# menopouse and constipation



## tova194 (Jan 14, 2008)

I have suffered from constipation all my life but managed my symptoms with a vegetarian diet and fibers. 5 years into my menopauses and it feels like my digestive system stopped working.I am not taking hormones but i think that probably they do play a role in getting my digestive system back to "semi Normal" .Does anyone share my experience or maybe started taking hormones and was there any improvement with the IBS and constipation.


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## janetmtt (May 28, 2007)

HiI've just started going through meno having missed over 4 periods now and find that the last couple of weeks my C has been worse but I've also stopped smoking at the same time too.My friend told me that when you start going through meno C can be made worse because everything is starting to "dry" out in us women. What a thought!


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

I take estrogen and progesterone. I can't say that taking HRT or not has made much difference for me. Magnesium and zelnorm are what work for me. I just went up on my estrogen and I do think it is causing more bloating but that will probably calm down in a few weeks.


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## tova194 (Jan 14, 2008)

Hi Tiss,Did you suffer from constipation before your menopause? Did you feel that your symptoms got worse and how long have you been on HRT.?I am thinking it is going to be my "miracle drug" But i guess i should not be too hopeful.


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

I have suffered from constipation my whole life. I used to get horribly constipated before my periods so so if anything menopause has made the C a little better. I used to get C before my period and then have some D a few days after I started my period. Bleh, I'd rather go through menopause any day than go through that #### again. I've been on HRT for about 5 years now. I LOVE not having periods. Night sweats are no fun but the estrogen helps with that. I am 51, almost 52.


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## tova194 (Jan 14, 2008)

Thanks for your reply. I guess thats the "JOY" of ibs.Everyone is different.what works for one person does not work for another. My periods were great and i do miss them. I am going to talk to my gynecologist and see what he says. it is all about trial and error .


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## ABNormal (May 24, 2006)

I have been officially post-menopausal since September 2007. I must say that during menopause, my C was much, much worse. I was having panic times when my bowels just weren't working. After menopause, they got better somewhat, but the C is still there.I refused to use HRT. Too many risks. I have an occasional hot flash and occasional night sweats.Tiss, so interesting that our periods were so similar. I haven't talked to anyone else like me. I used to tell my GI doc that my periods were like that. He thought it was a little odd.


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

I think that a lot of things are getting recognized now that weren't when we were going through all the junk during childlbearing years.I know now that I had full blown PMDD big time but my doctor always blew me off--same as he did when I complained about the gas, bloating and worsening constipation before my periods. I think all these things are being recognized now because women our age screamed about it!! Why does it take SCREAMING to get the medical establishment t to listen to women??? Ahg! I do take HRT although it is a tough decision. My mother and great-grandma died of breast cancer. I am so miserable when I'm not taking estrogen. I don't know--it's really tough to know what to do.


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## Joan Mack (May 20, 2007)

This is very interesting.I also suffered constipation during the first few days of my period. In fact the cramping got so bad that I stopped eating much. I would maybe have coffee, one slice of bread and a glass of milk. Usually by the second day I was able to eat more. I am glad it is over too.Peri-menopause found me with fecal incontinence. I was advised not to take HRT because I have so many problems with medicine...allergic to drugs. I have no family history of breast cancer. I never found any good answer to fecal incontinence until zelnorm. I do have constipation and that's the only thing that works. I am still mad at the fda freaking dam a-holes





















for causing me so much added grief - like I needed more!!!


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