Aa
endometriosis? ovarian cyst? or just my bowel?
Hello!
I am a relatively healthy 25-year old woman. I have no children (i have always used protection) , I am of normal weight (BMI 19) and I lead a healthy lifestyle.
I have noticed a weird pain that no doctor can really explain.
Firstly, let me note that I have always suffered from moderate constipation.
As a teenager I also suffered from gastritis/gastric reflux but I have it under control and now I rarely experience any stomach discomfort.
As for my gynaecological issues, my periods are normal and punctual (!), my flow is moderate and has always followed the same pattern (2 days of spotting in the beginning, 2 days of moderate flow, 1 day of light flow and 2 days of spotting in the end), i experience limited menstrual pain and I get a pelvic ultrasound every 2 years to be on the safe side. My pelvic ultrasounds have always been clear and they have never indicated anything pathological. My last set of hormone tests/pelvic ultrasounds/gynaecological tests were in summer 2010 and they were absolutely normal.
Three years ago, during a really stressful phase in my lifetime, my constipation got worse. I started occasionally experiencing a sense of bloating and frequent flatulence along with my inability to have a good bowel movement. In the last 2 years I feel bloated every time I am stressed and I have been experiencing a sort of pain no doctor can really pinpoint.
Let me describe it:
It feels like a twitch or a mild cramp in my lower abdomen that comes and goes. Some days it's there, some days it isn't. It is not constant but its occurence varies; it may occur 10 times a day or 5 times a month. It reminds me of the side stitch you get when you exercise but it is located way down my abdomen. It is located right above my pubic bone, about 2 inches higher than my vagina, in the center and maybe slightly towards the right side. It is not a real pain, it is a twitching sensation like somebody is poking through the walls of my abdomen with a stick. I become conscious of it whenever I stretch/exercise a lot, right after a meal, when i am constipated, when i am bloated, when I try to hold gas and when I struggle for a bowel movement. Stress aggravates it. whenever I get stressed, I get bloated and I start feeling the twitch.
The thing is, I am currently without insurance and I cannot have my set of exams. Last time I talked to a doctor about it (summer 2011), he didn't seem to worry and he told me it's my bowel "playing games". He suggested i may have IBS.
I am terrified it might be endometriosis or an ovarian cysts.
Has any lady with endo or ovarian cysts experienced something like that?
I am soooo worried :(((
I am a relatively healthy 25-year old woman. I have no children (i have always used protection) , I am of normal weight (BMI 19) and I lead a healthy lifestyle.
I have noticed a weird pain that no doctor can really explain.
Firstly, let me note that I have always suffered from moderate constipation.
As a teenager I also suffered from gastritis/gastric reflux but I have it under control and now I rarely experience any stomach discomfort.
As for my gynaecological issues, my periods are normal and punctual (!), my flow is moderate and has always followed the same pattern (2 days of spotting in the beginning, 2 days of moderate flow, 1 day of light flow and 2 days of spotting in the end), i experience limited menstrual pain and I get a pelvic ultrasound every 2 years to be on the safe side. My pelvic ultrasounds have always been clear and they have never indicated anything pathological. My last set of hormone tests/pelvic ultrasounds/gynaecological tests were in summer 2010 and they were absolutely normal.
Three years ago, during a really stressful phase in my lifetime, my constipation got worse. I started occasionally experiencing a sense of bloating and frequent flatulence along with my inability to have a good bowel movement. In the last 2 years I feel bloated every time I am stressed and I have been experiencing a sort of pain no doctor can really pinpoint.
Let me describe it:
It feels like a twitch or a mild cramp in my lower abdomen that comes and goes. Some days it's there, some days it isn't. It is not constant but its occurence varies; it may occur 10 times a day or 5 times a month. It reminds me of the side stitch you get when you exercise but it is located way down my abdomen. It is located right above my pubic bone, about 2 inches higher than my vagina, in the center and maybe slightly towards the right side. It is not a real pain, it is a twitching sensation like somebody is poking through the walls of my abdomen with a stick. I become conscious of it whenever I stretch/exercise a lot, right after a meal, when i am constipated, when i am bloated, when I try to hold gas and when I struggle for a bowel movement. Stress aggravates it. whenever I get stressed, I get bloated and I start feeling the twitch.
The thing is, I am currently without insurance and I cannot have my set of exams. Last time I talked to a doctor about it (summer 2011), he didn't seem to worry and he told me it's my bowel "playing games". He suggested i may have IBS.
I am terrified it might be endometriosis or an ovarian cysts.
Has any lady with endo or ovarian cysts experienced something like that?
I am soooo worried :(((
I forgot to mention to have your thyroid checked. Chronic constipation is one of the symptoms of an unbalance thyroid.
If you have had your thyroid checked? Did they give you the actual results or did they tell you "it's in range"? Doctors are learning that the ranges are wrong. Also if you do get it checked be sure to have your TSH, free T4, free T3 (his test is NOT obsolete-- that would be total T3; there is a big difference between total T3 and free T3), and thyroid antibodies.
achilles2
If you have had your thyroid checked? Did they give you the actual results or did they tell you "it's in range"? Doctors are learning that the ranges are wrong. Also if you do get it checked be sure to have your TSH, free T4, free T3 (his test is NOT obsolete-- that would be total T3; there is a big difference between total T3 and free T3), and thyroid antibodies.
achilles2
Besides endo or cysts (and I am not saying that it is not) have looked into trying a gluten free diet? You can do this w/o seeing a doctor-- unless of course you want blood work and an endoscopy. Once you go gluten free and if you stay that way there is no way way for them to "officially diagnose" you. You might also want to try a dairy free diet (do them at different times so you know if it one, both, or none contributing to your symptoms. (They can also cause acid reflux and are you taking anyting like nexium if so that will inhibit the absorption of vit B12, iron, and calcium.) Also Celiac has been many times misdiagnosed as IBS. One last thing if you have had the blood test and it came out "normal" that does not mean much because the blood test is not very sensitive. The golden test is the upper endoscopy.
This happened to me and someone else I know. We were not about to eat gluten again just to get tested. Thankfully because of how I felt before and after a gluten free diet my doctor has officially given me the diagnosis of Celiac Disease.
If you want some info here are three very good websites:
http://www.celiaccentral.org/
http://www.celiac.com/
http://www.celiac.org/
I hope this helps,
achilles2
This happened to me and someone else I know. We were not about to eat gluten again just to get tested. Thankfully because of how I felt before and after a gluten free diet my doctor has officially given me the diagnosis of Celiac Disease.
If you want some info here are three very good websites:
http://www.celiaccentral.org/
http://www.celiac.com/
http://www.celiac.org/
I hope this helps,
achilles2
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