# Possibly TMI question about cramps **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 17, 2012, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-tmi-question-about-cramps/641359 "2012-11-17T23:25:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-tmi-question-about-cramps/641359/1 "2012-11-17T23:25:11Z")
Hope I’m in the right place with this. Also, men or squeamish women might not want to read this. 🙂 Some months, shortly before my period, I get very painful intestinal cramping. This usually goes along with a more painful and heavier period. Any rational reason these correlate? I’m 43 and have never been pregnant. I did have peritonitis at age 8, resulting from a burst appendix. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-tmi-question-about-cramps/641359/2 "2012-11-17T23:29:15Z")
You may have [endometriosis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endometriosis)? That’s just my first thought on hearing “unexplained abdominal pain that seems to correlate with a heavier-than-normal period” > [@](#): > > Symptoms may depend on the site of active endometriosis. Its main but not universal symptom is pelvic pain in various manifestations ---
**Author:** ![applebetty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@applebetty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/applebetty)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-tmi-question-about-cramps/641359/3 "2012-11-19T01:42:45Z")
I always have diarrhea the day before my period, along with bloating. I thought it was just changing hormone levels. Mother Nature is a bi-atch. No endometriosis, though I have had periods for 38 years. ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-tmi-question-about-cramps/641359/4 "2012-11-20T02:04:03Z")
My whole gastrointestinal tract goes haywire before and especially during my period; I get not just uterine cramping but stomach cramps and really painful gas and bloating…constipation and/or diarrhea…the actual menstrual cramps are the least of my problems. I can cure those with some Advil or a couple glasses of wine. The rest of it is what makes me truly miserable. The hormone involved in creating cramps–I believe it is progesterone?–doesn’t just affect your reproductive organs; it can impact lots of other things too. So this is why it’s not just cramps that make you suffer during your period. I have read that taking ibuprofen can decrease the production of this hormone, so to take some Advil regularly a few days before your period… On the rare occasions I remember to do this, it does seem to help. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-tmi-question-about-cramps/641359/5 "2012-11-20T02:24:22Z")
Progesterone is highest during the luteal phase (after ovulation, before period) and is associated with constipation and hard stools. Then it drops abruptly when the bit of the ovary the egg popped out of dries up, and constipation/hard stools often ease at the same time menstruation starts. Some women (raises hand) notice this as positively \*loose \*stools, along with intestinal as well as uterine cramping. At least…that’s the hypothesis. The problem with this hypothesis is that it’s mostly discussed and researched in the context of IBS. And at least with IBS, the constipation/loose stool pattern doesn’t seem to stop if you go on hormonal birth control and don’t get those progesterone swings. So, for the moment, we have a hypothesis that doesn’t seem to fit all the facts for women with IBS - but I can’t find anything on whether it fits for women \*without \*IBS. > **[Hormones Can Affect Your Digestive System During the Menstrual Cycle](https://www.verywellhealth.com/why-your-period-makes-your-ibs-worse-1945377)** > > There is a reason why your IBS symptoms worsen during your period. Learn why this is, plus get tips on what you can do about it to relieve your symptoms. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-tmi-question-about-cramps/641359/6 "2012-11-20T05:51:57Z")
Real-life medical questions go in IMHO rather than General Questions. Moved. **samclem** , moderator ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possibly-tmi-question-about-cramps/641359/7 "2012-11-20T11:45:30Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Real-life medical questions go in IMHO rather than General Questions. Moved. > > **samclem** , moderator Sorry, I’d thought this one was factual rather than opinion. Thanks for cleaning up after me. 🙂