Flare Up - Hormones is there a connection?

OK...so I have been dealing with Crohn's disease for 12 years now - since I was 19 years old.

This may be a "too much info" kind of question but I really want to know if anyone else has this situation going on.

In the last year I have noticed that I have what I call "mini- flare ups" that start about 3 days before my menst. cycle and starts calming down about 3 days into my cycle. Is any one else experiencing this?

While I am pregnant all signs of Crohn's disease disappear - I feel wonderful!

My doctor has suggested that when my husband and I are done having children that I go one some birth control that I will just take continuously so that I do not have "normal" hormone ups and downs.

Anyway....would love to hear anything you have to say about this!

Welcome to the forum Promise77!

Unfortunately, being a male I can not provide any first hand experiences. I can say that what Pen wrote about other's on the forum though does seem common. Many women see a total reversal of their disease when they are pregnant. Then again though this is not the case with absolutely everyone though, but it does seem to happen more often than not.

Well...if nothing else I am glad that I am not just imagining things. I am just not sure what kind of solution to this there may be while my husband and I would still like to have more children...I dont really want to be on birth control at this point.

My disease isnt terrible...but Im not in remission either. I make it day to day...but some days are better than others.

It is so great to find somewhere to talk to people who understand how I fee...and to know that others are feeling the same way. I have read a lot of the posts on here and can relate to so many that you guys are saying that some people thinking its psychological or that you (we) make it out to be worse than it really is. It is real and it hurts! I remember when I was younger I thought that my parents were mad at me because I felt sick all the time and just couldnt do anything...I believe now that they were just frustrated because they didnt know what to do to make me feel better. There are a few years - 19 yrs old to about 22 that I hardly remember because I was just doped up all the time.

Anyway...thank you all of providing some comfort in knowing that there are people who feel just the way I do.

Would love to hear more if anyones dr has found a solution - or they have actually tried birth control to help!!!

Hi Promise - welcome to the forum!
I haven't noticed a hormonal change, but I will be looking for one now with my next cycle. I've never even thought of it before. I was in remission with my most recent pregnancy, but I was in remission before I concieved too.
And don't worry about asking a "too much info" type of question. The way people describe their poop around here - nothing shocks anyone anymore.

Promise 77 I honestly think we might have the exact same symptoms flares everything. I had even considered talking to my gyno about having a partial hysterectomy because my symptoms were so bad everytime I would get my period. I know that seems extreme but I can't take birth control pills and what other opinions are there. I had my tubes tied so I'm not playing on anymore children.

Mommy....I dont think it is extreme...I didnt think I was finished having kids yet but as each month passes and the pain is just getting out of hand....I think that I may be done. We have been trying to get pregnant again since november and nothing is happening. The other two happened so quick and close together that it makes me think I may have something going on with all the girly parts too. I dont know. My dr has suggested going to the gyno to see if I have endometriosis (I am sure I spelled that wrong...sorry!) - but at this point I am scared to find out if I have something besides all that I already do! =)

When I ready your story of crohns the other day...I thought the same thing..."wow that is me". I am sorry that you have all the problems...but feel comforted that I am not the only one!

Hi Promise,

Welcome!

You are not alone on this one at all! When I was hospital last summer with a bad crohns flare I also hit the wrong time of the month. I already know that my pain levels seem to intensify round this time and cannot bear to wax my legs for instance that would normally cause me little pain in comparison (if that makes sense), also that my asthma will play up 2-3 days before I start (my GP and asthma cons both convinced of a hormonal trigger there for me). Anyway, last summer during my admission I found that my barium follow through test and my colonoscopy were both excruciating. When I thought about it I realised my guts always play up round the wrong time of the month and the combo of everything just made all my tests so much harder pain wise (with everything being in the same area roughly). So yes I strongly feel hormones play an important role for me on several fronts including pain and cycle aspects along with asthma and crohns!

Last Sept I went to the female GP in my practice that deals with contraception and discussed all the options, took leaflets home to read and finally decided on the implanon implant in my arm. My reasons for doing this was because I wasnt sure how well I would absorb the "pill" now, it meant one less tablet to take, the implant would last me 3yrs, and a coil would mean yet another trip to hospital to have it fitted as I havent had any children and my surgery cannot do it unless you have, also that I am in my late 30's so a combined "pill" wasnt an option and the implanon is progesteron only. The benefits for most are that although it can take up to a year to settle down cycle wise the bleeding is much less or negligable for the majority (and as a result the pain decreases too as there is less spasming/cramping). I have to admit I did have a bit of a rough time at one point on that score but things seem to be improving. I am finding even though I do still have a cycle at present that my pain levels have decreased considerably and as a result I am also less tired as I have less to cope or fight with.

Another thing I did was examine what I was eating round that time as I tend to get cravings for specific foods and realised some of them compounded my increased gut problems also. So I have tried to address things on several fronts including a slight adjustment to my asthma plan, pain relief methods, diet and contraception.

Hope what I have said makes sense to you - feel free to PM me with any questions about what I have said.

Keep asking - chances are there is always more than one person in the same boat here!

Welcome again