# Is it really IBS?



## london20 (Apr 16, 2014)

Hi,

I'd been seeing my GP for unbelievably painful and irregular periods, but I've also been struggling with severe, constant nausea for 8 years so I'm seeing someone separately for that too.

I went to a gastroenterologist the other day to try and get the nausea sorted, which he dismissed because I also suffer from cluster headaches (however we think it's separate). So he asked to feel my stomach and when he poked my lower stomach right over where my ovaries are I told him it was extremely tender, but only in the spots where my ovaries are. He then gave me a 2 second rectal exam because of the pain around my ovaries, and then declared I have IBS. Can it really be diagnosed so quickly? He has no idea about any family history or any other symptoms, for 30 minutes we had been talking about headaches and nothing else but it was only when the area around my ovaries hurt that he told me I had IBS.

The symptoms I experience with periods (what I'm talking to my GP about) could be due to IBS but I'm not sure, I've been looking into endometriosis and stuff and this doctor still has no idea about any of these symptoms:

Pain before, during and after a period like nothing I've ever felt before - pain so bad I pass out, throw up and scream. Pain can also appear at other times of the month, but not as bad or as often as when I'm on a period. Occasional spotting between periods, it's incredibly painful to go to the loo when during my period, diarrhoea during periods, extreme nausea and fatigue, mucus in stool, pain in lower back and legs and worse headaches. My periods often last longer than the average length I think, not that long though - the longest was 15 days but sometimes it can be normal. They're also irregular.

I don't experience changes in constipation and diarrhoea during the rest of the month, it's generally quite normal. I'm very confused and frustrated, the doctor's given me fybogel and lactulose for IBS but I'm just so confused as to how he could diagnose me with no information but a 2 second physical exam? I'm so upset and my head is all over the place, I just want to know what's wrong.

Do you think it's IBS or something else? Do people get diagnosed like that so quickly and without questioning?

Thank you for any help


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Well sounds like you didn't mention any of the things that would be an signal that something else was going on. IBS is the most common GI disturbance. IBS is basically pain and stool changes for at least several days a month. Many of the other things could likely be a lot more consistant or would be causing other symptoms people normally mention like bloody diarrhea.

Some doctors will take months of tests which usually only stress people out and make it worse even if they knew from the beginning that it was going to turn out to be IBS.

It can get worse around the period (most women have more GI variability around their period).

However I would also follow up with an OB-GYN about the periods as that kinda sounds more endometriosis (and if attached to the colon can cause some GI distress or make the GI distress you would have worse).

Head/brain issues are often likely to cause nausea and vomiting so it seems reasonable to think there could be some connection. Did he decide there was no point trying to even treat the nausea at all? Or did he want to leave it to the doctor treating the headaches to add a nausea medication in?


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## london20 (Apr 16, 2014)

Thanks for your reply.

I would have mentioned all of the above but he only mentioned IBS at the end of the appointment and I'm already seeing other doctors for all the above symptoms, I was only speaking to him for the nausea. I probably should have mentioned it but I was in a pretty bad place and just wanted to get out of there, he wasn't a pleasant guy. There are other doctors who are aware of the other stuff but no one has ever mentioned IBS, I've known it was a possibility for years and have mentioned it about 4 years ago but they always stuck with endo or PCOS - that's why I was so stunned it was diagnosed so suddenly after years of being told it was something else.

I will go to an OB-GYN, even if just to eliminate the possibility of something else. We've been talking about all these possibilities for years I'd really like it to just get sorted for definite.

Yes, headaches and nausea do go hand in hand however many other doctors over the years have told me that in my case they don't seem related, he's the first one that said they are. I think maybe the headaches are adding to the nausea if not causing it completely anyway. I'm still undergoing tests for nausea but we seem about ready to give up, maybe it is headache related. Yes I've pretty much tried every anti-nausea med there is over the years but absolutely nothing works so he prescribed nothing, I think at this point no one has anything to say about the nausea as nothing works. He did prescribe a preventative for cluster headaches so I'll see how that goes.

Thanks very much for your help


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## Deb1980 (Nov 5, 2014)

Hi I've been having almost your exact symptoms for almost a year now. I just had tests ruling out anything gynecological, so I am assuming it is IBS but still unsure as I have not had any testing for that yet. My question is has anyone been diagnosed with IBS without a colonoscopy? I'm just afraid. Never had health problems like this..thanks for any help!


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## katieblue (Nov 8, 2014)

HI, Late-40's woman here, I was diagnosed with IBS WITHOUT a colonoscopy.... I have NEVER had intestinal disorders at all, not even heart burn... It all started about 6 weeks ago, I ate a LARGE amount of 7-layer bean dip, a LOT! All eaten over a two day period (it was good!)- also had lots of raw Almonds which I thought were good for you. Then about 2-3 days later I got EXTREMELY BLOATED and was having lots of mild stomach cramping, not a lot of gas, but my stomach just boated out. It was very weird as I had never had any stomach problems and always eaten anything I wanted to. I am about 40 pounds overweight though. I ended up going to the ER and they tested everything, my liver, kidneys, heart, ER doc did a VERY QUICK ultrasound to check my Galbladder, and ovaries... ER Doc sent me home with GasEx and Beano, and told me to start FODMAP diet... But he did NOT diagnose me... Bloating lasted a few days - Then I started my menstrual cycle. And my LOWER RIGHT abdomen seemed more bloated and a little tender... And over my 5 day period (menstruation) it really bothered me NOTE - I HAVE NEVER GOTTEN BAD PERIODS< NOR HAVE I HAD MANY CRAMPS, my periods have always been pretty ok. So having a lower right abdominal cramping and bloating was WEIRD.... Then my lymph area on my groin (especially the right groin area lymph area) felt "FULL", not painfull, but just bloated too... Then over the next two weeks I called my new assigned GP and she was very dismissive. I came in again especially regarding this lymphatic fullness (not pain, no bumps or anything just FULLNESS in the lymph groin area, full feeling, maybe it is trying to detox my system??), Doc checked me again, She checked my abdomen AGAIN and checked my lymph areas near my groin, found nothing... Told me again she thinks it's IBS.... Told me to keep exercizing and do FODMAP diet.... And she did not seem concerned... So I went to the Gyno. Gyno doc manually examined me, said all seemed normal, and did a PAP. PAP came back normal... Urinalisis came back normal... All tests have come back normal. I have had TWO PERIODS since this all started, and the last one started EARLY with MORE LOWER RIGHT BLOATING AND WEIRD FEELING, so maybe this is a PRE-MENOPAUSAL THING? I have NOT had a vaginal Ultrasound yet which I think I want next, NO X-Rays yet, and no CT scans... Also NO colonoscopy either -- and I have had friends tell me that Galbladder problems are hard to diagnose... FODMAP has seemed to help, but the right side abdominal bloating and FULL feeling with the LYMPH fullness drives me nuts. And I have had diahrea on and off for a week now. One Doc I spoke with last week wants a stool sample to test for Giardia ----- So I am doing that now. I am SOOO FRUSTRATED =( Has ANYONE experienced this fullness and bloated feeling in the LYMPH areas? Any advise or comments very much appreciated, thank you. Katie


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## Amanda Nicole (Jul 14, 2013)

Katie, since you said that the low FODMAP diet helped somewhat, there's definitely a food component here. Although many are quick to recommend FODMAP, I generally don't like to use the low FODMAP diet with my IBS clients for a few reasons: 1) you may have issues with other foods (or chemicals) outside of FODMAPs, 2) the diet can be unnecessarily restrictive if you don't have adverse reactions to the foods excluded for FODMAPs, 3) the diet doesn't help/address any other non-GI symptoms, and 4) the diet doesn't address the underlying cause of the symptoms (which, in most cases, is inflammation). I usually go with specialized testing to pinpoint each person's unique dietary triggers that are causing inflammation - as long as my clients avoid their unique triggers, they can usually eat FODMAP-containing foods without issues (since inflammation is reduced and the gut is better able to heal and tolerate the "fermentables"). Many have found that other symptoms (besides typical GI) improve with this approach as well. Something to consider.

Hopefully you'll have more answers soon.


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## jilliantodd (Jan 20, 2015)

IBS is basically pain and stool changes for at least several days a month. Many of the other things could likely be a lot more consistant or would be causing other symptoms people normally mention like bloody diarrhea.


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