Expert: Norman Solberg - 11/5/2010

Question
hi my name is Tania and I am 21 years old
and I haven't been doing very well period
wise for the last 12 months. it started of last
year about this time and I had 'gastro' every
month with or before my period ( as in half
way through my period). that lasted for about
three months, then I began to notice my
bleed pattern was changing, as in I would
spot for 3-4 days, then get my period and
that would only hang around for a couple of
days too. about a month ago, I decided I had
enough, so I went to my gp, and he wants to
do an ultra sound of my ovaries,and I would
have obliged to that, only the bi monthy
gastro symptoms have come back And I am
not going to get an ultrasound while I'm
crapping my pants! I am really at my wits
end, I am crying now because I'm sick of
feeling sick all the time! I feel depressed, I
haven't eaten anything in over 48 hours now
because I am afraid of it going straight
through me! I have borderline personality
disorder aswell as some nasty anxiety issues
that pretty much prevent me from leaving the
house...I don't know what to do!
ps

Answer
I assume "gastro" means diarrhea, and I assume you think it's hormonally related, since it starts during your periods.  I think your GP is the one to figure out why you're having it, but it might be possible to control your periods (and perhaps the "gastro") with the birth control pill.  The pill gives you your hormones and puts your ovaries to rest.  That should give you very normal periods and stop the spotting.  If you continue to have gastro related to your periods, you could try to eliminate your periods by taking the pill continuously, or perhaps only have a period every 3 months, like with Seasonale or Seasonique birth control pills.  Again, I don't think your hormones are causing your gastro, but it could be related to your monthly change of hormones, and it's possible to conrol that with the pill.  Good luck.