# Can the contraceptive pill help with IBS symptoms?



## Alice8 (Oct 7, 2018)

I have noticed that my IBS is at it's worst the week before my period starts. From doing some research I have found lots of people find this and it can perhaps be linked to the drop in your hormones at this stage of your menstrual cycle.

Therefore I was wondering whether taking the contraceptive pill could help as you would be creating a steady constant level of hormones in your body? Or does anyone know about the hormone coil (IUD) and if that helps?

Would love to know if anyone has any experience of this as I am very uninformed! Thanks!


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## quarky (Jun 15, 2011)

Yes, it does help. What's even better is high-dose progesterone to completely shut down the menstrual cycle. Hormonal coil might do it. I take norethindrone at a high dose (5mg) as I hated the idea of having something implanted into me that might or might not work and then being at the mercy of doctors to remove it.

Basically if you can stop having periods, you stop having period-related flares.


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## Positiveside (Apr 19, 2017)

Though hormones play a major role in IBS in women, birth control pills and other forms of birth control that contain estrogen and progesterone don't have an effect on IBS.


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## MareCare (Jan 5, 2021)

Your IBS symptoms - diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas and belly pain might be linked to or worsened by your hormonal birth control. In addition, birth control can increase inflammation and increase intestinal permeability (aka leaky gut), two factors that are known to increase risk of IBS.


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