Digestive issues with peri ?

[chickadeeeeeeeee]

I have noticed over the last year that eating some foods seems to create bloating and other symptoms

Is this something that happens in peri?

I am 48 and having other symptoms, heavier, irregular periods, the rage, thinning hair, VA.

I noticed that seeds, spicy food and some oils make me feel unwell.

Has anyone else had this?

The stress of lockdown has exacerbated the problem

Anyone?😊

Yes. I get periods of having dreadful (and sometimes very painful) wind.

Yes, I've had real problems with digestion, bloating & abdominal cramping since hitting peri. This has been going on for years now.
I've found it very hard to pin it down to one particular food.
HRT has helped. However, still really flares up around PMT time, possibly ovulation time too (when that happens).
My gut seems to be really sensitive to lack of sleep or anxiety now too. Any abdominal exercises (sit ups etc) seem to aggravate it too.
A few years ago I tried cutting out wheat, then dairy etc..... No joy. My latest theory (for me) is nuts & seeds. I've been experimenting with avoiding completely for last 2 months.... It seems to be helping.
However, it has never been quite as bad as when I first started peri a few years back and HRT had eased it somewhat.
I'm on Oestrogel, mirena coil & tostran.
The bloating & kind of left sided and upper abdominal cramping (different to menstrual uterine cramping) were particularly bad during periods. Debilitating. Didnt happen before Peri. Mirena coil has almost completely put a stop to that, in addition to stopping more severe uterine menstrual cramping that was happening.

I was relieved that it wasnt wheat or dairy though! And am happily back on them. Will be gutted if it is nuts & seeds...... but less drastic to cut out than other things I guess.
Still..... I'm not sure yet! It's probably just the damn hormones.... but it's worth keeping on trying to find more gut comfort! 😜

overwintered your story sounds all too familiar ☹️

Mine seemed to be started with linseeds - horrific bloating/ burbling and soreness throughout the digestive tracts- including my poor bottom 😁

Chilli seeds and currently anything spicy 😉

Playing havoc with my general well being!

I agree anxiety has made it so much worse and lack of sleep- horrendous.

I am not on HRT- do you feel it has helped you?

PM me if you would rather 😊

HRT was not the magic bullet I'd hoped it would be. However, it has lessened all my main symptoms (anxiety, night time flushes, gut issues, evil PMT, increased muscle fatigue after exercise, etc) considerably and I would NOT be without it.
I think peri is very difficult to navigate and with my own hormones fluctuating up and down, whilst my body still attempts to ovulate, Im not sure I can find a better regimen than the one I'm on.
I hope that menopause itself may be easier to manage as I will be able to just "top up" a low level of hormones and there will be less fluctuating going on? But I'll have to wait and see! It's all a bit crap 😔... this phase of life.
But yes, I'd recommend giving HRT a go. Read up, see what's available and be prepared that you may need to trial a few types before you find what's right for you. If you don't do so already, a period/Symptom tracker app is a really good idea to monitor what symptoms you get and when.

Thanks overwintered

I had the idea a few years ago when I was 50 of making my own muesli. Porridge oats, linseed, sunflower and punpkin seeds, dried fruit and almonds. The diarrhoea was something else. I know linseed is good for a clearout but I didn't use much and I also didn't expect my digestive system to feel like it had been re-arranged either.

I am 48, hair started thinning first then heavy periods and then the bloating. I found that cows milk was causing the bloating and since cutting it out I've been much better. Read somewhere that it's possible to become casein intolerant from dairy cows but jersey cow milk is okay ( although this is not scientifically proven in the medical field so no doctor would approve this but it does apply for some people anecdotally and for myself ).

I have started taking a menopause supplement called menopace and that seems to help with the hair and skin a little. It's better than it was.

I also recently had loose stools after eating anything with chilli in which we have a lot of our meals and I just avoided them for a while and took probiotics for a month and that seemed to resolve that problem for me.

We are all different though maybe worth going for HRT? I'm not desperate for that yet.

Yes. I never suffered from this and just recently have started (51) .

asleepymum which probiotic out of interest?

troysmammy linseeds- blimey- the pain and bloating was horrific

It took ages to realise and this was before Christmas and my stomach seems so sensitive now

Not keen on HRT but wonder whether I really need help to identify the triggers so far- chilli seeds, linseeds, seeded bread, vegetable chilli (appear to be bulgar wheat/ pearl barley - not sure)

I don't think it is milk, but cannot be 100% as porridge and milk seem to soothe

Craving salad and plain stuff - when I used to love Chilli, Curry etc

Now eating meat and veg

For me it is onion, leek, orange juice/citric, wine (especially white) too much chili, fresh tomatoes.

The orange/grapefruit juice really bothers me as I loved knowing I'd done the Vit C for the day, every morning.

All the above food would make me sick from gastric reflux. Never any problems before the menopause at 45.

Oh, OP, HRT helps enormously.

Interesting to hear from everyone and that I am not alone 😊

Dr's don't seem keen to acknowledge it as an issue which is so frustrating ☹️

Just an update, i 'cleaned up' my diet, no junk, all home made food and symptoms have improved

Triggered again by too much cake on my sons birthday and it has triggered it again.

Some fruit, more veg and decent protein .

Cake and biscuits =upset/bloaty tummy

Just a warning to get checked out by a GP if you have new digestive symptoms. It very probably is food related but we should always rule out other stuff if we have bloating and stuff like that.

@Aalvarino

Just a warning to get checked out by a GP if you have new digestive symptoms. It very probably is food related but we should always rule out other stuff if we have bloating and stuff like that.

Yes, very good point. It is important to do this. Should have mentioned it too. Years back when my hormone /digestive issues started, GP did a test for h-pylori, for upper abdomen bloating at one point. And another time with continued bloating of whole abdomen type symptoms, I had blood tests and ultrasound of ovaries to rule out ovarian cysts or cancer.

Yes, also getting digestive issues now. Mainly silent reflux. Seem to react to some foods and drinks now although I can have something one day and react and the next day be fine.
Now giving acupuncture a go. Had my first session last week and suddenly got my period a few hours later which wasn’t expected and have felt pretty rough on and off since.
I know this can be common after session.

Little update, got an appointment with NHS dietician, not until end of April, but something to look forward too

Still getting bloating, seem ok for several days and then ibs style flare up.

Exhausted

I am going through digestive problems at the moment too. Bloating, gas, wind, and feel I have to eat slowly otherwise hard to digest. Sometimes it feels so uncomfortable high up in the stomach. Of course this brings on health anxiety for me as I wonder if some other illness. And I am just guessing I am perimenopausal as I get a whole host of symptoms that come and go. This is what makes this so hard as it’s all a guessing game to knowing if actually down to peri or not, but I think it is as it comes and goes. Some days fine and some days not.

It’s reassuring to hear others having the same problem.

At the moment I am trying to cut down on processed foods, bread, junk food etc and trying to eat more healthy. Hoping that will help. I also have started Kefir yogurt. Not sure if it’s helping or not.

cosmomint sorry to hear you are having issues too, it's awful isn't it

Definitely triggers the anxiety too so I understand where you are coming from

Yes. Had endoscopy this week to rule out issues. Nothing found. Bloody peri.

Yep it sure is awful @chickadeeeeeeeee. I am just hoping it’s a passing phase like all the other symptoms I have got in the past. Each symptom seems to go eventually. But sometimes return with a vengeance at a later date.

I guess I should be thankful that it’s not at the stage where I have lots of symptoms at the same time, it’s always been one symptom at a time for me. I still find peri difficult though.