Abdominal Bloating

First of all, I want to say that I am so fortunate to find this site.  I found it yesterday, and I have spent much of my free time trying to familiarize myself with some of the info.  I have had a lot of abdominal bloating, but I also get a feeling of fullness/heaviness higher up, closer to my stomach.  Has anyone else experienced this?  Also, I tend to get a shooting/stabbing pain near the ovary where the cyst is located.  Many times that pain radiates to my rectum.  Is that normal?  Could it be that the cyst is putting pressure on other organs?  That seems hard to believe since it is only about 3cm which seems small to me.

[Gatsby]

Rant, rave, you go right ahead!!  I know how it is.  You go along, feeling great and then wham you are feeling bad and not knowing why.  Then you get all these tests done and the dr. says you need surgery to find out.  It is enough to make a person go crazy.  It is amazing what hormones (too much or lack of) can do.  My thoughts and prayers are with you.
~Tascha

[fabmom4]

Thanks!  I am a control freak, and this is driving me crazy because I can't control this.  It is that hurry up and wait feeling, and it makes me edgy!  I am glad there are people out there who can, at the least, understand my frustration.  The moral support found here is awesome!

[dian07]

Hello again,
I think you are probably right-on....even a "small" cyst can press on nerves and organs creating discomfort and even down-right pain. After all, it's not supposed to be there; it is taking up space it doesn't belong in and pressing places that are not supposed to be pushed on.
I experienced shooting pains in the rectum; I felt bloated; no, I was bloated.
As far as being normal....when it comes to symptoms resulting from a cyst, in a place it doesn't belong....anything that you sense is normal.Just for the record; this mother of 7 lives in the frozen tundra of northwest Iowa (it is frozen right now, but in the summer is pregnant with fields of corn and soy beans; I usually have a pretty awsome garden myself!). I moved here from Florida in 1974.
Take care, and keep posting.
Peace.   dian

[Krull1]

Hi fabmom 4. Like you I am so glad to have found this site. Yes I have the bloating bad and I am having pain raidiating down to the rectum but also down through my legs now. I feel the same as dian07 anything that is somewhere where it's not supposed to be is a problem. I just wish I would at least been told what size my cyst is. Did your doctor speak to you directly. My didn't and I didn't worry as I knew I was seeing my GP in two days but he didn't even get the report. I have called the ob/gyn office and asked for the report to be sent to my doctor only to be told I have to put a request in writing. I am taking one there TODAY. Keep posting as I will be reading to see how things work out for you!

[dian07]

Don't let them give you the run-around.....those records are yours and you should not have to go to their office to sign a form to release your test results to the referring physician.  
I don't return to see my onc until March 31.....at that time I will pick up a copy of my chart for me to keep for reference. It is , afterall, my chart.
I hope yu both get answers soon as that will be the beginning of your getting better.
Peace.    dian

[fabmom4]

My doctor is actually very informative.  When we went over my US, there were several problems, and he went over each of them specifically.  When he told me about my cyst, he said I have a complex cyst about 3cm in size and he handed me a picture to show me what he meant.  I asked him what "complex" meant, and this is how he explained it to me.  Think of a reg. cyst as a balloon filled with water.  A complex one is a balloon filled  with water, choc. pudding, and corn flakes.  I know he was trying to make a joke, and I understood what he meant.  I am going back on 3/2 for another US, and I will know at that point if surgery is necessary.  More than likely I will be getting a hysterectomy at the same time,so I am a little anxious as I sit and wait, wondering what is happening inside.  Keep posting and let me know how your progress is, as well.
PS. dian07, I have a good friend in FL with 7 kids and some of the same med. problems.  How ironic!

[lawyermom]

Yes I have definitely had this problem with bloating.  The cyst the doc is most concerned about is a complex lesion with a measurement of 2x1x2.  I have to ask him what they mean by "correlating fluid".  My stomach looks like I am about three to four months pregnant.  Even when I was working out 6 times a week, I could see the muscles of my upper abs, but they would disappear into a full belly.  Also, I noticed that my stomach was full, but my waist was normal.  Before I knew about all the gyn problems, I thought that I looked this way because of the c-sec.  Does anyone know why women have to go through this ****?  Is it because I color my hair or drink a lot of coffee?  Could is be because I had a tubal ligation?  I just want to know!!!!  Fabmom4, if you ever want to compare notes, please e-mail me!  eskow_niblack***@****!!!

[fabmom4]

I think it is interesting that you mentioned the tubal ligation.  I had some problems before mine, but it seems like I have had more since my surgery. I never had any problems with my fallopian tubes, now I have fluid in one of them (hydrosalpinx)and it causes a dull ache.  I had an endometrial ablation to relieve my horrible periods(severe clotting and bleeding, vomiting, painful bowel movements,etc), and now I have adenomyosis.  It feels like the more I do to help myself, the more things that go wrong.  I know I am feeling sorry for myself, but I am so frustrated and scared that this is never going to end!  I have noticed the bloating in the last 2-3 months, and sometimes I do feel the same way...like I am a few months pregnant.  I also was recently diagnosed with acid reflux disease, but I am really starting to wonder if it has something to do with all of this.  Blah, blah, blah...enough of my rambling!  I feel your pain, trust me.

[Anne-Marie]

Hey there,

Firstly welcome to this forum, I found it myself only 2 weeks ago and feel humbled by the support, advice and just being able to speak freely about exactly how I'm feeling and knowing the person reading knows EXACTLY where I'm coming from and what I mean ....
Secondly, DO NOT IGNORE YOUR BODY, I too started with symptoms very similar to yours with a general 'full bloated' feeling, slight constipation, occasional pain during intercourse. I also noticed a slight swelling in my abdomen but put it all down to overeating and thought just changing my eating and doing a bit of exercise would do the trick..... Little did I know, I've now got a mass which I've taken to calling 'the alien' which is approx 26cm x 15cm and I'm scheduled to have 'it' and both ovaries removed Thursday 16th Feb. I only wish I'd seen the Doctor or Gyn sooner but its just one of those things us busy women do .....
So, if I can get just one thing over to you today then PLEASE do not ignore your natural gut instinct, see your Gyn and family Doc , you can NEVER think of it as wasting their time, thats's what they're there for so take all the tests they recommend.  My thoughts are with you and post whenever you feel the need, the support you will get on this site is AWESOME :-) Hugs, Anne-Marie

[lawyermom]

You can complain all you want, lady!  If you have been generally relatively healthy most of your life, and suddenly everything seems to be going wrong, it can be a little...well...distubing??  It would be interesting to find out.  You see, if cysts or other problems are caused imbalances of estrogen/testerone in your system (I know some problems are)and if tubal ligation affects hormonal balances (my doc told me they didn't, but I don't see how that is possible), then it would make sense that a tubal ligation could increase risk of "problems" caused by hormonal imbalances.  Of course, I am talking out my a**hat!!!! LOL.

[mir02]

I, too, had the bloated feeling. In fact, I've felt this way since I was pregnant 4 years ago. I feel like it never went away, which is why I'm starting to think it never did. I had a small cyst on my left ovary when I was pregnant, and ended up having several US to check on it throughout my pregnancy, and it didn't go away but they felt it wasn't a problem. Since then, every pelvic exam I've had, I've asked my gyn if he/she could feel anything in that area, and the answer was always no. I seriously think my cyst never went away, and just started to get bigger, resulting in my surgery last week.

I kept wondering why I couldn't lose the pregnancy weight. I was 130-135 before getting pregnant, and have been around 150-170 in the past years since giving birth. I didn't work for a while just after having my daughter, so I knew I wasn't going to lose weight that way, but 2 years ago, I started a job at Walmart as a cashier, and I lost about 15lbs(was about 170 at the time), but my stomach didn't get much smaller.

And in the past 6-8 months, I had also been having sharp pains on the left pelvic area, and was so totally exhausted every day, it was all I could do to get out of bed for work, much less play with my 3 yr old very active daughter. I felt pregnant again, very bloated, feeling like my bladder is the size of a very small pea, light headedness, nausea, eventually ending up with my passing out in my bathroom floor. That's when the dr's found the 10cm cyst on my left ovary(same side as the one when I was preggo).

So I totally agree that anything foreign in our bodies, can cause a range of different aches, pains, and just feeling like **** in general.

I know this is long, but thought I would share a funny, but yet not funny thing that happened to me at work. My stomach was a little bloated from all of this, and poked out a little, especially if my shirt was snug. If you were to see me, I'm 5'6, and carry my weight very well. Being about 155 before surgery, I look like I weight about 140(Thank God for passing my mother's genes on to me in that respect). I had a guy I was helping one day say to me: "Either you must be going to have a baby, or you drink too much beer?" OMG, I was so mad, but kept my cool, and told him that no, I wasn't pregnant, I just hadn't been able to lose the weight from pregnancy. Can we say, Open mouth, insert foot?? I told my mother later that night, that I hoped he was married and went home and told his wife what he said, because I'm sure she would have given him one hell of a talk on the etiquette of speaking to woman that you aren't 100% sure is pregnant.

Sorry this got so long, hope you all are doing ok, and good luck and God bless to all with upcoming surgeries.
Miranda

[sisterb]

I am writing to you because I see that you are on the board this morning.  I have just spent a restless night because of heartburn and indigestion.  I am so worried.  I had oc in July and finished chemo in NOvember.  I had a total hysterectomy.  My ca125 was 5 in NOvember and 5 in December.  In Jan. it was 24.  I have been sick with worry ever since. Everyone says not to worry that this test can go up with infections, etc.  I don't have any, but I do have this hearburn that seems to be getting worse.  Maybe nerves.  Any insight would be helpful.
I do know I can't continue to worry every time I think my cancer is back.  I am making myself sick.

[Babiedoll]

I am 47 years old and have 3 children.  My problem is I went to my Gyn. because I was having a lot of pain during intercouse, to the point of having to stop all most totally.  I was also having some stomach bloating, swelling ankles, back pain, chest pains, incontience and some hot and cold flashes. I had to have a solid cyst removed about 25 years ago when I was just 20. My doctor took a CBC blood test and said every thing looked normal except my colestrol was 360. She also felt some cyst but felt they were just fibrod,  I also had some in my breast. She put me on some Premarin Vaginal Cream.  That was back in October.  I now am having severe back and leg pains, more bloating, a little leakage of clear liguid from my breast.

My question is, should I got back and ask for a CA125 test or just let it go.  I know something is not right but the doctors make you feel like your and idiot and should not question there orders.

I am more concerned because lately I have been getting diease and since the back and leg pain is so severe it cause my chest to hurt more.

Any information you could give would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

[mir02]

I didn't see your post earlier hun, I must have already headed to bed. I'm so sorry to hear about what you are going through. I don't know much of anything about oc, luckily there wasn't really any chance of that with my cyst. What I do know though is that there are lots of women on this forum with experience with oc, that can give you insight, where I can't. They are wonderful, caring, and totally unselfish women, caring so much about helping others on this site deal with what's going on in their bodies. Perhaps one or more of them can answer your questions about the oc.

All I can really do is tell you that you will be in my prayers. I hope that things work out well for you, I know it's a moot point to say not to worry, but at least try not to worry yourself sick.
God be with you,
Mir

[dian07]

You definately should go in for a complete physical; maybe change doctors.
If I were you, and I'm not, I would ask for a battery of tests, not just the CA125. I would want to know what cysts are on my ovaries; what cysts are in my breasts; why does my chest, back, and legs hurt; why is there leakage from my breast. I would want a CA125; and, I would want the answers NOW.
These are not symptoms to be ignored.
You are not an idiot, and anyone who treats you in that manner certainly does not offer you the respect and concern you diserve. A dismissive physician is, in my book, one to avoid.
Please find a physician who will put all your symptoms together and find out what is going on with you.
We will be watching for you, so, please return to chat.
Peace to you and your family.
dian

[Babiedoll]

dian07:  Thank you for your response.  I am going to call the doctor in the morning. I have been getting dizzy a lot and my back and legs pain is getting worse, to the point I can hardly stand it.  I will keep you posted.

Thanks again, especailly for not making me feel like I am an idiot that just likes to complain.

Have a great week!
Babiedoll

[Krull1]

Hi babiedoll, I too am new to this site and had just posted recently with the pelvic and back pain which radiated down my legs. I also was having the dizzy spells but it seems they only were when I was in excruciating pain but would try to get up and move around. I do not have the chest pain but have shoulder pain that I didn't even consider being connected. I was given the wait 4-6 wks but got pushy after reading comments on this site. Also my general practitioner is very good and has been working with me since August ruling out everything and anything before sending me to the 0b/gyn. I had my second transvaginal us done Friday night and am sitting here by the phone waiting for the ob/gyn office to call. I am not going to let them put me off any longer. My gp also said he would recommend another gyn if I am unhappy.
So maybe get another doc to get to the bottom of this because I know the pain can be intolerable. Both my dad and sister have had colon cancer and I get regularly checked for that but I am giving the GI doc a call today. I figure maybe the more doctor's from different angles can get this figured out.
My prayers are with you!!

[Lausie]

I also have this feeling of bloatedness. I´m 24 years old and my periods are completely irregular unless i take the pill. Right now i feel bloated, full of gas and i have lower stomach pains, just above the bikini line. The discharge has become thicker than usual. Somedays i don´t go to the toilet because i am unable to, and others it is easy, although not diarohhea.
Can anyone tell me if they have similiar pains? I am worried if it could develop to something severe, especially as I don´t get regular periods.

Oh, and i definately advise you to go and see more than one doctor. I have been to some doctors in the past and they have diagnosed me with something completely different to what i really had!

Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.