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Has anyone else experience this?  I am on remicade which stopped holes from forming in my intestines.  I feel good for the first part of my cycle although I never have as much energy as my peers.  After I ovulate it's like a switch has been turned in my body.  My digestive tract shuts down and I experience problems until my period starts.  These problems are constipation, bloating, build up in the stomach which leads to nausea, and I also want to sleep a lot.  When my period starts everything starts working again and within a few days I am back to normal.  

 Reply posted for tdheather.

I too have the same issue w/ my Crohn's and ovulation through period time. I also was diagnosed with IBS until I was finally so sick they did the proper testing and said I had UC. Later I was very sick again and had to have my large intestine removed and pathology reports indicated that it is in fact Crohn's, not UC. That was devastating news to say the least b/c here I am lying in a hospital bed all stitched up thinking well, at least now I am cured. Then I found out that in fact I was not cured b/c I actually have Crohn's. Now I have an illeostomy and think I am getting a flare again after only 3 months of having my surgery. I thought I would catch a little break but guess not.

 Reply posted for Zinnia.

Opps... I think I over did it a little.  I was reading back over my post and realized it could sound offensive.  I'm sorry.  I think I was venting about my experience.  Anyways, Crohn's, ulcerative colitis, or IBS it's all really hard stuff.  And it's always hard dealing with doctors and trying to find a way to feel well.   - Zinnia

 Reply posted for 68goldpony.

Oh my gosh! I get so sick of 'IBS'.  I was told I had this for years before I was diagnosed with Crohn's.  It was awful because I was having really bad digestive problems but doctors would never give a    .  I think that IBS is sometimes just a catch all for the cases doctors don't understand or know what to do about... Especially women deal with this I think...

I also have really bad cramps during my period.  Really bad.  I end up not eating the day of it because everything goes right through.

I'm sorry you all are dealing with this stuff, too.

 Reply posted for tdheather.

I to believe there is a correlation between my period and my chrones disease.  Right before I start my period and some during I have abd pain/cramps/diahrrea.  Before I was diagnosed I noticed at a younger age I always had more loose stools during my periods, just seemed to intensify when my chrones became active.  I to get the run around from docs and it is so depressing.  I am on the birth control pill and when my disease was very active I would actually skip my placebo pills and start my next months pills which would stop me from having my period so I wouldn't have near the pain.  I would obviously talk with your doc, but something to think about.

 Reply posted for tdheather.

i'm not on remicade but the same thing happens to me, espec with the bloating and constipation. also since i've started crohn's meds about a year and a half ago (just pentaza) my period is like *** hath no furry. its heavier than ever, now it lasts for 10 days (it used to be about 5) and i experience cramps like cannot leave bed all day cramps except for awful diaherra. i take midol and tyenol and now they completely do nothing for me. i ask my gastro about it and he said ask my obgyn who told me she doesnt know a lot about crohns to ask my gastro. i've stopped my pentaza for a while but my period was still out of control.

 Reply posted for 68goldpony.

So interesting that you mentioned your doctor brushing you off and saying you also have IBS.  This exact thing happened to me when I was hospitalized in December.  The doctor did a CT scan and determined that the holes in the intestine were gone and that the remicade was in fact working so I must also have IBS and that is nothing to really worry about.  I am now dealing with low blood pressure, feeling faint, weak, and blacking out because I really don't have much of an appetite anymore.  I get tired of wasting money at the doctor's office only to have them blow me off again.

 Reply posted for tdheather.

I was just diagnosed with Crohn's this past November. Since I have started keeping track of symptoms and everything, I have also noticed a trend that a week before my period is when things tend to get worse. Not only do I go to the bathroom more, but I also get a lot more pain and inflammation in the rectal area (I think it's an abscess?). So I definitely think there is a connection between hormonal changes and Crohn's!

 Reply posted for tdheather.

I have been experiencing symptoms like that.  I am newly diagnosed, and I am still learning what to expect from Crohn's disease.  I went to my gastroenterologist because I was constipated, bloated, nauseous, and severely fatigued.  I was (and still am) convinced that it was my Crohn's disease flaring up.  This happens around the time I would normally have a period, but I would not start bleeding until about two weeks later.  By then, the symptoms would have cleared up.  My doctor brushed-off my concerns and told me that I have IBS in addition to Crohn's.  Since then, I have been passed back and forth between doctors because they can't figure out what is "wrong" with me.  I had blood tests run, and they showed there was nothing wrong with my hormone levels.  I still don't have an answer to explain the symptoms, but I did want to let you know that you are not alone in your suffering.