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Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) & Peri / Menopause & Menstruation

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jayneejay
jayneejay

useful info .... 

Question: Is There A Relationship Between IBS and Menopause?

Answer:

For most women, menopause will have an effect on IBS symptoms.

As part of the process of menopause, there is a decrease in the levels of the sex hormones,estrogen and progesterone.

There is a well-established relationship between these sex hormones and digestive symptoms, most likely due to the fact that receptor cells for these hormones are located throughout the digestive tract.

Thus, the changing hormonal levels of menopause do have an effect on IBS, but what that effect is is not completely clear.

The evidence to date currently provides only conflicting and incomplete evidence about the change in IBS symptoms during and after menopause.

For the most part, population surveys indicate that women experience a decrease in IBS symptoms following menopause.

The number of women with IBS appears to decrease after the age of 45 and by the age of 65 IBS is experienced at equal rates in men and women.

However, many women report an increase in IBS symptoms following menopause.

This may be especially likely around the time of early menopause (perimenopause).

It has been theorized that this increase in symptoms at the time of early menopause is due to the lessening of the levels of sex hormones that occurs at this time, in much the same way that women experience an increase in IBS symptoms in the days surrounding the onset of menstruation. 

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  • jayneejay
    jayneejay

    Posted

    The most common symptoms of IBS are:

    abdominal pain and cramping - often relieved by emptying your bowels.

    a change in your bowel habits - such as diarrhoea, constipation, or sometimes both.

    bloating and swelling of your abdomen.

    excessive wind (flatulence)

    an urgent need to go to the toilet.

    • marlene21102
      marlene21102 jayneejay

      Posted

      That's me to a tea Jay,my 2 cousins exactly the same,one cousin told she has a leaky gut to.Celiacs have same issues as IBS,but far worse same goes for Crohns and Ulcerative colitis,strange why there are more of these issues out there,my elderly aunt says it's down to sprays they put on foods grown to keep it longer.hence why people go Organic,but you can't even trust those labels now.Why are there more kids with asthma  once they reach 3 - 4 and upwards in ages ,only knew one with asthma growing up, and that was family genes.So think my aunt makes her view on it may well be correct. Farmers sprays insecticides.

        That's my soap box done ladies what's your views on subject.

        Start it off Jay xxx

    • jayneejay
      jayneejay marlene21102

      Posted

      Hi Marlene 😃

      my niece has  Coeliac disease  and two of her daughters ... ' gluten free ' and everything 😥

      i have had digestive probs ( IBS) since peri and still have 9-10 years ..

      i always had it bouts of it before a period, my daughter even asked me the other day,  ' did you get upset stomach before a period '  and yes i did ..

      have a good day Jay xx

       

    • marlene21102
      marlene21102 jayneejay

      Posted

      My daughters mother in law has Coeliac disease ,took couple years to find that out,she was real poorly.they say all 3 conditions run in families.they get bad flare ups,even hospitalised to get under control.

        Weird all this is Jay,glad your girl ask you stuff,least you can put her straight ,and she's a youngster.

       Never had to watch any food stuff till all this kicked off,pain in the butt.

        My girls had IBS for past few years,what settles hers is Chillies of all things.

      would have thought that the worst thing out for IBS but she's found it's best thing for her that helps,she's been a vegan since she was 17 yrs old.so that's not stopped her getting it Jay.today I'm on Wholemeal toast and poached egg,keep me ticking over. You have good day to ,still as hot out there?xxxxxx

    • jayneejay
      jayneejay marlene21102

      Posted

      Hi Marlene

      my girl is a vegan too ..... Mind you i am not a meat lover, but have some on occasion.. Mainly beef, nothing else..

      i nipped i to town quickly this morning, yes its hot.. Its hazy hot today..

      my Vit E capsules arrived and my Kelp 😃 more tablets ...

      not taken E capsules before so we shall see..

      gotta go to iceland too sometime, hahaha we have an Iceland Store 20 mins away, i get the UK pedigree chum tins from there as dogs are fussy, they dont like the spanish Chum, it upsets there stomachs ... ' give them IBS'

      😃😃😃😃

      Jay xx

       

       

    • marlene21102
      marlene21102 jayneejay

      Posted

      Yes our Cockers were on Purina ,so is the girls 2 Cockers expensive but it's what suited and suites them,plus use to have fresh cooked chicken in their diets ,all 5 liked veg,ours all eat a raw washed carrot every day,helped keep teeth clean,dogs get nippy tums ,always go to eat grass when under weather,strange how thet know to do that,to make themselves sick.like medicine they only know about,but they all do it to bring bile up.

         Handy having Icelands close by Jay,do you get power cuts out there ? Why I ask friends of ours say they get odd power cut,no warning.

         I'm sat watching Golden Girls,takes mind off these hissing ears ,make me chuckle,think Sophia could be our Dottie,Ha Ha xxxx

    • jayneejay
      jayneejay marlene21102

      Posted

      Hi Marlene

      Gibraltar only approx an hour away too, they have M&S, Morrisons, BHS, Holland & Barrett 😀😀😀😀 etc etc ...  Havent been lately though..

      ummm power cuts... It all depends on the potencia they call it.. Coming into house, it varies so much .. From property to property and location ..

      we have just sold a property here, and that potencia was really low so very sensitive, would easier over load and yes the odd power cut.. But here no, not had one at all..

      hahaha Golden Girls... dottie 😃

      we all chat to each other and havent a clue what each other looks like, yet we try to visualize an unknown face ... ... 

      Wonder what you imagine i look like... I imagine you to have reddish brown hair for some reason, and dottie i imagine dark curly hair ..

      hahahaha the brain ay ... jay xx

       

    • marlene21102
      marlene21102 jayneejay

      Posted

      Well Jay you must have a crystal ball,got my hair colour dead right,freakyyyyyyy.I think you as blonde or light in colour,maybe highlights thrown in .

      Dottie,mmmmmm,maybe dark hair,short in length ,will have to pump her for info,think she's about 5 ft 5 ,you I think bit taller . I'm 5ft 7  but getting shorter with the meno,just know I am even my shoe size is a 6 but a 5 I can now wear.Hey not got the dowager hump,see another meno problem that can happen to some.

         You've got fair choice of shops Jay to choose from,when I lived Singapore we did have a Marks and Spencer's,only UK shop out there,how's the prices compared to UK say in Icelands.Cant beat UK Food stuff,so your willing to pay that bit more to having what you like. Know I would ,than foreign muck like In Singers Ahhhhh

         Did you see Jo post got same probs as me with Vits and IBS,must affect loads of us the same way.Will try the B12 hope they go down better,they say to much meat is bad for the Colon ,so little at any given time is about right .

       Dottie quiet  ?off day or out spending somewhere.xxx

    • jayneejay
      jayneejay marlene21102

      Posted

      Oh Marlene 

      i scare myself sometimes.. My other half thinks i am spooky.. Often have a sixth sense, mention it and it happens 😳

      think i am a witch as stray cats always find me where ever i live.. Have one now out front, sits on my window sill looking in 😳

      yes i think dotty has dark hair, not tall, and good fun..

      my hair is straight, mid length, and clipped up, its a dark ashy blonde suppose to be, but... Gets so light in the sun...  No highlights ..

      5ft 6 tall ... 125lb...  size 5 feet... ' had both my bunions done in 1999 😃😃

      my granny had bunions, my dad has them, and i thought .. No way , I have them now, so nefore they played me up, I had mine done in saudi when i lived there, what a fantastic job and surgeon... Wow ..

      my uncle also had them and he went private and got his done too. 

      Yes Dottie said shes coming to see me, so expect shes on her way 😃😃😃

      the jarrows 5000mcg B12 are sublingal so you chew them and they dissolve in mouth .. 

      jay xx

       

  • jayneejay
    jayneejay

    Posted

    Useful info ..

    Since there’s no sure cure for IBS, people develop their own ways of living with the enemy.

    The key: Don’t become discouraged.

    Dietary changes and stress-relief tactics should provide a significant dose of relief. For more insurance, combine them with one of the alternative therapies noted below. Once you have a system for controlling your symptoms, IBS will surely put less of a cramp in your style.

    Manage your stress

    • Since stress is one of the factors known to trigger an IBS flare-up, learn to short-circuit it with meditation, yoga, or a simple breathing exercise like this one. Sit comfortably, or lie down.

    Turn your attention to the air going in and out of your body.

    When upsetting or anxiety-producing thoughts intrude, focus completely on your breathing.

    Practice this daily.

    Then, whenever you feel yourself becoming tense and anxious, use it to calm yourself.

    • Keep a diary of your IBS symptoms, noting what types of problems you have and how severe they are.

    In this journal, also jot down any stressful events you face in your day.

    Occasionally look back at your diary.

    If you see more IBS symptoms just before airplane flights or meetings with your boss, for instance, there may be a connection.

    Once you’ve detected situations that seem to trigger IBS symptoms, look for ways—like using the breathing technique above—to cope with them better.

    Go easy on your intestines

    • Minimize fried foods, meats, oils, margarine, dairy foods, and other fatty foods. They cause your colon to contract violently, which can lead to diarrhea and abdominal pain.

    • Stay away from spicy foods. The capsaicin in hot peppers, for example, makes your large intestine go into spasms, which can cause diarrhea.

    • Cut down on caffeine. It can worsen IBS by irritating your intestines.

    • Avoid foods known to cause flatulence, including cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli.

    • Don’t chew gum or candy that contains artificial sweeteners.

    Among the common sweeteners in these products are sorbitol and mannitol, which can have a laxative effect.

    They’re very difficult to digest. When bacteria in your colon eventually break down these “nonabsorbed sugars,” you get gas and diarrhea.

    • Stop smoking. Nicotine contributes to IBS flare-ups. Also, when you smoke, you swallow air, and people with IBS are very sensitive to having air in their gut.

    Fit in more fibre

    • Soluble fibre soaks up liquid in your intestines, helping to prevent diarrhea.

    Good sources are beans, oatmeal, and some fruits, such as apples, strawberries and grapefruit.

    • If you can’t seem to get enough soluble fibre in your diet, take a daily supplement of psyllium, the main ingredient in dietary fibre supplements.

    Unlike chemical laxatives, psyllium is safe to take long-term. Follow the label for dosage directions.

    • If constipation is your main complaint, fill up on insoluble fibre, found in whole wheat, bran, other whole grains, salad greens, and other foods. Insoluble fiber bulks up stool, which speeds its passage through the intestines.

    • If you haven’t had much fiber in your diet, increase the amount you eat gradually. Adding too much fibre all at once can actually give you gas and bloating.

    Start with 8 g of fibre daily—about what you’d find in two pears—and increase by 3 or 4 g each day until you’re up to 30 g daily.

    • Drink at least six to eight glasses of water each day to keep fiber moving smoothly through your system.

    Graze, don’t gorge

    • Eat smaller meals more frequently rather than a couple of large meals each day. Taking in too much food at once can overstimulate your digestive system.

    • If you usually bolt down your meals, go more slowly and pay more attention to chewing your food.

    Fast eaters often swallow too much air, which turns into bothersome intestinal gas.

    Eat yogurt

    • Having diarrhea can drain away good bacteria that help prevent harmful bacteria from growing out of control.

    When you’re having IBS-related diarrhea, eat plenty of yogurt containing active bacteria, such as acidophilus.

    Or take supplements of acidophilus. The usual daily dosage is one pill containing 1 to 2 billion live organisms. Take it on an empty stomach.

    Drink tea

    • Every day, drink a cup or two of peppermint tea, which relaxes your intestines, reduces spasms, and relieves gas pain. Make sure to buy the kind that contains real peppermint, rather than black tea with peppermint flavoring. Alternatively, you can take enteric-coated peppermint-oil capsules. The coating ensures that the oil reaches the intestine instead of breaking down in the stomach. Take one or two capsules three times a day, between meals.

    • Drink ginger tea. Ginger soothes all manner of digestive problems, including IBS. For the freshest tea, grate a half-teaspoon of ginger into a cup, then pour in hot water, let it steep for 10 minutes, strain out the ginger, and drink the tea. Ginger tea bags are also available. Drink four to six cups a day.

    Get some exercise

    • Whenever possible, get at least 30 minutes of noncompetitive exercise such as walking. Exercise helps relieve stress, releases natural painkilling endorphins, and keeps your body—including your digestive system—working smoothly.

    • marlene21102
      marlene21102 jayneejay

      Posted

      Lots of interesting things to read here Jay,I keep a note book on what s what for IBS,terrible thing to live with.

        I have odd ginger it helps clear my sinuses to,also mint tea calms it.

         So many youngsters with this,not there when I was a kid.

       All veg grown in back gardens  no  pesticides in sight. Makes you wonder ?

    • jayneejay
      jayneejay marlene21102

      Posted

      hi Marlene 

      yes it does make you wonder.. 

      Ginger Tea bags ... thats a new one... not heard  if those ... wonder what they are like 

      i cant drink normal tea i dont like it .. never have ..

      jay xx

       

    • marlene21102
      marlene21102 jayneejay

      Posted

      My daughter got me them Jay,don't remember where from health food shop maybe .I'm not into sugar ,but I put half tsp in with it.

       Your up late Mrs ,hope your fella knows about the Spanish dad and son,got to admit I get them up on You tube quite often,old Humperdinck to think he's sings nice.Il Divo great.

         Dottie turned up yet? Bless her,she's always cheerful,despite it all

         Things got to do u turn soon,all fizzled out gone.xxxxx

    • jayneejay
      jayneejay marlene21102

      Posted

      Hi Marlene

      i know i have got to sort dogs out in a minute.. last night the dam AC on off button wouldnt work in bedroom, but i fixed it today 😃 bit of foil bobs ya uncle.. soooo hot last night, had a fan on, no way still too hot, but be okay tonight now fixed the AC..

      good nite

      jay xx

       

  • Lara66
    Lara66 jayneejay

    Posted

    Hi Jay. Yes, I've experienced changes in bowel habits in the past year or so. I've had things checked out with the doc and all seems ok but she said it might just be due to IBS. I've been wondering if the change is due to peri and, after reading your post here, I'll just assume that it is in fact the case. Thanks again for another spot on post !! Hope all is good with you xx
    • jayneejay
      jayneejay Lara66

      Posted

      Hi Lara 

      thanks hun... your not alone seems quite common the IBS 😕

      have a great evening .. Jay xx

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