Hi Kirsty

Good question.

First off, even women with 'normal' plumbing have digestive systems that go absolutely crazy around their periods. 

The body usually tries to shed any excess baggage that is hanging around in a woman's intestines just before and during her period (kind of lighten her up a bit)...it is hormonal.

Most of my girlfriends were chronicly constipated during the month and would wait impatiently for their periods so that they could finally 'go'.

For us it makes things a bit whacky...because, technically, we cannot get constipated  when those hormones say, 'release it all' we just run watery.

I used to feel like my uterus was going to turn inside-out and drop out of my body it hurt so much...I would get a very gassy and heavy feeling for about a week then really bad cramping. My pouch would hate me and funny enough, it would bleed a bit...never understood that.

It got so severe that my gyn took a few tests and discovered ovarian cysts...once they were removed he put me on progesterone to give my ovaries a break and stop my periods...it was heaven.

If things are really bad and you are not trying for kids for the moment you may ask your gyn if you can suspend your periods for a while...not all doctors will do it but some believe that it is better in our case.

Sharon

 

 

Yup, pretty much what Sharon said. Many women will have issues with cramping and diarrhea around the time of their periods, with or without a colon, though I do feel that those of us with j-pouches experience this on a bit of an amplified level. I also often experience some symptoms about a week out from my period, including increased gas, butt burn/irritation, and occasionally higher frequency.  New normal, unfortunately. I've gotten used to it. It doesn't really interfere with my function, but can certainly be annoying!

Hy everyone,very good topic. I 'am fresh from takedown surgery(14 days) and for now I can't tell that things are bed. For me It has been pretty good. 5-7 stool a day,can keep stool,cramps are lighter every day,my stool are mashy already and I am on prescribe diet.Three days ago it started getting pretty bad,cramps get worse and I was two nights awake for 2-3 times . I get scared. I was pretty much ready to call my doc but yesterday "those days in month"started and everything was back in "normal".I today I find this topic and was reliefe. I will take notice in future to see if it will be like that every time.
Regards from Croatia,EU.

Branchy

There are things that you can do to make it a bit easier around that time.

I always found that if I changed my diet, ate lighter foods (so that my pouch was not so full), drank a lot of hot fluids like tea or soup, used a heating pad on my tummy and on my lower back and did some yoga and stretches that it was a bit easier.

My doctor back then prescribed a medication with codine in it for the pain but it also helped me to slow down my pouch on those days.

Good luck...it sounds like you are doing very well for someone who has just had their pouch done.

Sharon

Every month, this month no exception, I feel like I'm getting the flu or I think maybe it's just a horrible pouchitis flare, but then I look at the calendar and within a day or two, my cycle starts.  I get dizzy, nauseous, crazy diarrhea, and just feel horrible.  The symptoms for me begin 1-2 days beforehand and then goes away pretty quickly after my cycle starts.  My GYN says a type of birth control would help a lot since mine is still really heavy too, but I don't want to be on any more meds.

Thank you so much ladies!! Suppose it's summat I'm goin to after get used to! 😡😡😡 xxxx