# IBS sometimes confused with uterus/ovary problems?



## deirdre1958 (Jul 24, 2002)

I have been told by many doctors that I probably have IBS. I usually get a pain on the lower right side of my abdomen, which I am always afraid is my ovary or my appendix, but my doc assures me it is IBS (this have been going on for 15 years). Recently I have had that pain plus an achey sensation all across the very lowest part of my abdomen, right on top of where I think the uterus is, across to the far left side. I have a lot of gas, and belching. My lower back hurts a lot recently, but, again, I am used to lower back pain, have suffered from it for years. Do any of you have any of these symptoms? Marie


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## persian26 (Mar 2, 2003)

whenever i get ibs attacks, the pain is always on both sides where my ovaries are,,,and cramping all thruout the area below my belly button..i dont get instestinal area pain nor do i get nauseas,,my symptoms are much worse during my period, a week before and a week after...also the pain moves to my lower back causing cramping in my lower back...its horrendous...


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## passionflower (Feb 1, 2003)

I don't know how old you are, but recently I had to have an ultrasound (I'm 39). My gynocologist thought my uterus was tilted back very, very far. It turned out to be a fibroid tumor (very common and benign) near the back of my uterus. How this affects your question, and which I hope may give you some relief, is that I have pain in my lower right abdomen. It seems like gas collects there. If I press on it, it gurgles and sometimes moves up further in my colon(I assume it's my colon?). However, the ultrasound showed nothing unusual in that area, so I am left to think it is part of IBS, and relieved that the Ultrasound showed nothing unusual there. I also had an appendicitis when I was roughly 22. This is what it felt like. It was dull pain, and I had absolutely no appetite at all. This was pre-IBS, so when the pain didn't subside, my mom took me to the emergency room. They didn't think much until they got my blood counts back and my white counts were way, way up. The pain didn't seem all that bad, but after waiting some 12 hours for surgery, the pain got more pronounced and focused in one spot. If you've had normal blood counts, there are probably no worries about appendicitis. Best of luck to you. Try not to worry.


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## Isis5244 (May 4, 2003)

Hi Marie,I was diagnosed with IBS-C about a year ago. I had low back pain for several years before other symptoms of IBS showed up, now the back pain is worse than ever. I frequently have pain around my ovaries and uterus as well. The cramping I get with IBS-C feels like a combination of menstrual cramps and diaharrea cramps when the problem is actually very low motility and/or constipation. One very interesting thing. I injured my back 25 years ago, healed within about 5 years. That pain was almost exactly the same as the pain I now have with IBS. When the back injury first happened I was in bed for several days, partly because of the pain, but also because I couldn't stand up without an intensely urgent feeling that I was about to have severe diaharrea. There wasn't any diaharrea, and as soon as I laid down the urge went away. It was so strange, but I can't help thinking there must be a connection between those parts of the body that isn't well understood. Someone once told me it made sense on a diagram her chiropractor gave her, that there really is something to it. I wouldn't be surprised if the same is true for our reproductive organs.I would say check out any new symptoms with your doctor (in this case your GYN too) just to be sure, because there are more serious things that can look like IBS, but IBS is also an unpredictable thing and symptoms can change over time. It's probably nothing to worry about, you're not alone.


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## Stedwell (Jan 5, 2003)

My pain is constant and so much like you describe. It started with lower right abdominal pain which I now have across my whole abdomen and into the left side, just where the ovaries are. I also find it radiates over my right hip and into my back and down my legs.I have had scans, a lap, a sigmoidoscopy, an endoscopy, a barium swallow and a barium enema, a cystoscopy and hystoscopy. I am not even sure how to spell all these tests but they all came back normal. Even though I find it hard to accept I am coming to realise that it must be ibs. It is sometimes hard to accept when the pain is so like menstrual cramps but as nothing else is showing then I guess that is what it must be.


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