Can't lie on right hand side when bowel too full (diagnosed with endo).

[sara75]

Hi ladies, hope you are all well. Since my last period, when I haven't had a bowel movement for 3days, I can't lie on my right hand side because of a bad pain on my lower left. (Lower left pelv is where most my endo pain is, and definitely endo as when I had lap, pain went but slowly come back with all my other endo symptoms).

Does anyone else get this with endo? I drink loads of water, eat loads of fibre and am usually regular, then very suddenly can't go for a few days - only started happening when endo started getting worse around Nov 2012 and was fine before then. Also since the last period, I get more pain walking and the period and ovulation pain was much worse aswell.

But my question really is: does anyone get left sided pain when they lie on the right side, when the bowel is too full or at other times? I've never had this symptom before, but this is the worst I've been I suppose. (My endo is in the pouch of douglas and the left uterosacral ligaiment).

[Impatient]

Yes this happened when i developed a cyst - so a visit to the GP and he/she can feel to see if they think there might be one there (they can grow quickly) and refer you to hosp for a scan to double check. Full bowel and cyst competing for space and the cyst wins.

You could try glycerine suppositories (available from superarkets and pharmacies) which will really draw a lot of body fluids in to the bowel to break down the poo and help it escape. The trick is to hold on as long as you can before heading for the loo.

You will feel the urge to go toilet about 20 mins or so after inserting one, but try and clench for at least 40 mins to and hour if poss. The longer you can bare to hold on the more effective the loo trip will be.

3 days isn't too long to be constipated - but if after trying everything you are still bunged up by day 7 then please call NHS helpline or you GP - they may want you to then go to A&E.

Intestinal diverticulitis is an inflamation of a pouch along the intestines and tends to hurt on the left side - and cause you to be bunged up too. It doesn't have anything to do with endo.

The most severe would be an intussusception of the intestine and this is an immediate medical emergency - though very rare and if it was that you wouldn't have had the pain coming on for a while so I think that can safely be ruled out.

Much more likely is either diverticulitis or a cyst - but the 1st steps are to try and self treat the blockage with lactulose orally or glycerine suppositories (which is not as icky as you would imagine and it can work a little miracle in a short space of time). Much more effective than orally taken meds or tablets when the blockage is at the lower end of the pipe work.

Hopefully you'll be sorted out in a day or two. Just needing to give mother nature a bit of a shove in the right direction.

If the bowels to clear up and get moving but the pain persists - then you will have to visit the GP to check for signs of a cyst.

Best of Luck in the loo department.

[sara75]

Hiya, I've actually been now (tmi sorry!) and have tried lying on the right and it doesn't hurt, but I'll try the suppositories in future though so thanks for that!

3 days isn't long for me to not go, but this has happened twice since my last period cos with each period my endo is getting worse. The gynae said its with everything being cramped with the bowel being full and nerves being pressed etc. I've found all the time I've had endo, the more full my bowel is, the worse the endo pain is. The pain stopped abruptly when I had the lap and endo removed, as did the constipation, but all the symptoms have come back over the last year. I have to walk even slower since this last period aswell cos of the pain it causes.

I see the gynae at hospital on 19th March to be referred for another Lap to remove endo again. Haven't had a scan yet but they may do one then to check for cysts like you say.

Thanks for replying Impatient! Sara x

[spammie85]

I know exactly where ur coming from mine is all left sided and I also had endo on my bowel ovary womb etc but it doesn't half create problems in the toilet dept. I had a lap 27th dec n saw consultant last week he said my only option now is hysterectomy which we have booked and are just waitin on a date because the endo has caused me severe problems with walking. I started with the walking slower with a wide gait n now I have to use crutches as it has affected my left sciatic nerve and the pain is horrendous. It also damaged my left ureter enough for a stent to be inserted and my bladder was tht damaged I now have to use catheters so I would go to the docs and ask for them t get ur appt brought forward if I were u n tell them ur reasons y .all my endo has only ever been on the left side for some reason but if I lie on my right side it's painful as it feels like things are being pulled etc by the endo . hope u get sorted soon xxx

[sara75]

Hi spammie85! I can lie on my right without pain most the time- it's only when I haven't had a bowel movement for 3days or more, then as soon as it's 'got rid of' (!) I can lie without pain again. I've always had more endo pain in general when I need to

go. Gynae said its with everythng being cramped.

It's quite rare for me to get endo pain DURING walking, but when I do, it goes after a couple of mins. The pain from walking for me is when I get home and sit down - it's worse that night and the next morning.

My endo is just in the pouch of douglas, and the left uterosacral ligament. Obv endo on the bowel would affect bowel more, but apparently the endo itself, wherever it is, releases a chemical which directly affects the bowel, causing constipation, diarrhea and

rectal pain. I'd never be able to have a hysterectomy as at 38, I'd need HRT and I can not have any hormones at all for health reasons, so the only thing I can do is keep getting lap to get it removed.

So with the sciatica, do you get shooting pains down the leg aswell? Sara xx

[Sunflower16]

Hi I'm sorry to hear about the pain you endure. Unfortunately I do suffer the same. I can not lie on my right hand side at all as I get a sharp pulling pain. This is regardless of my bowels being full x