Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[jaycee]

Anyone taking this,? if so any side effects? does it cause diarrhea?
My daughter has been advised to take it by a menopause specialist, instead of testosterone,as she can only get that privately and it's expensive,
She is having very regular diarrhea, and bloated stomach
She has Crohns disease but has been retested for that and the hospital says there is no sign of it now,and this is caused by something else, but yet to see a consultant,she had several tests and an MRI ,
She is also on Estradot and Utrogestan
Today she has had to come home from work it was so bad,and everytime she eats anything it starts again

[Mary G]

I not sure about DHEA causing diarrhoea but I can tell you that too many hormones very definitely caused it for me on several occasions.

Back in the past while experimenting with very high doses of oestrogen, I developed very severe diarrhoea.  As soon as I reverted back to the normal dose, the diarrhoea stopped and this happened several times.

It could be that the DHEA has tipped the hormone balance or perhaps her oestrogen or progesterone dose is too high? 

How long has your daughter been using the patch and at what dose?   I remember another member suddenly developed diarrhoea when starting Estradot 75mcg.

I would suggest low dose Imodium and it's also worth checking out their website, they have some interesting stuff on unexplained diarrhoea which is a subject that comes up on here all the time. 

If it continues she could have a FIT test for peace of mind, they are highly accurate.

Dangermouse has written some brilliant posts or hormones and diarrhoea which you might want to check out.

I hope that helps.

[jaycee]

*Mary G* Thank you for your reply,i will pass this on to my daughter,she hasn't been on Estradot very long,she was on Indivinia before this,
As i said she has been to see a menopause specialist privately which has cost her a fortune for various blood tests etc
She was also tested for thyroid  problems, and put on pills for Hyperthyroid, no idea why as her symptoms are all as for HYPO thyroid, thia was for hair loss, whatever she has taken her hair continues to shed
It is only the last few months she has been having this problem, and she has been taking immodium, it has made no difference
Sorry what is a FIT test?

[Mary G]

jaycee, a FIT test is a stool test and it picks up any faecal abnormalities.  You mentioned that your daughter had an MRI scan (bowels presumably?) but it might be worth having a stool test if the diarrhoea persists.

If your daughter has Crohns disease then she could be sensitive to the DHEA, assuming it's the oral type.  I know someone who contracted Crohns after being hospitalised with salmonella and she constantly has unexplained bouts of diarrhoea.

She could try stopping the DHEA to see if that makes a difference.   If that doesn't work, she could stop using the Estradot patch for a few days (if she is brave enough to risk a temporary return of symptoms!) to rule it out at least.   It might have to be a process of elimination.

[jaycee]

*Mary G* She has had a stool test, but all she was told was that something was high,she has to see the consultant again next month, but now it is much worse in the lst few days, and bleeding now
On Friday she had a Chinese takeaway, and wondering if it was a bad prawn, her partner had the same though and he is fine, she struggled to work on saturday but had to go home,
I have suggested she rings 111, but even if they said go to hospital she couldnt as she is on and off the toilet all the time,it definitely got worse after that meal, within 2 hours
Very worrying, but all the tests she has had said it wasn't her crohns,
She has stopped the DHEA for now

[Kathleen]

Hello Jaycee.

I'm sorry to hear that your daughter is having these problems.

I have the other type of Inflammatory Bowel Disease namely Ulcerative Colitis.  Having had years of 'lively guts' I was finally diagnosed in 2010 at age fifty four, fortunately I have been in remission since 2013.
I remain under the care of my hospital and I can contact an IBD nurse  anytime if I have a problem. Is this something that your daughter could do?

If something 'high' was found in your daughter's stool sample that presumably INDICATES some inflammation which would be causing her symptoms. I don't know about the FIT test but I am aware of a Fecal Calprotectin test that can measure inflammation in stools.

It seems that her condition has now worsened so I suggest she contacts her Consultant and or clinic so they can review her case and double check that her Crohn's is not the underlying issue.

Take care and I hope your daughter feels better soon.

K.

[jaycee]

Thank you Kathleen ,it is only a few weeks ago she was told it is not her Crohns,she has been having this for a few weeks, but it got really bad on friday after that chinese,
Anyway just heard from her,a Dr has rung her back from 111, and told her to get a sample tub from the Surgery tomorrow, he will contact her Drs too, just said for now to drink lots of water and try to eat something,not to starve herself
She does have regular checks for the crohns, and been told not that, she has also been put on thyroid meds for HYPERTHYROID but her symptoms are more like HYPO, plus all the tests she has had for hormones, partly due to hair loss,
Will see what they say after stool test. will update when  she knows more
She was diagnosed with crohns in the early 80s

[Mary G]

That's good jaycee, it might be worth her asking for a calprotectin test as Kathleen mentioned because there is no guarantee they will do it routinely.

You may find this of interest:

https://www.calprotectin.co.uk/about-calprotectin/information-for-patients/

The FIT test checks for blood in stools.

Please keep us posted.

[jaycee]

Mary G Thank you for that information. my daughter has phoned her Drs this morning, but they wont give her the sample tub,as the hospital Dr hasn't specifically requested it, but did say needs urther investigation,
The receptionist told her this, but i think she should have referred it to the Dr
In my opinion,these receptionist take too much on themselves sometimes,so they are getting in touch with the hospital Dr,and will ring her later
It is all wasting time
I really think it is food poisoning this time, judging by what i have read about how food poisoning and how quick it takes effect, but still needs the previous problem sorting out
Her bowels might be more sensitive because of the crohns,which she hasn't needed medication for a long time for that