# As I Enter The Valley of The Shadow of Death (Menopause) Will My IBS Get Worse



## pukka (Nov 28, 2004)

I will be 50 this year and for the last few months my period has been playing hide and seek. I have noticed my IBS symptoms have gotten worse. This really scares me because I have been very successful managing my IBS so far and nothing is working right now. It looks like what has been working before is not working now. What have you ladies done while going through the transition and managing your IBS. Did you have to change your regimen? Here is what I am currently taking:

Everyday:

Align

Jarrow fem-dophilus

Peppermint Capsule

Flare:

Align

Jarrow fem-dophilus

Zegrid (acid-reflux)

Robinul forte Or

Librax

Please help.


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## seahorse (Feb 4, 2015)

im sorry to hear must be especially hard with menopause and all.

im not sure if it will 100% cure you obviously but have you tried acupuncture?


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## Whitney12 (Feb 8, 2015)

I will be 50 this year as well. My periods are still regular however I am suffering greatly with perimenopause, PMDD, and IBS (C). The hormone swings are unbearable and take a toll mentally and physically. Every bit of medical data I locate supports the fact that hormone changes will play havoc with our bowels. For me I never had problems with IBS until after having perimenopause symtoms at 46.

Some women are simply more sensitive to hormone changes than others. I started talking Magnesium Citrate two weeks ago as a last ditch effort for my IBS-I am on no prescription meds for perimenopause or IBS-and have been practicing some simple bowel retraining exercises and the results have been impressive.

I do not know what type of IBS you have as you did not mention it in your post but the C kind (constipation) really seems to benifit from the magnesium. I only take 85% of the FDA recommened allowance so am not over doing it.


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## HelloAll (Mar 9, 2015)

My IBS changed with menopause, and not for the better unfortunately. I had a pretty good handle on my IBS-D for many years. I'd have an occasional flare-up, eat lots of yogurt for awhile and after a few days I'd feel better. I, too, suffered from PMDD. Now that I'm postmenopausal, my moods have leveled off, but my IBS has morphed into IBS-C with more frequent and longer lasting flare-ups. I've noticed more urgency and passing of mucous and/or stool even when just urinating. I'm also having incomplete movements which is also new for me. Because things changed with me, I worried a lot which probably aggravated things. I was also starting a new job and not exercising enough which definitely isn't good for me. Anyway, my doctor wanted to do more tests, another colonoscopy, CT scan, but I am resisting because I'm so tired of being tested. I am new to this support group, so this is one way I'm trying to take control of this "change" on my own for now. This is my first post, and first thread I've read ... I'm looking forward to more. Thank you.


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## Nevermore6 (Jun 16, 2015)

One really sad thing I found with peri and meno is that you go to your doctor for help, but she/he hasn't a clue about changes at this time. Not even the female specialists are so smart in this area, either. Seems to me unless you've experienced a bad peri and bad meno, you have no idea what a person is talking about.

Last night I was thinking about how many different docs I've been through since peri began with devastating symptoms (including a weird shakiness in my legs! And I was really healthy!).

I went through 2 MDs: one was awful, the other was just as bad and suggested I had a mental issue and should see a shrink. Yes, that's how little they know. Felling that I was at the end of my normal life, I did go to the shrink, and it was a horrible experience.

You know the bit about how you don't use a jack hammer to repair a watch? Well All these docs had jack hammers. They only knew what they learned from text books.

After these (and realizing I was not mentally off) I went to a few different gyns (note: I'd had a hysterectomy at 36, so I had no way of seeing myperiods fade). And I heard my blood test showed I was in peri. Fine.Now what?

All this to say, all of you ladies above are perfectly normal. Unfortunately, you're more sensitive to changes than 95% of other women. Strange aches, pains and other symptoms come with peri and meno, including tush spasms and wretched tail bone pain. But there's nothing there. Just (just!) hormonal changes.

Take care, all.


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