Menstrual cycle

[Geri351]

I have crohns disease and I am 32 yr of age.  Every month, just before my period, I get really sick.  Have no appetitie, nauseaus; and abdominal pain.  3-4 days before- while I have it -  Has anyone experienced this? so bad, It is hard for me to get up in the morning and I am very tired all day.

[ASH9984]

I AM 25 Y/0 AND HAVE AN EXTENSIVE HISTORY OF STOMACH PROBLEMS. WHEN I WAS BORN MY ACTUAL STOMACH WAS A TUMOR. THEY REMOVED IT WHEN I WAS 8. IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS OK UNTIL I WASABOUT 20 YEARS OLD OR SO. I WOULD GET THESE HORRYIFYING EPISODES OF DIARREAH, I WOULS BE SWEATING PROFUSELY AND IN PAIN FOR HOURS. IT DIDNT HAPPEN OFTEN EVERY FEW MONTHS JUST ONE OR TWO DAYS EACH TIME.

HOWEVER, WITH IN THE LAST 11 MONTHS HAVE LOST 40 POUNDS (SIZE 8 TO A SIZE 2) W\O TRYING. I WEIGH LESS TODAY THAN I DID IN 5TH GRADE, I DONT LOSE WEIGHT (I HAVE PCOS). AND I MADE THE COMMENT WHEN I STARTED DROPPING WEIGHT IT MUST BE BECAUSE THE DIARREAH. WELL, FEB. 7 I GOT A STOMACH FLU ( I THINK), AND SINCE THEN I WAS CONSTIPATED(FOR THREE WEEKS ) WHICH I NEVER AM. THE ONLY EXCEPTION WAS WHEN I WAS ON MY MENSTURAL CYCLE AND AGAIN I WOULD HAVE EXPLOSIVE DIARREAH (NOTICED A LITTLE BIT OF BLOOD). NOW I AM BACK TO THE PAINFUL DIARREAH, SOMETIMES IT HURTS TO SIT DOWN. i HAVE NO APPETTIE, IF I EAT EVEN A SMALL AMOUNT MY STOMACH HURTS AND FEELS FULL. IT SEEMS LIKE ITS A CONSTANT DULL ACHE OR CRAMPY FEELING THAT FLARES EVERY SO OFTEN. WITHIN THE LAST WEEK THE SUN HAS COME OUT AND ITS BEEN HOT AND I HAVE FELT WORSE AND SICK SINCE THE TEMPERATRE WARMED UP. HOWEVER, I AM CONSTANLY COLD, I MEAN MY HANDS FEEL LIKE BLOCKS OF ICE CONSTANTLY. tHERE IS A RASH ON MY FACE AND CHEST, AND HAVE ULCERS AND THRASH IN MY MOUTH. ALSO, MY JOINTS HURT TREMENDOUSLEY AND DOES MY BACK. i AM MISERABLE, AND UNFORTUNATELY WORK TWO JOBS AND NO INSURENCE.
I AM ASHLEY AND TRULEY APPRECIATE ANY RESPONSES . i AM JUST KIND OF WONDERING IF IT SEEMED LIKE SYMPTOMS PEOPLE WITH CROHNS EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE I NEED HELP.
                                                                     *ASH*

[Ree4tu]

I am 33 yrs. of age. I have been experiencing nausea, loss of appetite, lower abdominal pain in my intestines which feels like swelling with altered bowels (sometimes loose, sometimes constipation). This has been going on for 3 months now. First it started a week before my period, then it was the week during my period and this past month it occurred in the week following my period. It now seems to be progressing into gastric reflux. In addition to the nausea, I get a lump feeling in throat and fullness in chest, cough, sore throat.

I saw a GI doctor who suspects Crohn's and wants to do tests. I thought Crohn's is classifed by diarrhea and not constipation, but I could be wrong.  I also see a natural healthcare practitioner who tested my hormones and advised me I have a progesterone deficiency and has started me on natural progesterone cream. I am also diagnosed with Fibromyalgia too, but apparently the progesterone deficiency can be linked to inflammatory conditions such as these.  There is a definite hormonal link. The difficulty is the starting of the progesterone has made my bowel and stomach problems worse along with my fibro. pain. Apparently this can happen and get better and alleviate problems in a few cycles.  The worsening of symptoms accompaned with the start of natural progesterone at least proves there is a link to hormones for sure.

I am not sure what caused my progesterone deficiency, but apparently women can become deficient by the time they are 35 yrs of age. This may explain why some of us don't have problems such as these until our 30s.

[JP40]

So glad you brought this up - I have never had problems with my period until now.  It's unbelievable how horrible I feel 2 weeks prior

[Hank0303]

I've had Crohn's since age 12, and I am now 30.  When I was about 22, I started having these same symptoms.  I don't usually vomit, but my abdominal cramping doubles in severity.  I think it's just an extra thing to deal with for us women with Crohn's.

[happyname]

I am 36 and have had Crohn's for over 10 years.  Faithfully, each month I have the exact same symptoms.  I take Librax for the abdominal pain and B12 shots for the fatigue.  I don't really have any other answers though.  The GYN said it is hormone related.  Go figure....