Question for the women

Hi everyone,

   I have a question for the women IBSers.  I spent Christmas day in the ER!  :(    I have an ovarian cyst that has flared up for about 2 weeks, and Christmas eve it got really bad.   I'm discovering that it really causes me alot of other abdominal pain, and seems to worsen my IBS.  I am pretty much in menopause.  Haven't had a period in about a year or 2.   My question is......Do any of you have ovarian cysts and do they make your entire abdomen feel really full and painful?  Does it affect your bowels?

Is regular ovulation worse for you?  Thanks for helping me understand why a small cyst would put the rest of intestines in such pain.  Hopefully I haven't just added a new dimension to my IBS-D.

So I just recently got off the pill and today was painfully reminded why I went on.... Cysts! I am in so much pain. Before I got on the pill, like 8 years ago, I used to get these horrific pains. Finally my doc concluded it was from ovarian cysts and that getting on the pill would help (it would help my breast cysts as well). Anyway, now I'm off the pill and my pain is back. I fell for you both... Cathy and Bera. It is my entire abdomen below the belly button. It hurts and feels kinda gassy (full I guess). I can't stand up straight, I can't lay down, I'm just hunched over. This is way worse than any IBS attack I've had. I've only had 1 BM, no D.... yet. Maybe I am willing to trade my cysts for IBS. Ahhhhhh!!!! This sucks.

Lil, can't you just try another BC? Maybe you just need to find one that will take care of your cysts without giving you IBS. I'm no worse since I started on Depo Provera than I was before I started it, so I know it's not causing me any problems. I'm not sure if it's recommended for women with polycystic ovaries because it actually keeps you from ovulating all together and there is a small chance that it can actually cause a cyst by preventing an egg from full erupting. But I've been on it 2.5 years now without a problem.

There are a lot of birth control products out there; just make your doctor put you on some other brand and see if your IBS gets better and see if it keeps you from having cysts. Just beware the generic stuff. We've already discovered that generic brands don't necessarily work the same as regular brands, at least not when it comes to what it does to our stomachs.

If you watch the ads on television for medicines, a BUNCH of them have diarrhea as a side affect (pretty much all of them, except for the ones that cause constipation as a side affect, lol). So I think if you tell your gyn that you feel that your pills are making your stomach problems worse (or even causing them), he shouldn't be too surprised. Not to mention that hormones run everything in your body, not just your reproductive tract. Hormones make your intestines function as well. You just need to find what hormones don't interfere with your intestines.

You may also want to ask about an in-utero device that prevents pregnancy by both by being "installed" and by releasing hormones that stay almost exclusively in the uterus. I can't think of what it's called, but you should be able to find some information about it online even before you go to your doctor. It's supposed to be good for women who can't tolerate hormones going throughout their bodies like happens with pills, patches and injections. I don't know if it will help your cysts, but that's something your gyn should know the answer to.

CathyA,

Have you asked your Dr. or gyn if they could schedule a pelvic ultra sound for you just to make sure there's nothing else besides a cyst? I am not in any way trying to scare you, but things like ovarian cancer are hard to dectect, and women who have had it have all complained about changes in bowel habits (d/c switching back and forth), fullness in the abdomen, abdominal pain, pain in back, and leg pain. I myself had a pelvic ultra sound done two months ago, because I was experiencing all of these symptoms - it came back normal, but all of us women should always pay attention to anything going on "down there".

I really hope I didn't upset you by telling you that, but I think it is something every woman should know. Especially women with IBS, because things going on can easily be shrugged off to : "oh, it's just my IBS."

I wish the best for you CathyA,

Natalie

Thanks everyone,
Curly, don't worry about scaring me......it's good info to get. Ever since I quit having periods (menopause), I have intermittant ovary pain. It usually just lasts 4-5 days, but last year once, and now this, it's lasted over 2 weeks. They did an ultrasound last year when it lasted so long, and it showed a normal cyst resolving. I made another appointment for an ultrasound yesterday, but then my pain finally went away! I have cancelled the ultrasound.....but I think I'm okay, since I just had one last year, and it was normal. I've always felt ovulation every month my whole life, so I think I'm sensitive in that area. I will see the OB/GYN around March for my yearly......so I think I'm okay. Thanks for your heads-up!

Hi sportsgirl,
Are your cysts different all the time, or are they the same ones that keep coming back? Mine is doing lots better, but I still have unexplained gas, diarrhea (more than usual) and nausea. I was thinking my IBS was just worse.....but maybe it's that cyst??