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!??

This is me too. Bottom agony compiled by being unable regulate things properly despite an ever increasing array of laxative type products. This is the one menopause symptom I would consider HRT for as it’s taking over my life at the moment. My internet search history right now would mostly comprise digestive remedies and piles relief products! One small success in case it helps others - I have discovered the benefits of honey for piles. Topically applied, (not as bad as it sounds), it really does soothe them.

@grandmashotdoodlebugs yes things feel er... strained at times down in the old pelvic girdle region. Sorry to hear you've had such a hard time too. I pee constantly. Really, constantly. Partly probably due to water drinking presumably but I think it's also a peri thing. I really want to sort the bowel stuff out, because it does feel precarious in terms of keeping parts of my undercarriage in the places they're supposed to be!

There is also pelvic floor dysfunction to consider. Although I am not convinced that this is the cause of my constipation, but rather a result.

On a more helpful note than my previous post, I really recommend flaxseed sprinkled on food and also psyllium husk mixed in juice/squash.

You need to eat soluble fibre but also take in insoluble fibre that just shoves everything along 😄

Prunes.

Constipation cure for me is two cups of coffee with lots of milk and a coke pretty close together - causes diarrhoea!

buckybarnesarm
I found too much fibre an issue, sultana or all bran it seems to bung me up 😳

It is a balance between 'healthy' foods

Like you I do not eat bread now and I seem to have noticed a link with too much milk 🙄

I did start my own post a while back I will try and link

But it varies

My thread is titled

Constipation, hormones and peri

Not clever enough to link but may help too

It is miserable 😩

Peeing all the time is also linked to constipation in that there is a capacity issue. If the bowel is full, there's pressure on the bladder.

@BuckyBarnesArm
That sounds like urge incontinence - same as me.
You're not emptying properly.

This and constipation were taking over my life. I couldn't go an hour without needing a wee - making travelling and going on long walks I possible. My rectocele made the constipation worse - it's a wicked circle. I was becoming reliant on glycerine suppositories.

My hysterectomy healing is really slow going but so far definitely worth it.

You could consider asking to see a gyne. Look up bulky uterus. Constipation is a symptom. In the current NHS climate, I doubt they'd do anything.

Could you have a mild prolapse?

A rectocele that's it

@grandmashotdoodlebugs @bryonyshcmyony a rectocele and bulky uterus are both things to consider definitely, thank you. I had a smear, Internal scan, and hysteroscopy back in October last year though, I would have thought any kind of prolapse would have been mentioned then? Though that's not what they were looking for, it was due to bleeding between periods (another weird peri symptom as it turns out 🙄) Unless a rectocele happened/got worse since then.

@bungabungaboo thanks I'll look up your thread.

buckybarnesarm just wondering how you are getting on?

How are you doing now ? Has hrt helped in the end ?
I am suffering so bad with constipation since the menopause tried everything diet wise . A menopause dr said HRT could help (progesterone pessary and oestrogen gel ). I’m so scared of trying it and getting worse as I’m so traumatised already .
within 24 hrs it’s turned into pellets it dries out so quickly . My bowel will only open with a dulcolax plus double strength senokot plus normal senokot in one hit .
has HRT helped anyone ?
I’ve not used forums before so not sure how it works

I've been on Everol conti 75mg patches for around a year. (I'm 51). I suddenly stopped being able to open my bowels about 3 months ago. Tried all usual recommendations with no improvement at all.
Eventually tried stopping HRT as I was getting desperate for a solution and GP couldn't identify cause (did do lots of scans/blood tests/ poo samples etc but everything came back normal).
After stopping HRT my bowel problems completely disappeared after 3 weeks- and no return of menopause symptoms as yet.