Is it endo or IBS

[gothique]

Ok guys here we go with my problem. I am a 26 year old female, 5'6" and 140 pounds. I try to eat my best and I exercise regularly. I have had a few problems with my bowels off and on since I was 18. I would have a few episodes a year were I would have severe cramps along with sweating, dizziness and nausea while making a bowel movement. In april of 2007 my GI gave me test to see if there was blood in my stool and sent me for an complete abdominal US.

My stool was normal, but my US revealed that my ovaries were the size of tennis balls. The ultimate diagnosis (through laparoscopic surgery) was that I had bad endometriosis (despite NEVER having any menstrual problems or pain) and that my left ovary was stuck to my bowel wall. I ended having my left ovary removed.

I was put on Lupron Depot for 6 months and just received my last shot. The thing is ever since my surgery it feels like I have IBS all the time. I have bad heart burn, my guts feel sore and I have all these weird pains and pinching sensations that move around my abdomen.

I went to my GYN who did another US and he said everything looks great. I went to my regular doctor who just told me to take omneprezole twice a day and said that my symptoms were just IBS. I finally went to my GI and gave him the full list of everything wrong and he just said that it's probably my endo with combined IBS that is causing me all this pain. He said he doesn't want to run any tests because based on my history he doesn't feel that it's anything serious. He prescribed me 10mg of Amitriptyline HCL which is an antidepressant, but in low dosages it's used to help pain and help me sleep.

I'm just frustrated because I want tests done, but no doctor will send me for any. Plus I can't tell if it's from the surgery, the endo, my bowels, my meds or my nerves that's causing all of this.

So here's my questions:

Does any woman here have endo and experienced the same problems after surgery?

I'll feel crappy for a few days and then great for another few. The pain just seems to be random and not triggered by anything. If I had an IBD the pain would be pretty constant and almost an everyday thing right? My bowel movements are normal and I have no nausea or vomiting.

I am just so stressed about it all an don't know what to do anymore.

[boron]

If you allow few thoughts from a man.

Surgery can be a trigger to develop IBS. IBS can look really different at different people, but symptoms becoming worse with eating and relieved with bowel movement seems to be characteristic. Constipation or/and diarrhea are the most often symptoms. If you don't have anything of described, I would doubt a little into IBS. Besides, diagnosis of IBS can be established only on the end - after all other tests come out negative. IBS means symptoms without any organic disease. If endometriosis triggered your bowel problems, this can't be called IBS.

IBD can also has pretty random course, diagnosis is by colonoscopy only.

Next: Ovarium beeing  'stuck to the bowel' and then removed can cause adhesions - connective (scar) tissue develops on the site of surgery and pulls the organs - this could cause this pinching you mention. Adhesions could be diagnosed with laparoscopy.

About heartburn: You can have your stomach checked for H.pylori bacteria. It is one easy breath test made for this. But it could be very well from endometriosis.

I would suggest to find out what is with your endometriosis, since this seems obvious problem from the start. You have pains but no obvious bowel symptoms, like diarrhea, constipation, or bloating. Ask your doctors about exploring laparoscopy.

[hope08]

i have endo along with many stomach complications also.

first off, you must get a lapro to diagnois if you have endo or something else. it could be fibromalygia (fibromyalgia), UC, or something other than endo, just similar symptoms.

what kind of meds are you on?

i can tell you that i have endo, ulcer, gerd, IBS, gastritis and diverticulosis. i have been on so much meds that my purse looks like a pharmacy...and i can tell you, after trying a lot of things, the meds didn't really help. they kept me at a standstill. i am now going to try a very strict diet, focused on some of the issues i have, and pray that i can get off my meds. endo is a very hard thing to deal with, and when you have stomach probs along with it, life seems hellish a lot. i just had my job threatened today because i came in late due to pain....and i am trying to stay OFF my pain meds so that creates a whole different problem....but i figure, i shouldn't wallow in my problems, hopefully just get past them.

good luck