Does HRT help with constipation? (Please say yes)

[BuckyBarnesArm]

I'm due to start evorel sequi patches in the next week or so. One of my most horrendous peri symptoms is constipation from actual hell!! I eat around 8-10 portions of fruit/veg a day and drink loads of water but I'm still stoppered up like a champagne bottle (sorry tmi). The GP has given me Laxido which so far is not making a huge amount of difference and it still feels like shitting a brick . Please god someone tell me that HRT will help my recalcitrant bowels and my poor ravaged pile-infested bum can recover!??

Sadly not in my experience 😂

Maybe someone else can offer you more hope than me.

It should do... (although I know PP disagrees!)

Also, exercise, like vigorous running / HIIT. Find it essential for managing digestive issues.

Constipation is a menopause symptom???

That's another to add to my list for when I go to the GP next week

Constipation is a menopause symptom???

Yes! Sluggish digestive system, very common.

OK one vote yes, one no. Any more experiences?
I walk and do some weight bearing exercise, the idea of HIIT is ... intimidating! But maybe I could up my general level of activity.

Since menopause - which for me started some 10 years ago - I swear my digestive system has become the bane of my life. I can go (or not go) for 6-7 days easily. What helps? Cutting out all gluten, limiting dairy (no longer drink dairy milk or yoghurt) and sprinkling flaxseed on breakfast of gluten free muesli with a vegan yoghurt and almond milk.

But it's hard to stick to that - not eating bread, cake, biscuits or pasta so of course I've not cured the problem at all. Exercise does seem to help, but here I am 10 years later still suffering from constipation. I've just this week arranged to go back in to see my GP to find out what's the problem as surely, it can't still be the menopause? And is the gluten really the issue?

No one's ever suggested HRT as a cure, but then I only was on it for 12 months. I didn't notice a huge improvement then.

I can only suggest that you try to cut out gluten foods and see if that helps. Failing that, find a sympathetic doctor who will recognise that this is a miserable condition and help you find a solution.

Hi @BuckyBarnesArm, I think a lack of oestrogen does have an impact on the digestive system. I have definitely heard other women complain about that.

I started HRT on Femoston which unfortunately MADE me constipated. It's an oral prep ( I think) made from soy, which may have been the culprit.

I am on Evorel now which is fine.

On my 3rd week of Everol patches, was hoping some magic would happen and my bowels would start moving. Sadly not……still bunged up exactly the same and the pesky piles show no signs of disappearing either 🙄. Drink about 3 litres of water a day, I run, do HIIT classes and been the same for years.
Frustrating…..have bought prune juice as friend swears by it, but am yet to try it. I actually feel a bit scared!!

Oat milk in my coffee in the morning has helped (and no dairy, limit gluten). And when I really need to force the issue 2 dulcolax at bedtime, be prepared to be near a loo the next morning for a few hours.

Do laxatives make chronic constipation worse?!

You could try a plant-based only diet for a few weeks and see how things go. I mean, there are few constipated rabbits.

You get a supplement, often called Colon cleanse. Have a google. You can get it from Amazon or Holland and Barret. It’s more natural and less explosive than senna.

I suffer from constipation, tried many different things, but now take magnesium every other day, which I understand to be good for you anyway and no longer suffer.

I've heard good (!) things about the effects of prune juice actually. Might be worth a try. God, the thought of carrying on like this for the rest of my life is soul destroying actually.

I feel like estrogel helped me.i was feeling bloated and I'm convinced this makes me go easily.
Tbh I now eat healthily and cut the booze too.

Cup of coffee, tbsp of flax on yoghurt in the morning and reduced dairy works a treat for me.

Magnesium, daily kiwifruit and yoga.

Plenty soluble fibre (beans, oats, veg, fruit esp citrus)

Are you taking enough laxido if it having no effect? I have always found movicol (same thing?) to work very well, although I had to take it 3x a day for the first three days before it first worked. You then need to take it at maintenance levels until, or if, you can get the diet to sort it. It is very gentle and softens things up so they can move.

Magnesium tablets. It has to be the magnesium citrate though, I use the ones in the link (hopefully it works!). I have suffered constipation forever but it's got worse and two of these daily has literally changed my life. Well worth a try because there are lots of other benefits too.

Magnesium Citrate 1480mg - 240 Vegan Magnesium Capsules not Magnesium Tablets - Providing 444mg Elemental Magnesium - 4 Month Supply High Strength Magnesium Supplement - Made in The UK by VitaBright https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07VGG81ZB/ref=cmswwrcppapiglttfabc0WHQBKARWCKRVXQJFGZT??encoding=UTF8&psc=1

buckybarnesarm
I wanted to scream with joy when I read your post as this is me

I have given up bread, and I am waiting to speak to meno dr as I am desperate to help my poor bowels (and bottom)

It is horrendous

Like you I eat and drink healthily

Too much dairy makes it worse

So does fibre (think sultana or all bran)

It has made me so unhappy over the last year and I cannot get a balance at all

I've coeliac so never had any constipation issues until I started going through the menopause! I started HRT 3 years ago & unfortunately it hasn't helped. I did a healthy eating plan with my gym last year that involved lots of veg with every meal but that made no difference either lol. I really hate this bunged up feeling!

Couple of things that helped me (also acquired constipation with peri)-

Kiwi with the skin on. Try it chopped up in yogurt first, then when it doesn't seem so weird it's actually ok just chopped and eaten. I'm used to it now.

Caffeine. I'm decaf most of the time, but have a strong coffee in the morning when I feel I need it

Citrus definitely helps but too much and it is like chilli
😳

Slight update: the laxido has kicked in a bit, I upped the dose to 2 packets dissolved in water. Other things suggested on this thread which HAVEN'T helped (historically): coffee (I drink 3 strong cups in the morning), oat milk in coffee, I have this all the time anyway, cutting out bread (I hardly eat any apart from dark rye sourdough occasionally).

Ironically, if I stop eating as healthily, or eat a load of sugary stuff, my bowels throw up their hands in horror and give up their contents easily! Why!? Is TOO much fibre in the form of fruit/veg a bad thing?

A large daily portion of watermelon is good, I find. I really notice the difference when I'm not eating any of the stuff throughout the winter.

some people can't tolerate a lot of fibre. They used to talk about two kinds, soluble and insoluble. Whole Grains and veg.

Thank goodness for coffee, is all I can say. Sorry it doesn't work for you.

I may have answers!

I have been moaning about constipation to my GP for FOUR YEARS. they didn't care.

I tried every single thing mentioned above.
And more.

Nada.

I eat healthily anyway. I added more and more but nada.

I had a hysterectomy 6 weeks ago. I am not constipated anymore.

As an aside
Despite what the GP and chemist say, there is an absolute difference between movical, cosmocol and laxido.
Try them all.

Aside #2
Do not be constipated. I now have a rectocele which cannot be fixed with pelvic floor exercises.

Aside#3
My oversized fat bulky adenomyosis uterus also gave me a cystocele so please consider your bladder output at the same time as you consider your bowel.