I’m putting this out there for the whole world to see because I apparently have a magical belly that grows to reach about 6 month pregnant size when I ovulate (okay, if you are a guy (or a gal) and this stuff makes you cringe then you can stop right here). I figure with the magic of the internet I might find someone else out there with this amazing magical belly as well (as it seems to be baffling my doctors).
I’m a relatively thin woman of thirty years of age with 3 children born vaginally.
(July 20th, 2012. Knowing I will ovulate in the coming days I take a before photograph)
I’ve never had surgery and have lived a pretty healthy life (besides a facial neuralgia that flares up from time to time). However, for the last 6 months or so I’ve woken up to this once a month (remaining this large for 48-72 hours or so and then slowly decreasing over a few days during the middle of my cycle):
(May 29th when I really realize that there is nothing normal about looking 6 months pregnant overnight…before I was trying to tell myself it was just something that would pass but as it was now mixed with severe pain I knew I had to look into it).
On May 30th I take myself to the local hospital where the emergency room doctor tells me that my hormones must make me more susceptible to gluten intolerance and it must be celiac disease or at least IBS (despite the fact I have no digestive issues and a complete celiac panal came back very much negative just a month or two earlier). A gastroscope with small intestine biopsy was moved from the end of September to the beginning of July and that also came back clear (5 samples taken and biopsy of a solitary gastric polyp). No celiac disease and no h. pylori.
The swelling has now (the past two cycles) started to happen not only at ovulation (but this is when it is most severe and long lasting) but lasting menstruation as well. When I am swollen it is hard to eat as it feels like food is getting stuck in my throat. I have chronic back pain from the fact that my abdomen shrinks and grows regularly. I have spotting in the middle of my cycle (generally a couple days before I start swelling). I am easily fatigue and have been dealing with palpitations/shortness of breath on standing. Foods that I’ve enjoyed in the past repulse me. Ovulation is intense and pain on my lower right side radiates to my leg and back not only then but at other times of the month as well. Menstruation, as always, causes pretty intense (but certainly not unbareable cramps in my back/legs (especially on standing for a while). I’m generally not terribly gassy.
The night of July 22nd/23rd (Note these photos are taken about 48 hours after the skinny one above. I haven’t eaten anything unusual or gas producing at all) I begin to swell again and decided that I would take myself to emergency at the larger hospital instead. I make a document of my pictures and measurements from that last couple of months and it is clear that I am going to treated more seriously this time around. The triage nurse is quite appalled that I was basically turned away two months earlier. For the number of patients in the waiting room, I do not wait for long and the nurse that takes me in looks at me and says, “that really quite distended, eh?” I tell her that there are photos but she says she does not even need them because I am tiny everywhere else besides my stomach. The doctor and I speak and he knows I am quite knowledgeable (being a doula and dabbling in midwifery studies). His best guess it that I have severe endometriosis and that I should be seen by an OBGYN as soon as possible (within the next couple of days).
Finally, on Thursday, still swollen and sore I call the OBGYN’s office as I have not heard anything and the secretary sneaks me into the doctor’s clinic on Friday because while the doctor is not taking new clients the secretary things I should be seen. I think that I am finally going to get answers, but I am only in the office for 10 seconds and she’s telling me that it is irritable bowel syndrome and prescribing me birth control pills (that I’ve never taken and don’t plan on taking unless some type of real diagnosis is made). She refused to hear the other symptoms I have and how things are progressing. When I asked about endometriosis she said, “edometriosis DOES NOT cause bloating.” It took me two minutes after I left her office to find this, this and this (which talks about women with endometriosis also being diagnosed with IBS because of intestinal adhesions). I wanted to go back in and show her but I have really little patience for people that think I’m stupid.
So I guess I have a few questions that I’d love to hear answers to (if you know someone with IBS and/or endometriosis I would love to hear their experiences).
1) Those of you diagnosed with IBS: Do you only get symptoms of IBS during ovulation? Were you diagnosed without bowel changes? (I occasionally go to the washroom less but that could very well be related to barely eating when swollen the last couple of months….it didn’t happen at all for the first 4 months of swelling) Are you noticeably gassy with you have symptoms or can you go 3 or 4 days with no gas (or gas type pains…..my pain is very deep ovulation like pain) at all.
2) Those of you diagnosed with endometriosis: Do you swell? Do you get symptoms with ovulation (I know it is generally related to menstruation)? Were you blown off many times before getting diagnosed? Do my symptoms sound like they might be related to adhesions.
I’m not terribly sure what my next steps are going to be, and I don’t think the gynecologist has any intention of seeing me again. I don’t intent to take birth control without a diagnosis. I’m sure looking for personal stories because I swear, I’m smart enough not to mix intestinal issue with reproductive issues. The feeling and very much different for me but this doctor has made me feel like I am crazy.
Pass along if you know someone that might be able to offer insight (as this is a VERY small blog!).
Thank you for reading
(December update as this is still circulating: I spend the month of September getting my GI system checked out from top to bottom because an internist tells me that I need to do that to rule things out before I can see an OBGYN. That I HAVE to see an OBGYN if everything came back good because something WAS going on. Everything GI turned out fine (I knew it would). On non contrasted CT scan my uterus was heterogenous (not homogenous, which is normal), I had pelvic phleboliths (but those can be really common) and linear density in the lower right (I think) lung base.
I’ve lost 20 pounds despite doing my best to snack more frequently. I’m occasionally nauseous.
Early in December I had pretty massive bleeding (my husband want to take me to the hospital for it). It was clot filled and “tissuey”. I work us several days later and was skinny (the swelling, as of August, had remained pretty much constant and well above my normal). I thought that this was the end of it, but within 2 days I was having pain (one really intense bout and then the more normal pain I’ve come to accept as my new normal) and swelling again. With December ovulation I’ve gain a full 10cm over the measurements I was getting after the bleeding I had.
GP does not want to see me anymore. Wants to send me to a psychiatrist because “psychological issues can make it seem like you are having physical problems when you aren’t”. She’s refusing to send me to an OBGYN. Something is clearly off with that system, but she refuses to listen to me, not understand that a woman can know her body very well and just KNOW.
I will pass along to all I know. We need to find a solution to this.
I am so sorry to hear about your frustrations. I have IBS andI have symptoms on a daily basis if I eat one of my many trigger foods. There is no real difference in when my symptoms occur in my cycle, though since having my daughter they are a bit worse during my period. I was not diagnosed with bowel changes , but I have IBS- C for the majority of the time. Frequently gas pains are a part of my symptoms. Your symptoms do not sounds like IBS at all. The only similarity that I read was in regards to the bloating. Do you have a family doctor? If so I would go in and demand a referral to another specialist. Don’t give up trying to find someone that can help, because you are worth it and sadly or health system here is terrible at times.
Best wishes,
Brianna
I have (or at least had) severe endometriosis. I was diagnosed through laproscopy when I was 26 and had a complete hysterectomy at age 37. Generally the first “symptom” of endo is sever pain during bleeding. Severe bleeding can be associated with it, but is now lending itself to its own diagnosis/treatment. I had the severe pain with bleeding from period #1. I vomited, sweated, and couldn’t stand upright for three days. A few years later, in my early twenties I had cysts on my ovaries that ruptured on their own. (Also, this was both before and after my first son was born) It wasn’t until after my first painful sexual encounter (vomiting sweating and couldn’t stand upright), though, that I sought help. The lap they performed was only diagnostic (a complete waste of time actually) and no attempt to remove or solder any of the endo was made. Since that time I have had a ovary rupture, a course of very nasty drugs (1 year) and last year, a complete hysterectomy.
All that is to say that i have NEVER seen that type of severe bloating. I have several close friends with endo and/or bleeding disorders, some of whom have had a hysto, but no bloating to this extent. I would say you need to see an OB/GYN, but not the one you have already seen. The only problem with this advise is that they are generally trained in surgery and sometimes act far closer to a surgeon than a doctor by way of bedside manner.
My guess is that this is something closer related to the hormones your body produces during your menstrual cycle, which is “intended” to prepare your body for pregnancy. I looks to me like your body takes this process too far. But, it also could be that you have severe endometriosis and that it has, like mine was, gone from the uterus, via the fallopian tubes, into your abdominal cavity and grown onto everything. Mine was on my stomach, intestines, bladder, gall bladder, bowels, you name it. And every month during my cycle, EVERY bit of that tissue (which is uterine tissue) would swell and bleed….EVERY MONTH. And, since I had severe pain, well, you can probably imagine. When I progressed to the point that I couldn’t make it to the bathroom in time (I was 35) I knew I needed help, that it had gone on long enough.
There is a VERY helpful website http://www.hystersisters.com/. Don’t let the name scare you. It is a community of women and doctors that are supporting hysterectomy for those women that NEED one, many, many women have had them unnecessarily and later find out the problem wasn’t the uterus at all. BE WARNED there is a TON if information on this site, don’t get overwhelmed right away. I’m sure someone in the group will help guide you to the answer you need. Don’t hesitate to contact me with additional questions either.
I sincerely hope you find your answers.
Melanie
Hi i saw your story i am not a doctor but i remember something similar happening to my mother have they tried take fluid from the abdomen and having it tested for (i dont want to scare you but better to catch it early god forbid) cancer they had found cancer cells in the fluid maybe as the hormone levels in your body rise like during menstruation it causes the belly to swell even more?please keep me updated sincerely adina
They have not mentioned anything like that. I will certainly be updated if/when I get some answers.
I have endometriosis and my friend had actually pointed out that that is what my symptoms look like because she had it too. So I was looking it up and made perfect sense. I was throwing up anywhere from 2-15 times a day durimg menses and I had had enough. After symptoms lasted about a year,, I went to the OB/GYN and I had to CRY, YELL, TALK, SCREAM, AND GET PISSED OFF before he actually agreed to do the laproscopic surgery required for a diagnosis of endometriosis. Then he did the surgery, and I had leisons all over my intestines and he told me it was right.
ENDOMETRIOSIS CAN NOT BE DIAGNOSED WITHOUT A LAPRASCOPIC SURGERY. SO IF THEY WANNA TELL YOU THAT’S WHAT YOU HAVE, MAKE THEM DO THE SURGERY TO PROVE THEM WRONG, because I have had it for years and have nev er swollen like that.
I would have been happy to have the laproscopic to prove them wrong (or right). Currently that diagnosis feels more right to me than IBS.
I shared this in a facebook group of Birth Professionals in hopes that someone might have some information for you. Good luck!
Thank you, AJ.
Ugh, I wish you could see my ND Katrina. You need some seriously investigative holistic care with someone who can give you some real attention. I don’t know what the answer is, but neither IBS nor endometriosis seem particularly apt diagnoses at this point. Clearly it is some sort of intense hormonally driven inflammatory response… For symptom management I might try an anti inflammatory diet and some liver supportive/cleansing herbs in addition to really good hydration. Obviously a diagnosis is important but you might see if those help.
Yes, I wish there was a ND here that I was comfortable with. I may end up making a visit to the one I saw in pregnancy just to have an idea of what she might say. Visiting Mtl soon so will likely look into getting some alternative work done there as well.
I’m still trying to figure out WHY you were given birth control pills to help with IBS! Makes no sense to me.
I am a member of a group on Facebook called “Healthy Living for Healthy Families” http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/healthyfamilies/members/
I’m sure there are some knowedgable members there that could offer you much insight and help. I am just learning about so much of this stuff lately. I am cutting out wheat product and a good deal of dairy products. No one in my family has IBS, but I think we could all benefit from giving up wheat products.
I found a good book to read is “Wheat Belly”. There’s lots of mention of IBS in that book.
That looks like 7 months to me…
I have IBS, 10 years ago, I contracted hemorrhagic E. Coli (E.Coli O157:H7), the kind that kills people… didn’t kill me, obviously. Didn’t make me swell up like that either. Left me with IBS. Extreme high motility one day, extra low the next 3 weeks… it never ends. Bloating, from gassiness… and that is kind of unmistakable. It also NEVER bloats me to such extremes. I have never ONCE bloated past one pants size. Two? maybe… but that big is not something someone with IBS is typically experiencing. If you do, it is Go To The Hospital time. The gynecologist wouldn’t necessarily know much about it… for the record, my significant other has Crohn’s/Ulcerative Colitis, and THAT is some serious stuff. Bloating like I am seeing, that is hospital time, intestinally-wise, no matter how you slice it. The two pains are unmistakably different. IBS pain is like what you would expect, intestinal cramps, accompanied by noise. I have ovulation pain. Two completely different animals.
Now let’s tackle endometriosis. I had a mild case. Went away after my son was born the year after the E Coli… never swelled like that. My sister’s on the other hand, was rather more serious. She underwent several laparoscopic procedures and hormonal regimens. The main symptom is not that much bloating, but your period flows like Niagara Falls. She never swelled like that, not even after surgery. Now for my sister-in-law… endometriosis so severe that she had multiple miscarriages, surgeries to try to correct the massive scarring… She had multiple adhesions, to her bladder, intestines, stomach, kidneys, bones in her hips… after many attempts to correct it, and having to have parts of her small and large intestine and bladder… she chose a radical hysterectomy. ALL tissue gone, instant cure and menopause.
She never swelled up like that. 4-5 months tops. Not 7. And she had about as bad endometriosis gets… You need a bigger hospital, and a doctor that wants to figure out what is happening.
The fact that this started happening during ovulation specifically made me think first of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS), which is typically seen as a side effect of fertility treatment and presents with severe abdominal bloating and pain. I’ve never heard of it happening in someone who isn’t receiving drug therapy that would hyperstimulate the ovaries but if you have some kind of hormone imbalance, I don’t think it would be out of the question. I suggest you consult a reproductive endocrinologist or other doctor who specializes in treating abnormal conditions of the ovaries and uterus–not just an OBGYN.
IBS is an exclusionary diagnosis… unfortunately it’s becoming a catch all “get out of my office” diagnosis for doctors who don’t want to actually do their damn job. But an exclusionary diagnosis basically boils down to what doctors diagnose when after running TESTS they’ve excluded all other possibilites. Since they haven’t excluded anything they cannot diagnose you with IBS.
The only thing I can think of off the top of my head is Kwashiorkor, which is seen in poverty stricken children. This obviously isn’t the case as you’re not a child and you’re not malnourished or in poverty but it’s pretty much why kids in those ‘feed the children’ commercials always have swollen bellies even though they’re starving to death (liver problems and protein deficiency). The actual swelling of the abdomen though in Kwashiorhor’s is from Ascites ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascites ) and has many other cause besides malnutrition, like liver problems, problems with the pancreas, cancer etc… either way if your stomach swells up like you’re pregnant that’s not some minor thing that can be brushed off with an exclusionary diagnosis before anything is excluded. I would seriously consider finding a doctor who will do a full blood work up and run some major tests, particularly regarding liver function, to find out what’s going on. Even if the cause is hormonal the root of it could be problems with the liver (the liver helps regulate hormones). If the liver isn’t functioning properly and regulating hormones and that in turn could be what’s leading to the abdominal distention (Ascites) during ovulation.
I’m not a doctor so take this for what it is… but the bottom line is you need to find a doctor that’s actually going to figure out what the hell is going on here because this is not a routine problem so whatever is going on is not something they’re going to figure out in a 10 minute routine exam.
A friend of mine posted your blog post on FB and I saw it and was glad i read it. I was diagnosed with endometriosis 14 years ago. The ONLY way ( I saw others post this as well) to confirm endo is via laproscopic surgery. They can look around and see where it is located and take action from there. I did experience all of the symptoms you wrote about except for the severe bloating. This is something I would definitely pursue and don’t stop until you get answers. It does sound hormone related for sure and you can also have your hormones tested to check on your levels. Years after I was diagnosed and had gone through various drug treatments, I discovered that what I ate made a huge difference in how I felt. All of my symptoms disappeared after I cut out gluten, dairy, and refined sugars. I ate only whole foods. That would be good for anyone to do but I would encourage you to look into an OB/GYN who would do a laproscopy to see what’s going on. The one thing I do want to mention is that if you do have endo, you will get all kinds of recommendations/opinions on treatment. Do your research. It was recommended that I have a hysterectomy but after hearing from other women who did have one, these particular women also had endo on the outside of their uterus. Estrogen is what feeds the endo and your body will still produce estrogen, even if a little after a hysterectomy. And these gals still had pain afterwards. So it was not the cure they were hoping for. This is not the case for everyone, so find out everything you can about your own diagnosis and do the research. This website was a lot of help for me. http://www.endometriosisassn.org/. I’ll stop here so as not to overwhelm you anymore than you may already feel. Praying for answers for you!
Blessings~
Wendi H.
i just wanted to leave a reply, i get this too! I have since the birth of my 3rd child and it has continued to this day almost 4 years later. I have symptoms of Endometriosis and IBS and have found links to IBS caused by Endo and have always thought it was that but the GYNOs that i have been referred to just want me on medications or do exploratory surgery which i will not consent to. I was researching and found the Endo Diet 2 years ago and figured what the hell… it has been a huge relief for me. I do not have the extreme bloating any longer, although mine would come and go during different parts of my cycle, not just at ovulation, i do not have any more ovarian cysts or fluid on my pelvis, i no longer have severe bleeding or cramping. No spotting either. If i “cheat” on the diet i notice the bloating creeping back and i just feel sick to my stomach. Ive not pressed for more answers though since the diet has helped me
The Endo diet is fantastic! It helped me tremendously also.
I know a lady a good friend of mine from BC and she has had endo for many many years and she has never ever swelled like this Katrina and she was bad and ended up having a hysterectomy which has helped with the pain. Hope u soon get answers my friend.. maybe demand to see on in Antigonish or Halifax… get referred out of your home area..
Have you also looked into thyroid issues?
I would get another ultrasound at the peak height of swelling.
Ask for the ultrasound to be of all your abdominal insides: Uterus, intestine, kidneys, stomach, etc.
have you looked into diastasis recti? i had that and know many people who have it. i am apart of a support group on facebook for it. when i ate or had the slightest bloating i automatically looked and felt 6 months pregnant, had back pain, and severe bloat pain to the point that i would have to lay down and apply counter pressure. i had surgery to get it fixed.
Yes, I have slight case of this but really, really mild. While it might help account for the extreme look of the bloat, there is something else going on underneath causing it to swell to begin with I’m sure.
I don’t have endometriosis and my swelling isn’t as pronounced but that does happen to me every ovulation. It is because my muscles didn’t go back to normal following the pregnancy and I have some food sensitivities that cause me a lot of bloating.
There is never any pain for me.
Pretty much a repeat of what others have said. I had moderate endometriosis and NEVER had swelling like that. I also have IBS and again, have NEVER had that kind of swelling. I have pain with ovulation, some months none, some months so bad that I can barely walk for 2-3 days. But again, never any swelling like that.
When diagnosed with endometriosis, I had an awesome OB who diagnosed it quick. I was 21 years old.
With the IBS, it’s so complex and so different for everyone. I can seem fine for a few days then bam…so it doesn’t necessarily feel the same all the time and it can be triggered with hormonal changes (ie-diarrhea right before menstruation when I’m typically more constipated).
Someone needs to take this seriously and look into it further because you need a full workup, not just labels of what it could be thrown at you, especially not treating for something that isn’t fully diagnosed.
Your symptoms look and sound like celiac disease. More research has come about and there are a whole spectrum .of symptoms besides gastric distress. If not celiac then gluten intolerance. Yes both can be much worse with hormonal fluctuations. The site adventuresofaglutenfreemom.com has some easy to read and understand information on both celiac and gluten intolerance. I have read several stories from women with your symptoms years later realizing it was celiac. IBS is a diagses used when the Dr doesn’t know what’s wrong. It is not a disease simply a catch all used for certain symptoms. Try gluten free for a full month. It will be hard at first bit for my family it cured painful bloating, unexplained rashes, constipation, bad breath, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. These were the random symptoms of five people.
I would be check for a pituitary gland mass or tumor. The swelling could be caused by fluid build up in the peritoneal space caused by some kind of malfunction in any of the hormones the pituitary gland controls (ADH, FSH, LH, etc.). I hope you find an answer!
So you didn’t get tested for Celiac or try a gluten free diet even though you are exhibiting classic symptoms of the disease? It’s awfully hard for me to feel any sympathy for you because you didn’t do proper research on celiac. Celiac cause these symptoms during the ovulation cycle and can also feel as if you have no digestive issues. I’ve seen your symptoms in dozens of female patients before who were diagnosed with celiac and I think it’s incredibly absurd you blew off a doctor’s attempt to help you. If you really want to try to get better start taking suggestions from your doctors more seriously and determine if this is related to a gluten or food issue.
Actually, I do mention in my post that I had the full Celiac panel done and when that was negative I even did the upper gastroscope. There are no signs of Celiac Disease. Yes, there may be an intolerance and I am cutting out gluten to see but there does not seem to be any correlation to what I eat.
I actually spent months researching celiac disease and fighting to get me and my children testing (this was BEFORE the first ER doctor suggested it as a possibility in May). The GI doctor totally blew me off and said it certainly was NOT celiac disease and didn’t even look up from his computer (a journal/newspaper article) to listen to my symptoms.
Wow, your tone is completely disrespectful and you didn’t even bother to read the post properly, or you would have seen that she did follow her doctor’s advice and get the full celiac testing. Before shooting off your condescending tone, make sure you’ve got your facts straight.
I did go back and make the post even clearer that I had followed my doctor’s advice. While mentioned in the post earlier, I can see how maybe SB may have missed it.
You did not make it clear that you had the celiac panel come back negative. You also said you had a gastroscope, however method of diagnosis is via small intestinal biopsy. Did they take samples and did they take a large enough number of them to be statistically rule it out? A current debate w/in the academic world is that gastroenterologists are not properly trained on diagnosis, and are turning away patients (which is why the ER docs see walk ins frequently) or they are not taking enough samples when they conduct the small intestinal biopsy because damage could be located in multiple patchy sections, thus if they only take samples from 2-3 sections they could easily overlook it.
Yes, I guess I wasn’t totally clear (I’ve now gone back and edited the post). I’ve been discussing with several people and in other messages I posted that I wasn’t comfortable with the ER’s assessment the first time because my celiac panel had come back negative just a couple months earlier. I went back as read that I did leave that information out of this post. I also assumed that it was typical to do the small intestine biopsy when doing a gastroscope so did not specify (they took 5 samples and also a sample of a solitary gastric polyp for biopsy…all clear and no h. Pylori). I have been gluten free for 48 hours and plan on continuing until at LEAST next ovulation. Much of the pain (in my back/legs and during ovulation) seems to be deep and gynecological in nature but if cutting out gluten will help I am happy to do it. I just wanted to be clear that I did do a complete follow up for celiac (and not due to digestive issues but my neuralgia, migraines, brain muddle and fatigue).
http://www.adventuresofaglutenfreemom.com/category/medical-stuff/our-story/heidi/ There are some super weird symptoms that Celiac can come up with. Heidi talks about a lot of them (and her experiences too) on this page. Unfortunately, the medical community isn’t all that up on it, and often don’t look for atypical symptoms.
Your symptoms are amazing! Your body is really doing some dynamic stuff to maintain homeostasis.. Phew! I do not have personal experience with such bloating or endometriosis. That said you must know I am a Therapeutic Massage Practitioner of 16 years and I am a Certified Arvigo Practitioner. I specialize in abdominal and uterine issues.
Endometriosis is a medical mystery in itself. They really don’t know how it happens only that it happens. What is known is that the endometrial tissue responds to hormonal changes in the body because it is hormonal tissue. It is also known that this tissue can travel throughout the body and literally end up as far as the the nasal cavity. So you can imagine the havoc it can cause in any one cycle of hormonal shifts.
There is no mystery to me that you are bloating with ovulation nor is it strange that endometriosis can effect your digestion. I absolutely encourage you to investigate your diet for any intolerances or possible allergies. Which you have been doing.
Now, I have many questions for you as far as your medical history, any injuries throughout your life and digestive history from before your 1st pregnancy and throughout motherhood. But without any of that information I am willing to bet that your sacrum and/or coccyx has some damage and your uterus is tilted. This uterine imbalance can cause a whole myriad of symptoms. You see, the uterus is housed and supported by many ligaments that when shortened or lengthened due to any injuries and/or repetitive movements this can effect digestion and cause improper venous return. Not to mention, the reasons we (those of us who study Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy) believe the endometrial tissue finds it’s way outside the uterus. This is because the uterus is bent over in any number of positions ie.. retroverted, retroflexed, anteverted, or anteflexed. When the uterus can’t effectively operate the symptomology is vast. She can not communicate with the brain effectively, meaning hormonal confusion. This hormonal confusion in turn can effect many of the body’s processes. That’s it in a nutshell. You can get more information at http://www.arvigotherapy.com and find a practitioner in your area.
I have seen some amazing changes happen with the Arvigo Techiques. In my sixteen years of bodywork and massage therapy I haven’t seen anything help abdominal and uterine issues like this work. I wish you well and hope the information I’ve shared is helpful.
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This same thing is happening to me since I had my daughter in may 2011 , when I went back for my 6 week check up I was sore stil and my on said I had an infection/blockage in one of my tubes so he gave me antibiotics and it went away, then I lost my insurance, I have a period app on my phone and I track my cycle, the day before ovulation my stomach swells huge! And round just like yours, finally I went to the dr last week and of course they couldn’t have an appt open during the time this was going on, & they say oh nothing’s wrong with u. So I fork out hundreds of dollars off my credit card for no answers and now here it is again my stomach is huge and I’m in pain, feels like a long sharp constant pain in my ovaries. And it feels like pressure down there, the same type of pressure u feel when ur 40 weeks pregnant. I will be miserable for a few days and then be fine, have u found any answers since this post? Please feel free to email me privately
You are not alone! I have the very same issue and look just like your pictures! Endomitriosis diagnosed through lap. 7 years ago. The bloating (which is an understatement) more like “pregnancy” started 2 years ago and I quickly had another lap. in hopes of curing the bloat… But it never really went away. Don’t know what to do. The main thing I could do is change my diet. I am a sugarholic! Definitely seems hormonally driven somehow but also connects to digestion .. Like will get even bigger after I eat, but only during ovulation or right before petiod! I hate it!!!
I am shocked to come across your page. I feel like those are my pictures with my words. It’s crazy cause my husband is a personal trainer and one day he will be complimenting me and my efforts to getting my shape back, and the next he’s like, did i miss something? My MIL nearly has a heart attack almost monthly thinking I’m pregnant again, but later tells me I’m getting too skinny. It’s maddening! And the associated pain is long lasting and debilitating. I thought I was the only person on the planet who was dealing with this. I just wish we had some answers
I too, was given similar advice and hypothesis, but nothing was conclusive or effective. I was convinced that it was endometriosis, but laparoscopy showed everything in perfect condition. I also went gluten, whey, casein, and dairy free at the advice of my ND, and several months into it, I still suffer all these same symptoms. Most days I want to cry. It feelslike a diagnosis is unattainable and I’m exhausted by alk the researching, testing, trying, eliminating, procedures, surgeries, etc.
The pain is getting progressively worse, and the swelling is also during menstruation now as well. I weigh 123 lbs and can get up to 130 during ovulation and menses. It’s crazy! I should take pictures like you as well.
The last thing I am going to try surgically is the abdominal muscle repair. While I only have a minor separation, it certainly couldn’t make matters worse :-/
I do the same thing!!!!!!!!!!!! I actually just got on here to look up why I swell when I ovulate. Ovulation has always been painful, but I too look 6 months pregnant over night for 3 days.