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[20032003]

I'm soooo sick of it... My body has evidently decided to do a total flip-flop on me. For years I had very predictable PMS-symptoms. I would feel depressed, teary, fatigued, bloated, etc during the week before my period. And then, once my period started, I would feel great again.

But now.... I feel at my BEST the days before my period, and instead I totally crash when my period starts and it continues afterwards. My last period started night between Sunday and Monday and today I feel like literal crap... My stomach actually behaved pretty well for a few days before my period. I would have nice normal shaped BMs, but as soon as my period started I had diarreah (which is actually normal for me). I'm still not back to good BMs, and today has been a day of loose stools. One of my first thoughts when I wake up is, literally, "I wonder what my pooh will be like today?" And that can't be good for any kind of stress-induced stomach problems, if that is what I have...

Anyone else who has experienced this crazy flip-flop of symptoms, or anyone who has a reasonable explaination for it? It's definetely one of those days when I feel so sad, scared and lonely...

[Briony]

Are you on HRT?

I began to feel just like this and it became more noticeable on HRT (that may have been coincidental). I felt awful as soon as the progesterone phase stopped and would feel better about nine days later (about 4 or 5 days after bleed stopped). I remember other people on here posting about the same thing. It was like post-M-S!  General consensus was that it was a result of the sudden fall in progesterone. It is definitely miles better since I've switched to a stronger oestrogen dose  (in pill form) and have more days of progesterone overall (the opposite of what I had expected).

I remember feeling weird at the time as most people are the opposite, having a feel good feeling as soon as they start to bleed!

It sucks, doesn't it? Hope you feel better soon x

[20032003]

Thanks for your reply! No, I'm not on HRT. I will take note and see if I also feel my mood (and hopefully my stomach) improve like you describe. The sudden fall of progesterone, is that at the onset of the perid?

[GypsyRoseLee]

Apparently having regular diarrhoea is a sign that your hormones are fluctuating according to my GP. Before I started on HRT I'd had diarrhoea every day for 3 weeks.

On my first cycle of HRT I was just like Briony. Felt fine during the Utrogestan phase and for the 3 days after I stopped. Then as soon as my withdrawl bleed started the diarrhoea came back and my mood crashed with a vengeance. Felt very low and anxious for the next week. Then mood quickly improved.

I expected the same symptoms on my 2nd cycle, but it's actually been totally different! Didn't feel good at all during first week of Utrogestan and had slight diarrhoea. Then my mood suddenly dramatically picked up but then my withdrawl bleed arrived early only on day 11 of the Utro!

Well my withdrawl bleed has now finished and I haven't crashed yet or anything. In fact I feel really great 

Not entirely sure what is going on, but I'm not complaining. The only difference is that during my first cycle of HRT I was only on 25mg patches. And this second time I have been on 50mg patches. So I am assuming that I needed more oestrogen that's all (which is what my consultant predicted).

[CLKD]

For years I had 'the runs' 10 mins. before a bleed began even if it wasn't due - knew it was hormonal and knew it was no good booking a journey around that time  …… HORMONES   

Knowing doesn't always alleviate the feelings though 

[20032003]

Thank you for letting me know that diarreah and hormones are related. I've always had issues with my stomach at the onset of my period. Almost stomach flu like (minus the vomiting). It does make sense that diarreah could occur more frequently and more unpredictably now when my hormones are - probably - going nuts on and off...

[Briony]

This might help reassure you:

http://www.34-menopause-symptoms.com/digestive-problems.htm

[GypsyRoseLee]

Back before all this peri nonsense I would always get diarrhoea a couple of hours before my period started. But it didn't occur to me to connect regular diarrhoea with hormonal fluctuations in the peri menopause. It was only when my GP mentioned it that I twigged.

[Briony]

I'm convinced it's also related to progesterone levels, as well as oestrogen. Also, think how many pregnant women get digestive issues ... makes sense why we do are experiencing them, doesn't it?