(NSFW/gross) The intersection of PMS and waste?

Not in my experience. I can’t add more than that really.

Yes, it’s common to have constipation or even diarrhea, or both, with PMS or menstruation. The idea is that the same hormones that cause uterine cramping also affect the muscles of the gut, which can mess with your digestion and bowel movements.

^ what she said.

Yep, well for me it certainly did. Yuk. Nothing more delightful than the combination of blood and loose bowel movements. I used to joke about it being like having a Peter Greenway movie being filmed in my toilet for a few days every month. :-) Well, dear, you asked! Be careful what you ask.

^ I’m with her :P

I’m kind of glad I’m done with all that; that I know longer live at “the intersection of PMS and Waste.” Those are rather messy little cross streets. I put in all my years and now I’m done.

I get what I call period diarrhea the first two days of my period. I hate it.

It’s more or less one of the most disgusting things imaginable.

I’ve heard that it feels relieving to some… the bowel movement, that is.

This is so gross, yet comforting to know I’m not alone. haha

@jonsblond Yes, gross but comforting, and there are so very few things in life that are both gross and comforting. :-)

The “period poops” happened to me, too. Ick.

Awesome! I mean, really, really, not… But that you ladies were here for me, awesome.

Another thing to add (for me, anyway), the first day of my period, the poops are painful. It’s like your sphincter goes through a little spasm.

Also, when I’m starting to get into the “period zone” (Just before, and a little during), I want to eat everything that’s not nailed down, especially if it’s sugary or a good rare steak. Extra food + the poops = even more gross.

If I ever run for public office, I hope the media pundits don’t figure out I’m Laureth from Fluther.

My period has always messed with my gut too. But then, so does just about everything else. xD

For what it’s worth everything about my period is milder when I’m good about exercising. I think it must effect the amount of hormones released during the menses because the flow is significantly lighter and I won’t get cramps or repercussions in my gut. The later two are an unpredictable part of my period otherwise.

No research to back me up. Science doesn’t seem to have gotten around to really studying the effects of exercise on the menses, but for me it works like a charm. Put my uterus in a double blind study and I know exactly how she’ll preform.

For many women, yes. For women with endometriosis, most definitely.

The day I get my period I almost always have a bowel movement that is on the side of diahrrea. It’s never severe or unpleasant though, I just really have to go!

Wow, I’ve never heard of this. Never experienced it, myself.

I should include that I kinda like it. My intestines are touchy so it’s nice to know it’ll be a breeze to go. Sorry for too much information. lol

@Simone_De_Beauvoir You’re lucky then. I had about thirty years of it. Blood and loose stools, every month. But, that’s just the way it was for me and I managed. Still, I really could have done without it, had I been given a choice. It was just the way my body worked.

@lillycoyote It’s strange how little people share. How can I be 27 and never know that many people experience this?

Probably because most women are too embarrassed to just come out and say, “Boy am I cramping today, and I’ve got horrible diarrhea!” :D

I’ll share by admitting I’ve had the period diarrhea for three days now. Fun times.

This thread makes me so glad I’ve had a hysterectomy. No more period poops for me!

@Simone_De_Beauvoir I’ve heard that the more trouble you have with cramps the more likely you are to experience this, which is related to my post above about how the same hormones affect the uterus and the gut.
I don’t know if that is true for everyone, but it is for me. PMS for me is like the “stomach flu.” I’m cold, I’m sore, I’m exhausted, my cramps are debilitating, and I have nausea and diarrhea, sometimes I have pain bad enough to make me throw up. Basically I’m out of commission for at least 2 days out of every month. Sometimes 3.

Let’s not forget the bit of water weight gain that you experience.

If by “bit” you mean 8–10lbs, sure. :)

Thank god I don’t gain weight during my period, but the past few months I have gotten extremely nauseous the day before, which is new to me. God thats fun.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir It’s an irregular part of my period so it took me a while to connect the two since I’d never heard of it either. For the longest time I’d think mother nature was being especially cruel giving me cramps and the trots. I really didn’t fully know it was a normal part of menstruation until one day, while visiting a good female friend while it was going on, I asked her if she ever had something like it. She told me what @ANef_is_Enuf said.

It’s pretty amazing a symptom as widespread as this one appears to be could be so completely unacknowledged. I think I was 23 when I actually confirmed it was a legit part of menstruation. That’s just crazy.