Menopausal and hormone therapy??

HI. My IBS got much worse during menopause. It started to worsen then I was about 50 years old. I couldn't eat lettuce at all, nor any foods in the cabbage family, nor anything dairy. Instead of always having c, I sometimes had d also. Lots of gas and cramping too. I now know that when hormones begin to surge and dip during perimenopause and menopause, IBS can get worse. It also seemed that eating soy bothered me, when it had never bothered me before. Taking hormones also made it much worse. So I got off the hormones and just waited it out. Now that I'm 58, my hot flashes, and IBS are subsiding to where I can eat small serving of the previously forbidden foods, without any problems at all. The cramps and d are gone. I'm back to how I was before. Interesting.

I don't think that menopause has caused me to get ibs. I get lots of hot flashes that causes me to get anxiety problems. I take hormones for the hot flashes. Hormones could create problems for you or be good for you. Look at your mother, and sisters. How are they doing medically?. Do they have good bone density?. Like no broken hips or bones from old age? I took a bone density test. It is simple and painless. If your bone density is low then take hormones to protect you. I personally don't see a connection between hormones and ibs. The hormones could improve your sex life.It improves your sex drive.

When I first entered perimenopause and my hormone levels were very low, my IBS started to get better. I'd almost forgotten what it was like to have one normal, pain-free BM every day. I even stopped worrying about what I ate and whether there would be a bathroom when I went out. Then, two years ago, when they put me on HRT, then BC pills, my digestion took a turn for the worse. I've thought of trying to tough it out naturally, but the peri symptoms are even worse than IBS. However, if you're not having meno problems, I would question why you need the hormones. Of course, you could always give it a try, and stop if it negatively affects your IBS.

I am 45 and have been having problems with perimenopause for a few years. My IBS-C has definitely has gotten worse the last few years. With dietary changes, supplements, etc I am better. But also, my doctor put me on oral progesterone 5 days a month and that has helped too with the PMS and IBS. I also use the natural progesterone cream during the month prior to taking the oral progesterone for 5 days. You might want to talk to your GYN about it.

I never had symptoms of menopause either and refuse to take HRT. I have the bones of a twenty-year-old and do not believe HRT is right for everyone. Something to talk to your doctor about. BUT, don't let them push it on you if you don't want it! HRT is a HUGE money maker and the drug companies would LOVE to have every woman over 50 on it forever and damn the consequenses. By the by, I only have a couple of friend on it (the rest either took it for a short period or don't take it at all) and they both have problems loosing weight!

I have to comment here. I had no problems with menopause and I refused to take estrogen. My mom had breast cancer so I was a likely candidate. 2 months ago I had a bone density test and had considerable bone loss in left hip. (I feel fine and move around "almost" like a teenager.) My GP said I would be crazy not to take HRT. I was a likely candidate for a hip fracture. I researched them all (this board was helpful) and decided on Evista. (Evista is not estrogen.) My doctor said it was a good one. I have experienced no side effects or has it affected my IBS. I am managing that quite well as long as I don't do anything stupid.(Like eating corn which I did yesterday. Never more!)