Perimenopause bowels? Fed up!

[Pearly queen]

I'm posting here while I wait to speak to my gp. I'm so utterly fed up. I need to rant! I've had constipation on and off for a year. It improves gets bad again then improves. The past month or so I'm seeing things worse than ever. I have health anxiety so swore off seeing my gp back in March. I wanted to break the cycle of reassurance seeking. In a very nice way I think my gp was telling me the same. But it seems my body doesn't want to let me be free of gp visits and tests. I am almost 52, not in menopause yet. Periods still quite regular!
I am worried that in spite of increasing fibre and water and taking laxido when needed or occasionally a supplement I've found useful in the past. My bowels are on a go slow and when I do go the stools are thin, sometimes very, very thin.
I was diagnosed 20 years ago with Ibs but not being regular was never an issue before. I don't know if this is age related or ibs or something else. Last bloods a year ago were fine. Doctor felt my tummy about 7 months ago and all ok. Fecal test a year ago also fine. No blood, no pain, no weightloss, not excessively tired. Smear test recently done and it was ok too. I had an abdominal scan last year too and just a couple of small fibroids found. Could this just perimenopause? I could put up with it if I thought it was but I'm afraid of ignoring something serious. The skinny stools are the most worrying thing.
Thanks to anyone taking time to read this.

[NoraB]

Simple answer? Yes it could be your age (perimenopause)

I've had anxiety ALL my life but I was regular with my BM's. I was also diagnosed with IBS in my 20s. Then I went into what the gynae consultant cheerfully termed as 'ovarian failure' at the age of 39 (same age as my mother) and not only did my ovaries go into early retirement (menopause) but I suddenly understood all those years where my mother had to drink copious amounts of hot tea first thing in the morning and snaffle laxatives like they were Smarties! Gone were the days of satisfying bowel movements and hello to 'puffing my way through tricky poos' and laxatives!

Your tests are all fine so that's all good news. Try a magnesium supplement to help with the constipation. I use powder form (in a glass of Vimto) and that's sorted me out..

Also, the menopausal system struggles with dairy and gluten so maybe eliminate those suckas for a few weeks and see how you go?

Sorry to be the bearer of shit news but almost everything changes with the menopause..

[Carys]

Yes, it most certainly could be and this has been a problem certainly for myself for a number of years. I always had constipation in the week leading up to a period, but now my periods are only every 6 months it is a perpetual problem.

Just a quick google brings this up

It's very common in the post-menopausal or peri-menopausal period for a person to develop constipation. Through complex mechanisms, shifts in hormones can worsen constipation.

[Pearly queen]

Thankyou both. Last time I spoke to my gp she said anyone can develop constipation at any time. Doctors (including female late 50's Doctors) seem to deny menopause is even a thing if it doesn't involve hot flushes!

[erincassells]

I'm in perimenopause and my guts are unhappy too. I've read with hormone fluctuations that digestion slows due to low stomach acids and also the hormone decrease of estrogen and prgesterone creates slow motility in the bowels. So...for me I have intermittent near constant reflux, 4-5 day constipation and severe bloating...regardless of diet/water intake. High stress also slows digestion which affects all movement in bowels.

I'm also appalled at how little male and female doctors alike know about perimenopause or menopause.

It's a blast so far. You're not alone.

[NoraB]

I'm also appalled at how little male and female doctors alike know about perimenopause or menopause.

Me too! Their answer is to write a prescription for hormone replacement therapy and wave you ta-ta. Only some of us can't take HRT so we're left to struggle with our symptoms.

Also, I really think that girls need to be educated about the menopause as well as periods then they will at least have a head's up of what to expect? Maybe this is a generational thing though? My mother didn't speak to me about the meno (or periods for that matter) and so I was totally unprepared for both..

It's a blast so far.

It's a joy isn't it? You see these books on 'positive menopause' with attractive (and slim) middle-aged models wandering through lavender fields with a smiles on their faces and all I can think of is that they must be on some sweet drugs!

Where are the sweaty-faced women with thinning hair, screwing up their faces because the perfume they've worn for decades suddenly smells like fox piss?

How about the logistics of making one's way through a huge lavender field when slightly allergic and with a temperamental bladder?

White jeans though? That's a plus isn't it? I can finally wear white jeans - risk free!

That said, there's the temperamental bladder...

Holidays? I no longer have to worry about my periods synchronising themselves with my holidays. Instead I have a colon that goes on strike the moment it leaves it's own postcode!!

Then there are those murderous thoughts (re the husband) which happen apparently out of nowhere? But also when I find his smelly socks balled up down the side of the sofa!!

If reincarnation is a thing, I'm coming back as a bloke next time!!

[erincassells]

Too right you are Nora...at 41 I was doing mostly okay, but at about 41.5 it all started for me.

Breast pain, nipple/duct issues, hair loss, heart palpitations, weight gain, bloating, migraines, bursitis, dizziness, tinnitus, blood sugar drops, weird scary shyt that shows up out of nowhere, the gut issues. My mom had none of this, but has other health stuff.

I would not be shocked if my arm fell off tomorrow due to perimenopause. Not kidding.

Best of luck to all of us to get through as best we can.

[Carys]

I would not be shocked if my arm fell off tomorrow due to perimenopause. Not kidding.

Ha ha ! I can relate, yep, nothing would surprise me either......

[NoraB]

Too right you are Nora...at 41 I was doing mostly okay, but at about 41.5 it all started for me.

Breast pain, nipple/duct issues, hair loss, heart palpitations, weight gain, bloating, migraines, bursitis, dizziness, tinnitus, blood sugar drops, weird scary shyt that shows up out of nowhere, the gut issues. My mom had none of this, but has other health stuff.

Ah yes, the palpitations! This (plus a whole load of other bewildering symptoms) is why women who've never had health anxiety (or issues with anxiety) suddenly develop them during the menopause..

Aside constipation, I don't know what my mum's symptoms were during her menopause. She could go from good mood to psycho really fast, I know that much! Aside that, her motto was that 'all ailments could be cured by TCP, Silk Cut and whiskey..

Mum never spoke about woman's stuff so I can only go by what I observed at the time. I don't know if she had the vagina/vulva atrophy like I do. I also remember that she wore Tweed during this transition time and it smelled nasty! (to me, anyway)

I would not be shocked if my arm fell off tomorrow due to perimenopause. Not kidding.

Best of luck to all of us to get through as best we can.

If it helps, it does (eventually) get easier and most women adjust to this new version of ourselves. I'll let you know when that happens with me..

[Pearly queen]

I'm in perimenopause and my guts are unhappy too. I've read with hormone fluctuations that digestion slows due to low stomach acids and also the hormone decrease of estrogen and prgesterone creates slow motility in the bowels. So...for me I have intermittent near constant reflux, 4-5 day constipation and severe bloating...regardless of diet/water intake. High stress also slows digestion which affects all movement in bowels.

I'm also appalled at how little male and female doctors alike know about perimenopause or menopause.

It's a blast so far. You're not alone.

Thankyou. Not trying to get political but if men went through menopause, research and advancement in help for it would be much further along I think. We've been brought up to just get on with it, whisper 'it's the change' and don't embarass anyone by talking about it too much.