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[Turkish delight]

Hi girls, what's the crack!....See what I did there...tehe!

I've been on a low dose hrt(oestrogel 1 pump, utro 100mg vaginally 12 days)for coming up to 4 months now.

I've added testogel small pea size a month ago and since then I've had IBS type symptoms every day.

By which I mean bloating, trapped wind, bad cramps and diarrhoea....soz!

I did get bloating on starting the hrt but that cleared.

Just wondering if it's a common thing with the menopause, or testogel or hrt? I have checked the archives but there's no answers there.

Incidentally I just had a 3 day course of antibiotics for a UTI. I thought that may have helped UTI and tummy symptoms if it was bacterial, but I still have the symptoms.

Any help would be golden.

Thanksy

TD

[CLKD]

Firstly - was your urine sent to a lab for testing so that an appropriate antibiotic could be prescribed if it was growing bugs?  VA mimics urine infeciton-type symptoms really well! 

I have an eating disorder.  For years 10 mins. prior to a bleed even if a period wasn't due, I would have to dash to the loo with 'the runs'.  ED developed into slow transit which is a nuisance!  So certainly hormones can influence our gut from top to bottom  .  I had bloating for years, OK in the mornings but by mid-afternoon I was unable to eat/drink as my gut was so full.

My GP prescribed peppermint capsules to ease upper gut wind as well as 'domperidome' [I think].  These had to be swallowed within the hour prior to eating main meals in order to 'coat' the digestive system and encourage movement.  It took 3 tablets of the later drug each time to ease my system.

'actimel' helps my digestive system.  I don't require it as often but took 3/4 pots daily for several years and certainly suffered slow transit when I didn't. 

It really is Trial and Error !

[Tc]

Just been told I have it. I had colonoscopy and gastroscopy and nothing showed up, all clear so the specialist said its IBS and Gerd which I kinda knew already . Ihe also said I might have a food intolerance but that tests are not reliable, dont know if that's true.  told me to go on a bland diet and rei introduce foods one by one. And to take pro biotics.

conversley the omprazole which he told me to stay on for reflux is notorious for causing tummyy troubles according to him!!

My worst symptom of the IBS are  a seedy feeling n the mornings until I go and when I need to go I feel nauseas and pain which disappears after I go. And  the wind pain I always have windeze to hand. The gel caps work realy well for me and quickly too.

Domperidone is an anti nausea medication my wife was on it.

[Kathleen]

Hello Turkish delight

I also used to have diarrhoea on the second day of my period so hormones definitely play a part plus the anti biotics would have killed some of the beneficial bacteria in your gut. I agree that you need to replenish your microbiome and a suitable diet and a good quality probiotic would help a lot.

Wishing you well and let us know how you get on.

K.

[CLKD]

'microbiome' - that's a long word Kathleen, glad I'm not taking shorthand these days 

A bland diet is that: no spices or fart-causing food stuffs.  Then introduce foods that you enjoy for 5-6 days to see if there is a reaction: 1 at a time though.  When I was very ill [anorexia] DH would grill thinly sliced chicken breasts and add plain, boiled rice ....... I ate that every day x 2 for years, he never seemed to get fed up cooking it, bless him.  Pancakes too ........

The Vet would put my dog onto chicken and rice when her gut was upset.  I have used LIVE yoghurt successfully too which eases the whole digestive tract.  4 me it's about eating B4 my body is hungry to avoid that gap where wind might settle.  Omepraloze is notorious for causing problems, initially it eases heartburn symptoms as it lines the tract, however, it can thicken too much so that the acid doesn't get a chance to work  .  [James le Fanu, Daily Telegraph].

I feel queasy if I need to open my bowels, especially if I'm away from home  .  I've always been like it.  After I've been, I feel nauseous sometimes ..... have to sit down for a while to recover.  Again, bowel actions are normal so why feeling 'off' after 

Buscopan is the other good wind aid.  We gave it to the dog when she had upsets.

So in answer to your question: I have always had gut problems due to hormones but the IBS developed due to being intermittently anorexic since age 3.  Diagnosed aged 33 after several years of not eating properly. 

[Tc]

I too have a history of anorexia and bulimia and I'm certain that the bulimia has caused the gerd.
Doc said something about the "trap" or something doesnt close properly  years of purging could've caused it.

I definitely notice an improvement in acid when I am not overweight though. I've been severely underweight and obese and being underweight I was always constipated but overweight it's the opposite for me.

Your question about hormonal runs. Even though I veered towards constipation once a month  I would wake up in the morning with  diarehea and then lo and behold my period would start. First day always. Me and my sister called it "period poos". As she had the same thing.

With buscopan, can you take it continually or is it an as and when thing. I wonder if I could get prescription now I've been diagnosed IBS by the specialist  I've never tried it.

[CLKD]

Put the product into the search box [google].  We gave it to the dog as and when required.

[Tc]

O.k

[CLKD]

Did U ? 

[Turkish delight]

Oh wow you girls are amazing!

What great suggestion, I will defo look into them all as after a month of this it's starting to get in the way of everyday life.

Hi CLKD, I did get a culture on urine yes, so the antibiotic did do the job of treating it.

Diet wise I do eat a healthy mainly plant-based diet, and have done for many years without this issue. I do on occasion eat chicken but restrict it to about 5 or 6 times a year. I have lots of natural yogurt in my diet but will get some live ones as believe there is a difference?

Thanks again to all for your help, your the best!

X

[Kathleen]

Hello again Turkish delight.

I should have mentioned in my earlier post that two years before my final period I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. I had struggled with IBS symptoms all my life but my digestive problems became much worse leading up to the meno and I wonder if falling oestrogen played a part. I eventually became so unwell that I had a colonoscopy and UC was detected. I am not suggesting that this is what you have but I was advised to give up all dairy because this contributes to inflammation. I gave up all milk products and my UC has been in remission  for over six years. I mention all this because you may want to try a dairy free probiotic to see if that makes a difference. Incidentally I make my own Sauerkraut which is very easy to do and of course dairy free.

Take care.

K.

[Foxylady]

I agree with Birdy. I've had IBS for a number of years originally on Colpermin (prescribed peppermint capsules) & buscopan (as required). In the last few years I have been taking Optibac probiotics, especially as now on long term antibiotics for a skin condition. Optibac have a particular range for the likes of UTI, antibiotic treatment to repopulate the gut bacteria. Lots of research on this, but still alot they don't understand in terms of how probiotics can help with lots of conditions.

[CLKD]

Anything that replaces the 'good' bacteria encourages a strong immune system which ABs knock out.

'natural' and 'LIVE' are different, I buy the Greek plain yoghurts and eat lots when required.  When my dog had chemo she got heartburn so would lick LIVE yoghurt off a spoon. 

[shrosphirelass]

I've had stomach problems for over a year, which resulted in CT colonoscopy which was clear. Still being checked out but have been so much better since I upped HRT evorel sequi to whole patch. Seem to be better on the evorel 50 patches that the conti ones. I was prescibed pepermint capsules that made me feel worse and then Lansoprazole but didn't take this as upped the HRT instead.

I'm not terribily keen on milk, but was advised to have natural yogurts with live bacteria. I mix mine with fresh grapes and now quite enjoy it. I figured it was probably a good idea for me to increase my calcium intake anyway.

The meno specialist suggested the stomach problems were due to low oestrogen and not IBS as the colon specialist suggested.

[CLKD]

But Hormones might kick IBS symptoms though?