have you had a pelvic ultrasound and a vaginal ultrasound to make sure there are no other issues going on?

 

[valleysangel92]

Yeah I've had 4 of them

 

[teeny5]

I've heard that hormone fluctuations (like with pregnancy and periods) can affect Crohn's but not that Crohn's can affect periods. I have also always had heavy heavy periods since they began. Terrible cramping, diarrhea and pain that I use to stay home from school because of it. Always assumed that it was just my period, but probably was Crohn's pain too.

 

[Ya noy]

When my weight drops below 100 lbs., my periods stop, which is relatively normal. My husband is the one who suffers from chronic colitis, I don't. I don't have problems keeping weight on either, and deliberately drop my weight below 100 only for cycling competitively--to ride faster. I'm just over 5 feet tall, so at 98 lbs I'm not even that thin.

My periods have stopped for up to 6 months, and as soon as I gain back the 5 lbs, start right back up.

 

[valleysangel92]

my periods have stopped now because of me taking the mini pill, I know it is pretty common for periods to stop or become erratic when a woman's weight drops below a certain level although my doctors didnt seem to think my weight was affecting mine at all..

it does seem likely to me that it may have always been more that the periods were affecting the crohns through the changes in hormones than the crohns affecting my periods.. i know that stress certainly makes it worse

 

[HalfHeartedHeroine]

I get an almost-flare every time my period happens (serious pain and diarrhea) but I went on the pill that lets you have one menstrual cycle every three months (seasonique, but I don't mean to brand-name drop) so it could happen less often. There's some worry that hormonal treatments can interfere with crohn's but as long as your doc says it's okay and it seems to be helping, that's good! I'm glad you're finding something that works for you!

 

[rkoll327]

I get an almost-flare every time my period happens (serious pain and diarrhea) but I went on the pill that lets you have one menstrual cycle every three months (seasonique, but I don't mean to brand-name drop) so it could happen less often. There's some worry that hormonal treatments can interfere with crohn's but as long as your doc says it's okay and it seems to be helping, that's good! I'm glad you're finding something that works for you!

I had to do this as well. My periods were SO horrible. I am not on the actual 3 month pill, but I am taking a normal pack where you have 21 days of hormones/7 days of placebo. My gyno said I was able to manipulate when I got my period. So I have been taking three packs straight through, having a period for 3 days (not taking a pill), then starting a new pack and doing it all again. I wouldn't have been able to make it through a work week otherwise.

 

[GutlessWonder86]

Judy has an article she's written on female issues and crohn's that's posted here on the forum. check it out as it may be helpful.

here's the link:

http://www.crohnsforum.com/wiki/Female-Hormones-and-Crohns-Disease

 

[Fosterfamily2303]

I don't have heavy periods but mine use to be normal tili started my Crohns meds..now they are late every month. I also get a mini flare before each period. Stomach pains (not cramps) really bad

 

[GutlessWonder86]

you can ask your GI for pain medication if your period flares up your Crohn's. I did and he prescribed percocet and a muscle relaxer because when the uterus contracts, its using muscles that cause the cramping. I felt better once I took them.

Now that I'm in menopause, I don't miss the "hormonal flare ups" or the ER visits due to obstructions. feel better.