Possible endo (or is it just IBS?)

[Hocus]

I have some odd symptoms and just don’t know if they’re endo or if they’re IBS. I have coeliac disease also so don’t want to assume it’s endo. Here are some of my symptoms:

Frequent pelvic pain (low abdominal ache & sometimes pinching pains either side where I imagine my ovaries are)

Worse constipation when on my pill break (been on the pill for 13 years) inc a specific ‘full’ feeling around the perineum like if I strained all my organs down there would be forced down

Sometimes hurts when sitting down - similar to the full feeling above but when sitting it refers a pain up inside

I don’t have heavy periods or terrible period pain (although period pain was worse before I went on the pill and a few times in my life when not on the pill it’s been really bad, like I felt like I was having contractions or something)

Unsure whether to pursue endo investigations since I have a lot of bowel issues, but suspicious because of the weird symptoms especially the ones that mainly happen during my pill break.

I know laparoscopy is the only way to know for sure but I have so many health things going on the thought of pursuing another line of enquiry is so overwhelming!

Does anyone get symptoms like these? Any thoughts on whether it sounds more like endo or IBS, or indeed something else?

[bertie1606]

Hello,It sounds to me like it would be worth investigating for endo, it doesn't sound to me like all of those symptoms could be put down to ibs.

I was told for for a couple of years my symptoms were ibs, when it was infact endo and I had to fight to be listened too.

I had similar symptoms, the pain when sitting down, and the pressure down below feeling like everything was trying to push out. Lower pelvic pain every day, ovulation pain that is so sharp.

One thing I've learnt from the forum is the amount of pain or bleeding you have doesn't always correlate to the amount of endo, you could have severe endo with hardly any pain and light bleeding or mild endo and excruciating periods and heavy bleeding.

Mine didn't cause symptoms until I had been off the pill for a few months, I was on the pill or pregnant from the age of 15 until 35, and my symptoms appeared at 36 and got steadily worse. I am now 40 and waiting for my second lap to remove what they can.

You know your body, and if it doesn't feel to you like it's ibs then ask for a referral.

Sorry for the long reply! Xx

[Hocus in reply to bertie1606]

Thanks so much, I really appreciate the long reply! Hearing your experience is really helpful , especially because I haven’t seen much (if anything) written about the specific symptoms I have so it’s weirdly reassuring to hear you’ve had similar. It’s hard to know what to do when there’s so much misinformation/ lack of info about endo! (And tbh about IBS!)

[bertie1606 in reply to Hocus]

I'm glad I could be of help! It is very sad that there isn't enough awareness of endo, especially considering it affects 1 in 10 women. Its also very concerning that a lot of GPs aren't aware of the symptoms, and usually try and put bad periods down to being normal for a woman or convince us its something else like ibs. Make sure you push for a referral xx