Crohn's flare and menstruation...

[Shelbylou]

I've been doing research into how hormones and menstruation can affect crohn's flares. So far, i've been hitting dead ends because there's no studies to show a link but personally, I get a mini flare about a week before I am due to start my period; symptoms which seem to abate significantly once i've started my period. it doesn't help that I have PCOS and diabetes as well

This month has kicked up a notch to the degree that I'm seeing a lot of blood in my diarrheah and when I have a normal BM. it's a significant amount and I have stabbing pains in the left of my abdomen, something that actually hasn't gone away with the appearance of the ole monthly but i'm with my GI in a couple of weeks so i'll ride it out unless the symptoms get worse.

Does anyone else notice a link between their monthly cycle and crohns symptoms?

Even discussions with my GI have come to nothing...grrss..I mentioned it last time to him and he told me there's no known links which given the link that i've noticed is confusing and leaves me feeling :ybatty:
On the plus side, i had bloods done to see whether Azathioprine would work for me, so fingers crossed ...

 

[prettykitty]

Shelbylou, I've always had GI symptoms during my period -- long before I ever started having symptoms of Crohns!

Good luck with your meds!

 

[lizbeth]

Hello,

I always have more trouble when I get my period, the pain was that bad last month I contemplated going to casualty and my joints get more sore too, oh isn't it wonderful to be a woman lol. I definitely think there is a link no matter what a man says, they don't experience periods so I don't really think they can appreciate how we feel (sorry to any men reading I don't intend to be rude). Before I had Crohns my joints would always be more painful and I also have hypos a couple of days before hand too it's delightful!! I wish I could turn my periods off lol. Been diabetic 17 years, Crohns 6 months I don't think it's a good combination, how do you find it?

Good luck with the Azathioprine.

 

[Shelbylou]

Hello,

I always have more trouble when I get my period, the pain was that bad last month I contemplated going to casualty and my joints get more sore too, oh isn't it wonderful to be a woman lol. I definitely think there is a link no matter what a man says, they don't experience periods so I don't really think they can appreciate how we feel (sorry to any men reading I don't intend to be rude). Before I had Crohns my joints would always be more painful and I also have hypos a couple of days before hand too it's delightful!! I wish I could turn my periods off lol. Been diabetic 17 years, Crohns 6 months I don't think it's a good combination, how do you find it?

Good luck with the Azathioprine.

I think being a crohnabetic (as a friend lovingly labelled me lol) is a pain because you end up in a catch 22 situation. I'm type 2, so metformin effects the crohn's and some of the medications of crohn's affects the diabetes and sends my glucose levels through the roof. We just can't win!

YOu are so right! Me really don't understand what we women go through. the symptoms of crohn's really do crank up when i'm due for the ole monthly cycle and it's frustrating when the doctors tell me 'there's no link'...grrssss. Having PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) can sometimes mean I have a month respite from a period, but that's rare.

aww Lizbeth, you really do suffer bless you. I will admit, I've been noticing joint aches and pains for years, but my knee has no cartilage under the knee cap anyway. My hips really suffer, especially my right hip because my crohn's is worse in my illium. I keep telling the doctor that if I were a horse, i'd have been shot by now lol.

 

[lizbeth]

Crohnabetic........I like that lol.

My right hip and SI joint are the worst affected each month, my Crohns is also in my ileum and I'm waiting to hear if I have any strictures there too, also had a small bowel series to check out the small bowel cos that's where I get most of my pain.

I do find trying to manage both conditions very difficult and seem to have lost any opportunity to be spontaneous, there is always so many things to consider before I do anything or go anywhere, it drives my children mad cos they still live life freely, oh how I miss that. I'm type 1 and had finally been getting my diabetes under control and then Crohns came along and put a spanner in the works, I also find the low res diet hard to accept cos I loved all the healthy low GI foods and was never hungry, now I'm munching on biscuits and putting on weight which doesn't help the diabetes....... oops sorry for the moan, didn't mean to take over your thread.

I tell my doctor he should rub me out and start again . Your knee things sound awful! I have dodgy knees too, something about my kneecap rubbing on the joint? My aches and pains are being looked into to find out what's going on. I'm meant to do physio but I'm not very disciplined about it. I seem to spend a lot of time at appointments these days, was thinking I should have a permanent bed there lol.

 

[Shelbylou]

You know, that's how I feel lol. I told the hospital I was going to move in last year because I seemed to spend most of my time with them..

For me it's the seeds and nuts because I adored wholegrain bread and snack seeds. I had to stop eating pastry and gravy as well because oddly enough, everytime I eat those, they trigger something in me that my body doesn't like.

The low res diet didn't really bother me so much until I discovered I had to cut down on the fruit and veg I loved. Between the crohn's diet and the Diabetes diet, you'd think i'd be a perfect size 8 lol.

Ooh the good ole physio, I have that for the knee but it doesn't work. I'm knock kneed adn that's what kick started the knee issues. I'll need a replacement eventually but for now i'm holding on to it for as long as possible lol.

Don't worry about the moan my dear, sometimes it's good to get it all off you chest xx