You've got that bloated feeling...

[maybebaby29]

Sorry, just had to sing it. :) Trying to stay positive here....

Does anyone else have a huge, bloated-looking uterus? I'm so uncomfortable right now. My period is due any day now and I look like I'm pregnant. I have a 5cm ovarian cyst going on so I'm not sure if that's part of the bloating but the last year (ever since I got off of bcp to try to have a baby) it seems that my bloating is worse and I just am so ashamed. Does anyone do lower abdominal exercises? Does it help? I am so embarassed by this look at 36. I don't know how I could even wear a bathing suit this year. Is this all part of what endo does to a person? Even my husband can tell that I must be uncomfortable.

[juliesmom]

I've had several to rupture and it was horrible!  The pain wasn't localized, it hurt all over, I couldn't sit still because of it, I cried...I hope to never have it happen again.  My second lap was in Aug 06 and I had one to rupture about 2 or 3 weeks later, I thought something had gone horribly wrong with my surgery site or something.  You'd think that if my doctor was just in there a couple of weeks prior he'd have seen a cyst and done something about it...who knows?

[maybebaby29]

When the cyst burst I was about 20. I remember I was brushing my hair and all of a sudden I felt like a twisting, weird pain. Then it escalated then got super bad, then I felt a burst. So I'm guessing it was torn open then all of a sudden "gushed" open. Sorry for the TMI. It sent me to my knees and I crawled down the stairs to get my parents. I thought my appendix burst. But then I would say about 10 min it was gone and by the end of the day I could walk.

As for bloating, I have been "pooge" as I call it for about 1.5-2 years now.

[Hayley723]

What symptoms/pain did you have when your cyst ruptured and how long did everything last...and how long (if at all) were you bloated for?

[juliesmom]

Well, I've been through labor, gall bladder attacks, ruptured cysts...you name it, and I'd say that the endo pain is about the worst.  The thing about labor is that you know just about when it's coming and that it won't last forever, not the case with the endo.  Oh well, I took yet another pill and it's a little better.  Gosh, I'm sick of taking pills.

[maybebaby29]

Yikes! I'm sorry you're going through it. I remember having cramps like that. I always tell my OB, the way my periods used to be, I think I now know what labor will feel like.

Get well soon. :(

[juliesmom]

I work in a hospital and still can bear the thought of a cyst rupturing at work.  It's so random, this morning I was fine and about 2 hours ago the pain started and is so severe that I want to throw up!

[maybebaby29]

No it is a 5cm cyst. Not a 1.5. And I agree with you on the ER advice. Ugghh. These docs get me mad with their "oh just go to the ER". They'll be the first to b*** though about how insurance cuts their charges due to the high cost of healthcare.

I had a cyst burst on my right side when I was 20 years old. I remember that feeling and am so worried about this sucker popping too. My luck it will be at work. Wouldn't that be a sight to see? The only good thing is that my hospital is 15 min away. But nothing like getting carried out in front of coworkers on a gurney.

I'm waiting for my period to come so we can retest via ultrasound to see whether or not I can start on Clomid. But based on how I feel, I know it's still there.

[MamaKat623]

I have suffered from endo for many years and I was always told the bloating was "normal".  Sure isn't normal to me.  I go from having my normal figure to blowing up the size of a cow.  I have had people comment on multiple occasions "when are you due?" and it is devistating, especially since I had a miscarriage several months ago.  The bloating not only makes me feel emotionally insecure but physically.  Its hard to be able to fit into your clothes on one day and the next you can only wear your sweats.  I have pants in every size just for that reason.  It has gotten worse since I had my daughter 20 months ago and then the miscarriage.  I always assumed it was normal.  Guess its not just me!

[juliesmom]

A 1.5cm cyst is pretty small, maybe there is more than one in there.  You're right, a cyst rupturing is some of the worst pain I've ever had!  When they found my 10cm cyst I insisted on some pain meds, my doc didn't want to give them to me.  The last one I had to rupture was about 6cm and it was unbearable!  So here's my thinking, if a 6cm cyst dropped me to my knees when it ruptured a 10cm cyst had to be almost twice as bad.  I was so mad when I called my gyn and asked for pain meds to have just in case it did rupture and they told me they didn't like to give them.  All they said was, "Well, if it happens you can call us and we'll see what we can do about it."  I was like, what if it's in the middle of the night and they told me that the doc was almost always on call and the hospital could get ahold of him.  I was livid!  That would mean a trip to the ER and $150 co-pay to get some relief, probably after I waited 3 or 4 hours to see a doctor.  I told them to forget it that I had a friend who's an ER doc and I'd just call him, he'll help me.  Strangely enough the receptionist called me back a couple of hours later and said the doc called me in some Darvocet.  I just didn't like the way they treated me, it made me feel like a drug seeker...which I'm not.

[Hayley723]

I've been extremely bloated for months now and feel/look like I did when I was preg. and trying to figure out if the tiny cysts they say I do have could make me this bloated for this long. I know something ruptured because I had excrutiating pains off and on and free fluid on ultrasound and ct. But could that small of a cyst, somewhere around 1.5cm make me look this way and still cause pain off and on?

[ticked]

i am not telling you all to go be smokers now lol...

[ticked]

I have these Juicy couture pants that are low rise, and terry cloth.  They cost a lot of money but i have a good source that buys them for me at bloomingdales when they go on sale and I mean on sale because they are about $100 reg I get so excited lol and I have to say i wear the three I have every single day and i swear i want to be wearing them in my coffin when i go lol... I feel bloaty prego all the time and its only getting worse :(  I should take up smoking again for real. Did you know that smoking keeps the endo away?  When i quit smoking the endo came on with avengance.  I was just reading this article on line about it and I have to tell you i really do believe it. Something to do with smoking keeps the estrogen at bay or something like that.  I am trying to google that because i read it in a couple of places.  

[juliesmom]

Before I had my last lap my stomach was so sore and it hurt to even touch it!  Good God, why does this happen to us and what is the male equivalent to endo...there's got to be something that they suffer with although I'm sure it couldn't be nearly as bad...they couldn't handle it...LOL

[Ms_Makita]

ugh...I hate this bloated feeling too! I dont know for sure yet if its endo, having laparscopy in 2 weeks but I can relate! and those ovarian cysts,I had one 5cm too..very uncomfortable! I live in sweats or yoga pants..forget jeans! Ovarian cysts will cause tummy swelling/bloating as well as endometriosis.I dont do ab excercises..too painful.But I have found drinking tons of water and tea helps with the bloating for some reason.

[juliesmom]

OMG!  There are times I go in to my closet with a horrible sense of dread knowing that I have to put on dress pants for work and I'm so bloated it's going to hurt....hmmmm wonder if they'd let me wear my jammies to work?  Wouldn't that be wonderful!  I can't do ab exercises due to a lower back issue so I just deal with it most of the time.  I had to sit at my desk with my pants unbuttoned most of the day on Tuesday, it was miserable!