This happens to me too. It's gotten worse since I started birth control. A couple of things that might help...
Part of what causes digestive upset during the menstrual cycle are hormones called prostaglandins. They affect a lot of PMS symptoms, including the contraction of the uterus and other muscles in the region like your intestines. When the levels start changing during your period, your digestion gets upset. This happens to a lot of women, even those who don't have IBS.
Luckily, ibuprofen (Advil) is a prostaglandin blocker that will help keep your body from going haywire during your period. Taking some Advil during your period will help with the pain in general, as well as the digestive troubles. Start taking Advil a couple of days before your period and after it starts to "fortify" yourself against hormone-related diarrhea.
I've also taken other meds when Advil alone doesn't cut it...Imodium is potent stuff, but the pills can be broken in half pretty easily. Try taking half a pill instead of a full one, it may take the edge off without giving you constipation. Or, get a bottle of liquid Pepto Bismol. Since it's liquid, it's easier to control the dosage and you can take a half, a third, etc. of the medicine to help with diarrhea. PB also works wonders for nausea, so if your stomach feels icky around that time of the month, take a little Pepto.
Part of what causes digestive upset during the menstrual cycle are hormones called prostaglandins. They affect a lot of PMS symptoms, including the contraction of the uterus and other muscles in the region like your intestines. When the levels start changing during your period, your digestion gets upset. This happens to a lot of women, even those who don't have IBS.
Luckily, ibuprofen (Advil) is a prostaglandin blocker that will help keep your body from going haywire during your period. Taking some Advil during your period will help with the pain in general, as well as the digestive troubles. Start taking Advil a couple of days before your period and after it starts to "fortify" yourself against hormone-related diarrhea.
I've also taken other meds when Advil alone doesn't cut it...Imodium is potent stuff, but the pills can be broken in half pretty easily. Try taking half a pill instead of a full one, it may take the edge off without giving you constipation. Or, get a bottle of liquid Pepto Bismol. Since it's liquid, it's easier to control the dosage and you can take a half, a third, etc. of the medicine to help with diarrhea. PB also works wonders for nausea, so if your stomach feels icky around that time of the month, take a little Pepto.
