Probiotics Yes or No?

[Emzies2207]

I haven't had any diagnosis and at the moment I am self diagnosing. I am already on the depo injection as birth control and therefore have very little in the way of periods so I don't get pain but having digestive issues and always worse around the time I would have been due on.

A friend has suggested I take probiotics but most of the reviews I read seem to say these help with bloating and constipation which (tmi) is the opposite to the problems I have.

Has anyone taken probiotics for diarrhea and them actually help? I don't want to take them if they're likely to make the problem worse.

[Flydragon9]

Hi. I would try the probiotics and digestive enzymes as well, diarrhoea, bloating are symptoms of IBS, these should help you. If this is an ongoing problem you may have food intolerances and could look at cutting out wheat, gluten, dairy and eggs for two weeks, see if you notice any difference. Not diagnosing you with IBS, just suggestions that may help you

[Laura2012]

I heard that probiotics help to flush out old hormones. Obv with endo being a hormone related thing, I wonder if this is the case. Worth maybe looking into?

[naryshkin]

My gyn said that IBS is sometimes a symptom in some with endo, but many doctors unfamiliar with endo usually see them as separate rather than hand-in-hand. The FODMAP diet helps with bloating and indigestion. Food that could be problematic (eg gluten, dairy, meat, some fruit/veg, soya etc) are eliminated for about a month, then gradually reintroduced, one by one, to see which work and which don't.

I'm IBS-D. I find that eating oats (+ oat milk, fruits, chia), rice, quinoa etc are helpful in keeping the guts flowing more slowly than what they would otherwise. Some with C eat this too, but for the opposite reason, so it's a matter of getting the right kind of fibres into your diet. There's two kinds of fibres - soluble and non-soluble - and most women get on with 30g/daily. If fibre isn't the problem, then it could be a bacterial imbalance (which could need the "right" fibre etc). Keeping a food diary could help in finding triggers.

Monash Uni is leading with testing FODMAP foods, monashfodmap.com. There is some interesting blogs on endo + IBS, monashfodmap.com/blog/endom... and endometriosisaustralia.org/...

Before you diagnose yourself, do go to the GP as they may know more about this. It could be simply something else.

Good luck and get better soon

[HellyLlewelly]

They say the rush of hormones thst make you contract to shed your womb has this effect on your bowel so it sounds like your diharea at the TOM is due to this (possibly 😉)...I had this so know exactly what you mean. Your bowel sounds sensitive to hormones at the T.O.M like mine was, I always got diharea a few days before my bleed and felt it so annoying as the mornings in particular I spent on the toilet.

The wet wipes from Tesco were making a fortune from me, the luxury coconut ones 😉...

Probiotics generally improve gut health, I take them in the activia's and take multivitamins. I don't think they will exacerbate your diharea I would suggest in the run up to this and preparing for your period a few doses of co codemol a day, they are stool thickening to most people and may help you be less loose.

I'm 39 and post hysterectomy for severe endometriosis Adenomyosis and Wolfian Duct proliferation so I no longer get the rush of hormones I'm on a steady hrt dose now so no longer get the contraction diharea which with the endo felt like I was giving birth, the pain was horrendous.

Good luck.

Helly.

X.

[Lulububs]

Yes i am a massive fan of probiotics as someone that has ibs aswell as suspected missed endo! ( lap said no but found out only a training registrar did it )

It regains all ur healthy gut bacteria which with all the hormones and tablets we all have to take can take a battering, ur basically re growing good gut flora which in turn helps everything!

Since i been taking with digestive enzymes and peppermint oil capsules all my symptoms have decreased. I go between constipation and 💩! Also my periods pains have got better.

It about keeping ur body as healthy inside as we can.

I have also gone gluten dairy and yeast free.

Also two other things that have helped me....

Buscopan!!! When ur due on take these they stop all bloating and feeling sick. My stomach is now flat every month

And a good osteopath.

I have one that deal with pelvic and digestion pain and she does all my pelvic areas and releases all pressure i hold in that area and i had adhesions from lap and she released them.

I feel. 80% better then i have since i first had period at 14! And im now 44

[Emzies2207]

Thank you for the replies it seems worth it to at least try them so I’ve been and got some today, will start taking them tomorrow and hopefully see a difference.