Does hormones cause ulcerative colitis flares?

[jostafford0]

I'm curious as to whether anyone has suffered with colitis flares when they have altered either their thyroid meds or contraceptives? I'm still flaring since last August and the changes I made back then was an increase in thyroid meds slightly from 75/100mg to 100mg and the Merina coil fitted to control my Endometriosis. The IBD nurses and Gastro consultant seems to think it is not related but I am pretty sure it is. Any thoughts?

[JessAH]

I'm so glad you've said this! I've been for the last few years told that I had endo but a recent lap said I didn't so I got referred to the bowl specialists as they now think it's IBD. Although I've been having a 'flare' or whatever it is (I'm reluctant to say IBD until confirmed) for four months now, usually my symptoms all get worse during my period and for a week after, I'm thinking it's due to taking mefenamic acid, transanamic acid and also regular ibroprofene to help with the pains I get (I have PCOS). I have read that NSAIDs can cause a flare and although I think these pills make me bleed rectally, prior to taking all these pills my symptoms were horrific just before through to just after a period (hence the testing for endo).

Long story short I've been having be same thoughts as you and have been trying to research and have found some others saying that they too experience this, but there seems no hard evidence.

Hope you're not feeling too bad! X

[jostafford0 in reply to JessAH]

Hi Jess, thanks for replying. I used to get severe pain before and during my periods but the Merina coil has been amazing. I don't get any PP pain or PMT but the annoying thing is I now have ulcerative colitis flares. It's like I am damned if I do and damned if I don't :o( I've booked to see a gynae nurse a week on Wed to ask them if anyone else has had UC flares with contraceptives. I don't understand why the gastro nurses and doctors swear blind it's not related when there are so many women out there that it has happend to. I will continue with my quest for the root cause as I don't want to be on steroids / UC meds forever. Jo x

[Cylarreta]

When I discontinued my contraceptive is when I began having UC symptoms. My doctors said it wasn't related but I've never been convinced of that.

[jostafford0 in reply to Cylarreta]

Hi Cylarreta, thanks for replying. Did your UC symptoms die down once you discontinued the contraceptives? I was diagnosed with UC in 2008 and it was around the time I was diagnosed with Endometriosis when I was trying different contraceptives. I never put two and two together since this episode. Jo x

[Cylarreta in reply to jostafford0]

Hello. No, I noticed that my GI problems became worse after I stopped. I didn't connect the dots until much later. I never got back on any BC. I've been tempted to to see if it makes a difference.

[Liz191]

My colitis symptoms definitely vary with my hormones. They are always worse the week before my period and I had a terrible flare when I became pregnant. My colitis nurse has always agreed that this is a common thing. I have used a merina coil in the past but honestly can't remember if it made my symptoms better or worse. It actually didn't agree with me and sent my hormones all over the place so I would have had difficulty telling if it was affecting my symptoms.

[jostafford0]

Hi Liz, I had the merina coil removed after 6 months of flaring with colitis and the next day my colitis was gone! All the health professionals were surprised at this but I wasn't as I knew it was the coil causing it, I just wish they had listened to me in the first place. Jo x

[Imct79 in reply to jostafford0]

I had a similar experience. Had strange bowel issues in 2012 after a few years on the pill. Ended up without a precise diagnosis, maybe post-infectious IBS, but take these steroids anyway for three months (calprotectin was 86). I got off the pill, took the steroids and felt better and never looked back. Fast forward to march 2018, I got a Mirena: from that day terrible pains and diarrhea after every meal; got it out in November, feeling much better already, but calprotectin is 136 so now I have to undergo a colonoscopy and bowel MRI to rule out Crohn's. There certainly is a link between hormones and bowel inflammation. Mirena to me was a disaster. Please Jo keep in touch.

[jostafford0 in reply to Imct79]

Hello - good to hear from you but sorry to hear you're going through this awful time. My colitis has been ok since the big flare 2 years ago but in October I flared again just before my period and I've been having problems ever since. They did the Calprotectin stool test and my result was 897. I only read this from a letter the IBD nurse had written my GP so questioned it as I hadn't heard of it before. The nurse said my levels were very high 2 years ago too but I've never had any follow up which really annoyed me. I've now had another test and see the Consultant next week. I am sure my hormones are involved in the flare as I suffer with Endometriosis and have awful PMT every month.

[Loupielou]

Hey there! I know this was written 3 years ago . But I just saw it and ..I've had real trouble with my digestion ever since going on a specific pill * this year.. and they detected IBD, after a few months of my suffering with disrupted bowels. but I kept on with it.. so felt awful after, as I didn't listen to my gut! *(literally) that quick. ..until I just had to eventually. I had a test and I have Ulcerative Proctitis. *(needing some treatment) So that was from all the different pills that stressed my rectum out. It's DEFINITELY linked I think, yes. Depending on your health problems before. Thanks .L x

[jostafford0]

That's exactly what I have! I had the coil removed and my colitis flare went away. I'm now on the depot injection and it hasn't affected my colitis at all.

[Joyful86 in reply to jostafford0]

I’m taking 300mg of progesterone 2weeks every night before my period each month. It seems to keep flares away. My experience with UC is definitely hormonal. I was actually taking it for chronic UTIs which seemed to go away but now I have this. I didn’t take it one month and ended up with awful flare and on prednisone. Doctors don’t seem to think it’s related but I’m keeping on it. ❤️

[jostafford0 in reply to Joyful86]

Hi Joyful - I'm still on the Depot Provera injection and haven't had a flare since. Really interesting about the progesterone - the depot injection is progesterone too so I guess this is why I'm not flaring.

[TriGirl]

I started perimenopause and had an awful UC flare and went on the mini pill to help with horrendous bleeding it worked wonderfully for 4yrs then Ihad to come off it because of my age and I have been in the worst flare of my life it’s been 13 months and I am still suffering menopause symptoms. Hormones are powerful and in my opinion cause chaos for us sufferers.

[Ciccia]

Hi, that sounds familiar...I had endometriosis, several ops etc. I found that I was getting shocking pain before period including a bleed from the back end as well as migraine.Finally had a colonoscopy as the thought was that there may have been endometriosis patch in the bowel and was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. The 2 were definitely related- the bleed, migraine and pain just before period seemed to fade as the period started. I would take great care with ibuprofen tho- not good with ibd at all!! Take care and good luck.

[Morganalefaye]

I’ve had Crohn’s for fifty years. I was in my early twenties when I was first diagnosed. I was always told hormones had no effect on flares. I knew they did. Years on a doctor agreed that they certainly do.