# how do you deal with ibs during the "time of the month"



## Brittany123 (Jan 27, 2012)

Well since last year my ibs has been almost 100% better. However everytime i have my enenmy my ibs gets really bad. I ussally have ibs c but when i have my thing i realize change i switch over to like ibs d. ussally about a week before and a week after i get sharp stabbing pain right in the center of my stomach right below my belly button. is this a normal time for ibs to flare up. But i dont know what to do because the pain is really bad. im on the pill but it does not really help with the pain. Does anyone have any suggestions that i could try? thanks so much!!!


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## Jolema (Dec 20, 2012)

I have been sometimes thinking about if my monthly cycle affects my IBS.

Before I had IBS, my periods after started right after I had taken a big dump, but now it feels like the IBS get a bit worse always at a certain time of the cycle.. maybe during PMS? I don't know..


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## sarahk932 (Dec 24, 2012)

Hey - I get TERRIBLE cramps the first 2 days of my period and terrible IBS symptoms as well.

What I do to get through the hellish time, is to take a strong painkiller, I take an Aleve, the instant I get my period, in anticipation of the pain. I lay with a heating pad (or hot water bottle) and avoid any roughage foods. Stick with things easy to digest and drink a lot of water. I don't know how to stop this period IBS pain, but the only thing I can do is manage it.

- Sarah


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## Coley Claire (Jan 21, 2013)

Hi all,

I also have similar pain, but it's like the worst pain I have ever had in my life...basically every month. I never had this pain until after I started taking birth control. When I was younger I had IBS-D usually during my period but it was never that bad, but now I have severe IBS D/C the week before and during my period. It ranges from extreme bloating, pressure, nausea, back pain, dizziness, and more. The last attack I had was last week, the pain was so severe it woke me out of a deep sleep and the bloating and pressure is so intense I have to sleep upright until the pain and bloating go away. I've been to GI's and both agree I have IBS but they don't know what to tell me and it's very frustrating. I also have Celiac Disease so I can barely eat anything as it is...

I agree with Sarah on the strong painkiller, but sometimes Aleve just doesn't cut it. I honestly just wish there was a simple solution because I do not want to live the rest of my life like this :/

Good luck everyone, I hope we find an answer!!

Coley


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## quarky (Jun 15, 2011)

I increase my imodium intake from every other day to every day, and take paracetemol constantly for about 48 hours after I feel the first cramps starting. I also try to eat bland foods like plain chicken and rice.


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## rellybelly17 (Jun 10, 2011)

I feel ya, my IBS is soooo good until that stupid time of the month  I am currently curled up on the couch with a glass of wine and some sea-salt dark chocolate to make my period suck less


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## TaraWard (May 27, 2013)

Just got diagnosed with an ungeneralized ibs. I don't ever see the option for it so I guess that makes me special (rolls eyes...). Basically I never had the popping issues with it just severe distension and bloating. Well things are now evolving. (Awesome huh.) I've noticed that around my period thugs seem to intensify. Well now I'm starting to get severe diarrhea and stomach cramping that's so intense I don't even have the words to describe it. 2-3 days before my period starts I will wake up in the middle of the night an sit on the toilet with the worst cramping ever. I'd take child labor over this. Lasts up to half an hour. After my period actually starts then i get it in the morning when I wake up. This time lasting 10-15 mins or so but with the same degree of pain and cramping. It's like one of those really really bad tummy aches that nearly kill you till you've completed your BM. Then I'm just flat worn out afterwards. Since I'm on my first real heavy day in my flow I'm also dealing with severe menstral cramps on top of it. Does this happen to any of you? I'm still just so new to all this. Had a EGD & Colonoscopy done to diagnose me for the gastroenterologist. That also sucked....I just wanna be normal again, why has this happened over the last 6 months I just don't know. I need help so bad...that's all I do know.


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## Emma1989 (Apr 12, 2013)

Same issue, its a pattern I've noticed  my IBS (D) is fine most of the time but after my period as finished are almost finished, I get D which will last for about 5 days to even a week.


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## vic890 (Apr 9, 2013)

I get cramps and backaches the first two full days (I start in the afternoon, so the two days after that) and my only option when backaches show up is to lay in bed until they pass. This has got worse since I went on the pill about three years ago, but pre-pill I bled for nearly two weeks, heavily, with cramps almost constantly in that time. It seems like the pain has got worse as the amount lightened...
Also, I think the pain really started to get worse when my IBS started. 
Exercise helps, but it can't be strenuous - jogging and horse riding is good, but anything more makes it worse. If it gets really bad, I take ibuprofen which seems to somehow help - maybe its blood thinning properties reduce the cramps needed to move things. Beyond that, I usually suffer through the first two days and then I'm fine the rest.


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## xErikax (Jul 7, 2013)

On the first day of my time of the month I get really bad stomach pains which feel as if I am being quite literally torn apart and I end up being very physically ill.


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