Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Anne G on November 17, 2022, 11:47:26 AM
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Hi there,
I'm just wondering if anyone has experience of making improvements to their gut health to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and how that is connected to hormone production?
I'm kind of experimenting on myself at the mo and think there is something in it, but wonder if others have any experience?
In short HRT really helped with my mental health issues when I started in May '21. Been great until about a month ago when I started to feel symptoms return. This coincided with nurse practitioner prescribing naproxen, co-codamol and omeprazole to help with hip pain - waiting on physio! I'd read a bit about connection between gut health and mental health, and investigated further. Discovered that all of the above meds likely to reduce good bacteria in stomach and increase bad!! I'm now taking Kefir and yakult to replace the good bacteria and eating lots of veg and fibre to help them multiple. It seems to be helping. I've also cut out refined sugar at least for a while as that feeds the bad bacteria.
I still think HRT has made the biggest difference to my mental health, but interested in the role between good gut health and how hormones function. I read that 80-95% of serotonin is produced in the gut.
It was horrible when I felt symptoms were returning. I'd do anything to avoid going back to where I was.
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I tried probiotics, but didn't really know what I was doing.
More oestrogen stopped my gut rot.
Lack of it can cause IBS
Uncontrolled stress or depression can rot guts or give you tummy ache in my view, dunno if I am right or wrong though.
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Anne G - didn't know you had this thread so have just posted on this topic in response to your comment on Lisa_Oz's Utrogestan intolerance thread.
Have copied the core in here. . .
. . . some interesting books for anyone who might want to explore this further:-
Gut - Guilia Enders
The clever guts diet - Dr Michael Mosley.
Kathryn Marsden also has a couple of good reads on gut health.
Currently reading What Every Woman Needs to Know About her Gut - Prof Barbara Ryan (Gastroenterologist) & Elaine McGowan (Dietitian) which covers the interaction between sex hormones & gut health.
Wx
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Hi Anne G
I've just weaned myself off Lansolprazole, the worst drug I have ever taken and will never touch again. Omeprazole is similar, please look at the list of side effects they are endless and for the last 3 months I have suffered quite a few of them not realising they were side effects and thought I had developed serious health conditions.
Anxiety
Fatigue
Painful joints and muscles
Rectal bleeding, sore bottom
Blurred vision
Swollen ankles fluid retention.
These were just a few. The main problem is getting off this awful drug for acid reflux, you cant just stop as it causes rebound acid and the heartburn comes back with a vengence. It's took me a month to wean off and all my symptoms and side effects have gone including the heartburn.
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Omprazoloe has suited me thus far, however, Dr James le Fanu, a GP who writes in the Telegraph, isn't keen on it being prescribed for more than 3 months.
I have found "Rennies" .... and 'milk of magnesia' liquid useful too.
What did the Nurse prescribe those medications for? Co-codamol-type pain relief has me on the bathroom floor after the 2nd pill :-X :-\.
The gut is our 2nd brain. It's where my anxiety hits = acute nausea which caused immediate panic attacks for which I have an emergency drug. Remember how we felt prior to exams., job interview, driving test? Anxiety for me until I got going.
Your diet is good, keep up with that. As oestrogen levels drop muscles may become lax = aches and pains, also the body may become dry: inside and out. Browse round. make notes.
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All very well these doctors and they're not so helpful advice to people who are suffering badly from stomach problems. When it comes down to the nitty gritty sometimes there is no escape from these meds, if you have to have them then we have to put up with any possible side effects.
My husband came off Omeprazole after being prescribed it for Gastritis and Duodenitis by the hospital consultant. He was doing fine but his symptoms came back and is now back on omeprazole. Once his symptoms improve, he will probably have another break from them.
As for me, I have been on them for a few years now, no option, and I have not suffered any side effects from taking PPI's.
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According to an excellent German gastroenterologist I consulted last year, the whole lot is connected. His wife is menopausal so he has a special interest in the menopause, hormones, serotonin, anxiety, depression, IBS and gut health and said they are definitely all interconnected and easily thrown out of kilter during the menopause.
He said that a low dose HRT regime is very beneficial post menopause and don't be afraid to add in an AD if necessary.
It was a very worthwhile consultation.
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Hi! Mary G - did U see him in the UK or did you get a holiday in Germany at the same time ;-)
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Hello Anne,
I agree with you and I also started making my own kefir after I was diagnosed with IBS, I developped IBS after withdrawal from AD, but that might have been a coincidence.
Gut produces 95% of serotonine so our mood is definitely linked to our gut health.
Another good book to recommend is 'Gut' by Giulia Enders.
I would just like to add that acid reflux does not always have to be linked to high acid, it can be also low. I suffered badly, adjusted my diet what did not help much and the only thing the GP prescribed was Omeprazole, they did not wish to do more checks. I read somewhere online about sodium bicarbonate test for checking whether the stomach acid is low. I did the test and it seemed that mine was actually very low. I started drinking some cider vinegar with water before a meal and chewing my food properly, not drinking during the meal. In addition to this I read that the sphincter that connects stomach with oesophagus might not be closing properly due to diaphragm being weak, therefore acid is released towards the throat. I am doing twice daily breathing exercise to strengthen diaphragm. I feel much better now.
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Anne, I'm flabbergasted that anyone would be prescribed Omeprazole for hip pain. I would suggest that nurse practitioner might be best avoided in future. I hope you manage to feel better soon. Gut health is extremely important and gastro reflux can be a symptom of low stomach acid, too, as Stella2 mentioned above. I have used betaine HCL with pepsin in the past for this. Chris Kresser has some good reading on it in this and other articles on his website.
https://chriskresser.com/get-rid-of-heartburn-and-gerd-forever-in-three-simple-steps/
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All very well these doctors and they're not so helpful advice to people who are suffering badly from stomach problems. When it comes down to the nitty gritty sometimes there is no escape from these meds, if you have to have them then we have to put up with any possible side effects.
My husband came off Omeprazole after being prescribed it for Gastritis and Duodenitis by the hospital consultant. He was doing fine but his symptoms came back and is now back on omeprazole. Once his symptoms improve, he will probably have another break from them.
As for me, I have been on them for a few years now, no option, and I have not suffered any side effects from taking PPI's.
I think the worry with PPI's is connected to bone density. They can stop absorption of calcium and also vit B12 so you should take extra supplements whilst taking PPI'S long term.
They are awful to stop cold turkey, the heartburn just came back worse, I had to wean off over a couple of months.
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Agree Dierdre, I make sure I take supplements to try and deter any side effects, I also do Pilates.
I believe exercise is extremely important as we age and can never be underestimated. Coming from someone who always hated to exercise but it's helping a lot with my muscle issues, caused by repetitive strain injury.
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Agree Dierdre, I make sure I take supplements to try and deter any side effects, I also do Pilates.
I believe exercise is extremely important as we age and can never be underestimated. Coming from someone who always hated to exercise but it's helping a lot with my muscle issues, caused by repetitive strain injury.
I've started walking everyday, just 30 to 60 mins a day and it's helping with my mood and anxiety too. I enjoy yoga but since we've had all this rain this week my joints have stiffened up, especially in my fingers. Bought some multivitamins but only taking one every few days as I eat a healthy diet and they're mostly for the vit D and anything else I'm missing, just in case.
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Anne, I'm flabbergasted that anyone would be prescribed Omeprazole for hip pain. I would suggest that nurse practitioner might be best avoided in future.
Omeprazole would not have been prescribed for Anne's hip pain but to protect her stomach whilst taking the other drugs that she was prescribed.
It's very common for people who have to take strong meds.
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It would be the Naproxen. NSAIDs used long term can cause lots of stomach problems.
That's the problem we have to take drugs to counteract the side effects of the drugs we need to make us better.
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Hello lady.
I have mentioned before on the forum that I am a big fan of Sauerkraut for gut health. I often buy the shop made variety but every now and again I make my own and I understand that Lactobacillus is the main bacteria present.
Anyone interested in making their own Sauerkraut can watch numerous YouTube videos and see that the process is ridiculously simple and very cheap to do. Basically all you need is a cabbage, some good quality salt, a large jar and some weights to keep the cabbage submerged. One word of warning though, the home made variety can be very potent so if you are new to this particular delicacy eat small amounts until your digestive system gets used to it.
Wishing you well ladies.
K.
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So glad you mentioned that Kathleen. I make my own sauerkraut too and even my husband who doesn't like pickles has a bit with our dinner. Just a spoon fool or two is enough daily. It's very easy to make!
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Never knew that, thanks ladies.
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I recently bought two bags of sauerkraut from the fridge in our local health food shop.
I am going to continue buying it as i feel it has made a difference to my gut function.
I've read that the bottled type is less live ? I am having a couple of spoonfuls with lunch in some form. Have you ladies got any suggested palatable ways of eating it please ? Not that i don't like it but it can get a bit samey on its own. So far i've had it with an poached egg or in a sandwich as well as on its own.
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:-X
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Probably not to everyone's taste but we have it with most of meals just like a little side dish. It's also nice to add to the mixed salad. Tasty sautéed with onions and eaten with mashed potatoes with or without sausages
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Thanks Stella maybe time I tried it with a main meal. We generally have mustard mash with sausages so that would change the taste. Not sure about sautéed as wouldn’t any heat destroy the lactobacillus that you want to get inside you ?
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Mind U, I was years B4 I attempted yoghurt ;D ::)
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I came out of the health shop with live bio yoghurt as well CLKD ! Maybe I should try a mix with the sauerkraut ! Yoghurt was ‘that new fangled stuff’ in my parents home ! 😄
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Thank you so much everyone for your replies. Yes, omeprazole was given to supposedly protect my stomach from The NSAIDs. I’ve stopped all three. Hip is sore but I’d rather that than depression/anxiety, so I’ll stay off any painkiller until my stomach gets a chance to recover.
Thank you for the reading advice - I’ll be following that up, and the confirmation that gut, sex hormone and brain, mood are linked. It’s reassuring at least to know what to focus on 👍
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I have been on lansoperozol since July it helped slightly but still get reflux during the night when sleeping . Tried stopping it but it caame.back with a vengeance . Having been waiting. On an endoscopy since July 😯 my throat is constantly sore . Some one told me the tablets burn your throat ,not sure if this is true 🙄how do wean off them
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Hi Weeloz. It won't be the tablet that is burning your throat just the fact you have a constant sore throat.
In your case I would continue to take the Lansoprazole until you have your endoscopy as they will protect your oesophagus in the meantime.
I would also suggest taking supplements like B12 and calcium, although the later can cause reflux too. ::)
Four months is not long to be on them, and it can take two months for them to take effect. A change in diet is also important, I keep well away from anything fatty and had to give up on all the naughty treats in life! :-\
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I think I have worked it out! I read a research paper saying that a strain of gut bacteria (ruminococcaceae) plays a role in metabolising estrogen and another paper, on researching further, that confirmed that proton pump inhibitors (i.e. omeprazole) suppress that strain. So with a reduced load of the gut bacteria strain in question, I'm not getting as much estrogen into my system as I should be and therefore the return of brain fog, anxiety symptoms. The bacteria can be enhanced by eating Betaglucans like oats and wholemeal bread, walnuts are good and a supplement called saccharomyles boulardii. Personally I'm never taking omeprazole again, but for people who need it maybe worth thinking about how to counteract the impacts with these goods/supplements.
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I think I have just come across my first side effects of Omeprazole, which I have to take unfortunately as much as I would love to stop them!
I had to take a colonoscopy preparation which totally strips all of anything that is good in the gut. Three weeks on and my stomach is still not back to normal with an awful sour, bitter, dry mouth and feeling very run down, like a virus feeling.
I started to take probiotics for the first time ever three days ago, and it seems to be sorting my bowels out already, instead of having to rush to the toilet, things seem to have settled down. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it also sorts out my dry mouth and taste problems which are obviously coming from my stomach.
No doubt about it, when you have to take these PPI’s, you must do your research and protect yourself from the side effects, I thought I had it all sorted until I had a colonoscopy and having to drink that disgusting prep.
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Would a reduction in dosage help, I was on 30mg with Lansoprazle and think that was OTT for heartburn, that's usually the dosage for treating ulcers. They do 15mg and 20mg if you're not already on that.
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I am on 20mg twice a day, a high dose but will wait for a consultant to let me know how I go forward, due an Endoscopy soon.
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Hopefully these new side effects will settle soon and good luck with your endoscopy.