# PCOS and IBS - constant bloating



## elzz234 (Apr 23, 2014)

Hey everyone,

It's been three years of constant symptoms now (Im now 20) and I don't know what to do!

Wondering if anyone else has experienced bloating premenstrually, or has polycystic ovary syndrome and has ibs? Could they be related?

Anything that can be done to alleviate the symptoms?

Ive tried peppermint, gluten free, ginger, fodmap - constant bloating and gas remain 

Wake up bloated - stomach expands during day, distended by inches and turgid, then flattens a little overnight.

It's really affecting my life, ANY advice would be so appreciated! 

Eleanor

xx


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Well you can have either one separately and I haven't seen data they go together more than you would expect by chance alone. Since IBS is very common you need to see a pretty huge excess of people with any other condition before you can say they go together more than expected (for example something like 40-50% of people with fibromyalgia have IBS where you only expect 10-20%)

I know some ovary problems can cause bloating as well (like a cyst), as can disrupted menstrual cycling which is common in PCOS. So that may make it more difficult to treat with just IBS things all by themselves.

I'm not sure what you can do for ovarian bloating....have you talked to the OB-GYN about things that may help on that end of thing.


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## Verronica M Mitchell (Apr 25, 2014)

So sorry for your pain. For my bloating, I prefer natural product such as digestive enzymes, aloe juice and probiotics. I also use a natural antioxidant called Opc-3 that helps with my allergies. It is also good for managing pain. For more on my story visit my website at http://www.mucusstomachpain.com Good Luck and I hope you feel better soon.


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## Dreamcatcher32 (Nov 12, 2013)

I don't have PCOS but I do have Endo with a 2cm cyst on my left ovary. I also have questioned whether it has made my IBS worse. All of the nerves are connected in there, so it can def play a roll. One thing you can watch out for is your pelvic floor. When women have pain from ovarian cysts, they tend to tense their pelvic floor which can make it difficult to pass stool. Have you tried Yoga? This can really get good blood flow through the hips and pelvis.

I would make sure to try the endo diet, that could help your bleeding. Also be sure to exercise as frequently as possible and try some supplements. I believe Dong Quai, Chasteberry fruit and DIM Plus can help with these cysts and the pain that comes along with it. You can also try birth control to regulate your cycles and stop the bleeding. Also be sure that you are not anemic, since you're bleeding so much. Take 2 tbs molasses in the morning - lots of good iron and will stimulate bowel movements.


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## Nojokeibs (Apr 14, 2014)

I have PCOS, positively diagnosed, and Endometriosis, vaguely diagnosed. I've had no flare ups or cysts (knock on wood) for at least 4 years now, and I suspect it's because of my radical management of my IBS. You might get some ideas from my History below, but there's something I learned the hard way about woman troubles. Never never never believe them when they say "eat a low fat diet and exercise." That's a sure path to inflammation and pain for me. The exercise gives you temporary inflammation, and the low fat diet gives you often the wrong kinds of fats that don't allow resolvins to do their job.

How to reverse it? Cut out the Omega-6 fats (like any kind of vegetable oil, except olive oil), and return to luscious butter. Then pack your diet with as much fish as you can stand. Every day if you can stand it. Go on a marathon of fish where you challenge yourself to eat it for one meal a day every day for a month. Or two meals. Fish contains the omega-3's that will stop inflammation. A lot of this info I got from The Zone diet book which I think is brilliant on anti-inflammation through diet. I now have smoked salmon for breakfast!

As for the bloating, there's some new science from Monash University you can read online or buy a book about it called FODMAP diet. It helps you choose veggies and carbs wisely so you avoid the most bloat-causing ones.


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## Nojokeibs (Apr 14, 2014)

I've been thinking about this because I know there is more in my brain than just what I said. But it has been years since I had a flare, and a decade since I did any serious research. However, I was just routinely reading a Zone book (I read about all the diets because they all have good info, even if I don't follow them all), and I was reminded that indole reduces estrogen. Now, you might think that's great, but it's not so good for PCOS. In MOST cases you want normal estrogen levels. Only if you have breast cancer type issues should you worry about reducing estrogen. That's my opinion, but I think it's backed up by at least some science. I no longer maintain a list of links for PCOS, but I did find one article about indole and estrogen:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12840226

Since much of the indole comes from the gut, I'd say that's your connection between the gut and PCOS. Though, how exactly one causes the other, I would have to guess. My normal way of researching something like this is to go to google first and try "indole estrogen" and see if it's a common enough thing to have lots of articles online about it.

If not, then I try pubmed with the same search. Either way I eventually do the pubmed search because online articles often miss important details. After doing the "indole estrogen" search, I might try "indole" alone to see what other connections incole has in the body. Then I might find interesting keywords from inside a relevant article and try them. For you, PCOS and metabolic syndrome might be good things to try as well.

In this way, I often know way more than I need to know, and often am way over my head with jargon, but believe me, the jargon does get easier to read after about 20 articles. Stick with it. Over time I've invested in a few textbooks to supplement the college biology, chemistry and toxicology I had. One is molecular biology of the cell and the other is biochemistry (strayer). I'm considering buying a pictorial microbiology book maybe. But consider that I've been doing this kind of personal research for over 10 years, and I didn't find it necessary to reach for a text until several years into it. I guess you could say this is my hobby, I'd do it even if I had no health issues to apply it to. Science has always been an interest for me.

Medicine is changing and I think it's merely self-defense to be well informed. There may be other and better ways to be informed, but I find this one is the most reliable for me. I do find certain websites helpful:

Articles about exciting published studies:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/

A bit conventional, but making great strides toward being very helpful:

http://www.webmd.com/

Hit or miss, sometimes awesome, great recipes and practical advice:

http://www.about.com/health/

My favorite site for drug information:

http://www.rxlist.com/script/main/hp.asp

This is getting long... but I don't want to skip telling you that although I think The Zone is the best way to fight PCOS (because it balances insulin levels in a very precise way), the Zone does not take into account gut-discomfort when it says to eat lots of asparagus and apples and the like. You may need to combine it with the low FODMAP diet to get the best out of it.

I personally won with PCOS when I switched to the Atkins diet, which dropped my insulin levels dramatically and since it is so low in carbs, it was also low FODMAP. I was "Keto diet"-like when I did Atkins exclusively and I'm the kind of person who can do an extreme diet and deal with it for several months. But I suggest The Zone because it's way less extreme and restrictive and won't cause as much social agony. He is also great about explaining inflammation and how to stop it.


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## verity54 (May 30, 2014)

I also have PCOS and IBS. I also have recurring ovarian cysts (other than the regular ones that come with PCOS). They grow and swell and then burst - they cause a huge amount of pain and bloating. It is NOT fun. When my ovaries flare, so does my PCOS. When my hormones get out of whack, my IBS goes into high gear. I see an OBGYN and a GI doctor - I keep feeling like if I could find ONE doctor who was knowledgeable about both things maybe I could get somewhere.

So - I know that wasn't much help, but just wanted to let you know you are not the only one suffering from both.


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## verity54 (May 30, 2014)

Nojoke IBS, how on Earth did you do Atkins without dying? Broccoli, Cauli, asparagus - all of those veggies allowed make me SO much worse. I just quit South Beach b/c it was making me so much worse.


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## Nojokeibs (Apr 14, 2014)

verity54 said:


> Nojoke IBS, how on Earth did you do Atkins without dying? Broccoli, Cauli, asparagus - all of those veggies allowed make me SO much worse. I just quit South Beach b/c it was making me so much worse.


I also did SCD and low-FODMAP at the time that I posted that reply. These days, those veggies don't bother me because I'm populated with good bacteria from sauerkraut. I've gone full Ketogenic plus fermented vegetables. It has improved matters a lot. I can still mess it up, for example if I start allowing a lot of corn starch (if I eat out and have sauces) or eat packaged foods that have cellulose (purified cellulose contains lignins which slow transit time and slow fermentation by gut bacteria). But the things I avoid now are different, much different. It used to be that I got bloated just eating greens! Now it's grains, espcially whole wheat (highest lignin in a grain is found in wheat bran, so even if you don't reject it for the gluten reason...), purified starches, purified cellulose... basically anything that would make a cow sick, if you're familiar with animal husbandry. There's a reason why we traditionally give horses oats, not wheat.


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## mnicklaus (Oct 14, 2015)

Please Eleanor I am 27 I am have the same bloating symptoms as you! I have been to numerousd drs and I still have no answers. Did you ever find out what was causing you to bloat? And did you find anything to help?


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## postmortem (Nov 11, 2006)

I have similar issues and I've been diagnosed with both IBS and PCOS. It's absolute torture near my period.  My doctor said that it's normal to have a flareup of symptoms near the period though...


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