Bowel endometriosis and IBS linked?

[goldeyes12]

Hi I am new to this endo support group. Basically I been diagnosed with IBS and 5years later few docs suggested endo. Could anyone please share how bowel problems ( cramps , mushy stools, urgency, pain, constipation) affect they health related to bowel endo?how do you ladies deal with the symptoms and what treatments with ur experience helped?

P.s. I m super scared about having a laparoscopy done.

[Hidden]

Hello! I get the same problems and have seen tonnes of gynys and also a gastroenterologist and they cant confirm its bowel endo until they do a laporoscopy (which they dont want to do) so ive had an MRI to see if I have any obstrucrions/masses in my bowel which could indicate bowel endo. I have been fobbed off with being told I just have bad IBS so im just having to take mild laxatives everyday. Sorry I cant be of much more help hope you get sorted soon! Take care x

[Katie1980]

Hi goldeyes,

First of all, don't be scared about your laparoscopy. It's actually not bad and I found the most uncomfortable thing afterwards to be the shoulder pain.

I recently had surgery to excise adhesions all over my insides, including on my bowel. I have been diagnosed with endo for over ten years but it took me time to make the connection between my growing bowel pain and my endometriosis, I am very fortunate in that I have a great GP and was referred to a endo specialist team who listened to me seriously and I had further tests on my bowel prior to surgery. Please be clear that there is every chance that it is no endo on your bowel and that it might well be IBS (from what I understand IBS and endo are linked as autoimmune conditions), but be persistent in ensuring that you are taken seriously and that you get checked out.

I lived with my growing symptoms for perhaps a year and now, three months post quite major surgery I am the most pain free I have been in ten years, and cannot believe I lived with it for so long!

Good luck x