Diagnosis: Chron's disease

[Duck on Wheels]

Speaking of stress hormones ... You may also find that your Crohns flares in synch with your reproductive hormone cycle. For me, I'd start to flare each month a day or two ahead of my period, have to up the drug doses, and then could gradually get the doses down again a week or so after my period was over. This makes sense when you think about it. The cycle has among its many functions the one of making sure you have an infection-free environment in case you start a pregnancy next month, then backing off from "overkill" in case you start a pregnancy this month(that little foreign body you want to keep in there). And since no bodily attribute has only one function ... the reproductive hormone cycle is also stress-related (as in the occasional skipped cycle due to stress, or the mood swings that have some of us edgy that same day or two ahead, right?). Soooo, if this does prove to be a pattern for you too (as for most female Crohnies I've known between 15 and 50) and if you're taking an oral contraceptive, you might want to try going non-cyclical and see if that helps.

[LBTC]

Hi, Duck

That's very interesting. I've been on a non-cycle BC for a few years now. I love the no downtime thing. I had no idea it might actually help something like this, too! Good news.

Thanks for the tip!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[uk elephant]

I switched to non-cyclical pills about a year ago and found it a huge relief. I find that it takes away the extreme monthly fluctuations letting me regulate the drugs better.