Digestive Problems a Symptom? - Menopause Message Board

venezia · 03-19-2005, 08:31 PM

In reading through some of the symptoms of perimenopausethat were posted, I noticed digestive disturbances were mentioned in some of them. Does anyone know if this is a pretty common symptom? I have really been having some stomach problems - stomach pains, feeling full even after not eating much, gassy, no nausea but just a yucky feeling in the stomach, etc. I don't really like to take medicine but have tried some and nothing seems to help. I've been trying to go the natural route but as of yet haven't found anything that has seemed to help that way either. I'm sure some of it is just from worrying and nerves.
Any suggestions or ideas?
Thanks!

Veronicaberry · 03-19-2005, 09:01 PM

black cohosh is supposed to alleviate menopause symptoms, but im going with a progesterone cream first and make sure you take a good health food store multivitamin *not cheap drug store brand*

rmc12 · 03-19-2005, 09:29 PM

Hi,

Your note sounds like me!! I am 50 and have had peri symptoms that have involved digestive disturbances more than anything really. In the 35 or so symptoms that I read on this board (there is a list somewhere on there) , first a year or so ago when I first started having some period irregularities, gastro symptoms are listed. It is always best to talk to you doctor of course about your symptoms.

My gyn and dr. both said that in peri the bowel can be more irritated and there is a book that was reacommended to me on this board called the Pause and it talks about each symptom. It talks about how we have estrogen receptors in the stomach and the hormone fluctuations cause us to have more of these problems. Gas seems to be a big symptom and if you do a search on this board of just that word alone you can see that a lot of people have this problem. I do also more so also and last year on and off for a few months it began for me with all of it. Then things calmed down and I just had minor peri symptoms, some irregularities with my period, more PMS but not as much the gas or yucky feeling for a good 8 or 9 months. Then it cropped up again this year.

It is not real pain for me, more twinges, or achiness and it is not real related to what I eat. I am due for my period at the moment, day 24 and so my PMS is rampant with feeling just a full feeling in the stomach, I think someone on here once described it as someone grabbing an area ...like a tight feeling. You are so right that nervousness and anxiety make things worse. I think it just tightens everything. But I understand how anxious one can get as I was very anxious last year during it all and also now that it has reappeared a bit this year after so long. Not too happy it cropped up again, but again from reading this board I know that it does happen.

Again any pain you are having you should tell your doctor about. But gastroinstestinal problems are a big symptom for many of us unfortunately.

I take Estroven , an herbal over the counter vitamin supplement, Vitamin B, a multi, calcium and acidophillous which is supposed to be good for our intestinal tract. It is found in yogurt but these are tablets that have more in it. I find drinking chamomile tea is calming and it is supposed to be so for the stomach also. Breathing deeply and trying to relax can help me at times and massaging my stomach. Right now it is more like it feels when I get cramps or am going too...just a tight feeling on the right side ,waist area and down and sometmes a bit above. I have read that a lot of women get this and that is something I try to keep remembering

Keep reading the posts and you will see you are not alone and hopefully that will help too. Your post helped me in fact to again read that this is something others are dealing with too. It just is always scary to me so I can relate believe me.

Take care.

rmc

armadillo pie · 03-20-2005, 10:03 AM

A Doctor of Chinese Accupunture ( and she is also a gynocologist) told me that it is common for women to have intestional/digestive problems at peri and menopause.
She said diet is really improtant now to eliminate this. No cold foods, liitle meat ( hard to digest). She said warm soothing foods- cooked-streamed vegetables, fish ( easier to digest- but not to much), soups, broths. Also no dairy at all if possible, but soy to make up for it. Soy in any form is good- drinkable or edible. I usually eat like this and I have had no problems with my stomach but friends at this stage are always complaining about stomach problems.
Basically you want to eat a diet that "nurishes" your body and blood, not one that assualts it, like most of the food we eat in this country. Also eliminating these foods even if you do it in the short term, will benefit weight loss too- so there is two pros on why to eat better now.

rmc12 · 03-20-2005, 12:03 PM

Thanks for the info armadillo pie, it sounsd like very good advice and also confirms that it is common to have disturbances at this time.

rmc