Researching here - some menopausal questions....

[CAMary]

I found a subgroup over on bc.org who are IBD patients!! Several of them are wondering if taking hormone-blockers (which are recommended for hormone-receptor postive breast cancers) will cause their IBD to flare....I am the only MCer - so obviously a Crohn's or UC flare can have more serious health consequences....

I mentioned that I believe getting pregnant (and the ensuing hormone surges) helped *totally* get my colitis under control. I guess subconsciously I wonder if "blocking" hormones would have the opposite effect . I also explained my gluten concerns re: meds and inactive ingredients/fillers, and the fact that almost every med lists diarrhea as a possible side-effect (UHH - no thanks )

Anyone here (Katy - including your surgical meno - or are you on hormones??) go through a big hormone drop, and did you notice if it affected your MC at all?

These poor women are trying to figure how to juggle treating "everything" without inviting more trouble...I'm lucky, as with surgery, the hormone blockers are "off the table" - as is any other kind of follow-up. I'd be a lot more worried if I *needed* the meds to prevent metastases...Their oncologists don't seem to be able to give them much guidance re: IBD...

Thanks!

Mary

[barbaranoela]

Mary---that surely is a tough issue----there is so very much to keep in balance going thru this---

I have no advice----(wishing I did)I just want U and all the people on the bc.org the very best in keeping things in control--

luve Barbara

[kate_ce1995]

Mary,

I didn't have flares from hormone drops. But I think I'm more sensitive to gluten now (i.e., greasier poop). But that could be more damage sort of thing. I was so non-reactive poop-wise after I first got the MC under control.

But gosh, hormone drops can make one feel like crap! hard to sort it all out.

Katy

[Pat]

Mary,
I have had MC for 7 1/2 years, misdiagnosed as IBS until 7 months ago. I became menopausal the end of 2004. I have been worse since I started GF diet but I also began taking Entocort, Prednisone, and Neomycin during that time. I haven't noticed hormones playing a part in this at all, but I guess anything is possible. I think we are all similar but different. Some things work for some and don't for others. We just have to be careful and find what works for each one of us.
Pat

[tex]

Mary,

Here's the most concise, (and seemingly authoritative), article I can find, that describes research about that particular topic, (namely, the effects of estrogen and progesterone on IBS).

http://www.med.unc.edu/wrkunits/2depts/ ... s%20on.pdf

I found that article on this site:

http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/link.p ... wse&cid=30

I found this, on an Interstitial Cystitis site:

There are many IC patients who avoid severe bladder, muscle and joint pain and IBS symptoms with estrogen replacement. However, there are IC patients who experience bladder pain with estrogen replacement because of the increase of mast cell secretion. What works depends on the individual patient.

That quote comes from the discussion about estrogen, toward the bottom of the page.

http://www.ic-network.com/iclifestyles/march02.html

This abstract describes how discontinuing hormone replacement therapy for five women with colitis, resolved their symptoms. However, supplemental estrogen and/or progesterone was/were apparently the cause of their colitis, so it's a no-brainer that discontinuing the treatment would eliminate the symptoms.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... t=Abstract

Finally, this abstract describes an extensive survey of the literature concerning this topic, but it doesn't provide a definitive conclusion. The full article probably contains some helpful information, but I didn't have any luck trying to locate it on the web. Maybe someone else can find it.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... t=Abstract

Tex