Re: progesterone cream update

 Hi Hveragerthi,

I think you helped me through another site a while ago when I was having issues in the beginng with this Mirena. I have found throught tracking my symptoms that my IBS is the worst when I am ovulating. It get so bad that I get so full and can't eat for a couple meals and then it all comes out loose. Other than this, I seem to have normal daily BM's. Do you know anything about the bowels related to hormones?

The only connection I am aware of between hormones and the intestines is the fact that the flora break down estrogen metabolites. This helps to prevent their reabsorption and addition to the hormonal load. IBS results from a lack of intestinal flora to begin with so this will automatically add to your hormonal load.

That said I do have theory of what may be happening. Women are more prone to gallstone formation due to increased cholesterol secretion in to bile from estrogen and decreased gallbladder contractions from progesterone.  The later in particular could decrease bile secretion leading to fat malabsorption. If the fats are not being properly absorbed then they can contribute to diarrhea. Therefore, the fluctuation of hormones during ovulation could theoretically lead to decreased fat absorption and diarrhea, especially considering the decreased intestinal flora will contribute to the hormone load. By the way, do you still have your gallbladder?

Have you tried taking prebiotics for the IBS? Prebiotics are not the actual flora but rather food sources for the flora such as FOS (fructooligosaccahrides). They are more effective in the long run than probiotics.

They now say I might have something callled visceral hypersensitivity because of the burning, and pain I have in the upper abdomen. They can't find anything wrong, but I continue to "feel" like something is wrong and a bulge in the LUQ gets bigger at times.

Did they check for hernias and aneurysms? When does it come and go? After eating something in particular? Again around ovulation? What does the discomfort feel like? Burning, aching, sharp.........? How about the bulge? Hard, soft, squishy? More precise on the location. Under the ribs? More midline or further left? Anything seem to relieve it?