On 3/2/17 I had a robotic hysterectomy, removing everything but my right ovary. I had endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids and ovarian cysts.
In November 2016 I went from a happy size 14 (187 lbs, 5'5") to a bloated, distended, miserable 16. My lady bits were angry and anything I ate swelled me up like a balloon. When the Dr did the hysterectomy she discovered the left-side ovarian cyst they thought was quarter-sized actually was much bigger. Somehow, it grew in to a fold in my intestine and was actually XL egg-sized. That explained the abdominal issues, right?
After the surgery I was excited to see my belly go down a little bit..... until it didn't. As I healed my "swelly belly" got worse! I read and reread info on swelly belly anywhere I could get it. I resigned myself to the idea that it just took time to go away. However, I was MISERABLE. I was up to a size 18 and my weight (despite a good diet) had blossomed to 203 lbs. my sex life with my bf was nonexistent. I was depressed. I was angry. I was lost. I had at least one normal BM a day, nearly every day, since this began in Nov. Regularity threw the doctor's off ... no obstruction, no constipation, no diarrhea.... With crap insurance I had few options. I tried to do what I could to get answers such as testing intestinal motility by (TMI) eating corn and seeing how long it took to pass. I was shocked to discover it took 3.5 days to pass- waaaay too long. My intestines were sluggish, but why?
I read more. The only things that almost fit my life seemed to be: SIBO, IBD, IBS, peri-menopausal food allergy, "getting old," pelvic floor weakness, new cyst.... I'd gone gluten and dairy free. I'd started pelvic floor exercises. Nothing helped....until I was so distended, depressed and fed up I went to the ER.
A CT scan revealed .... nothing. I was sent home and told to start a stricter diet and to do (another) cleanse & to see my GP and a specialist. I saw my GP the next day. One phrase on the report caught her attention: "severely inflamed lg, sm intestine and rectum." She asked what seems to be an obvious question, "but why?"
Regardless of the cause, my innards were very, very angry. My Dr decided to try to calm down my intestines using Prednisone. My insurance sucks so I can't see a GI specialist to figure out the cause of this. I was game to try the Prednisone.
Within 24 hours I got relief - for the FIRST TIME since November!!! (TMI) After 2 days on Prednisone I ate corn. Passed in 2 days! Progress. After 4 days on Prednisone I ate corn again. Lol. Passed in under 24 hours!!!
There's a rare syndrome called Olgilvie Syndrome that can occur after abdominal/gyno surgery. Sometimes it goes away (with Prednisone & other treatments). It's a Syndrome in which your intestines react as if there's an obstruction but there isn't. This can be due to inflammation & the body's attempt to heal itself. We think that's what occurred in my case.
Moral here: there may be more to your swelly belly than you think. Keep asking WHY and don't settle for a blanket diagnosis! Don't sit back and WAIT! I still have my final week of Prednisone treatment and I'm still on a strict, easy on the intestines diet, but for the first time I have hope.
Swelly belly nearly ruined all aspects of my life. I was so down, so miserable and so lost I was no longer ME. I found myself adapting to being miserable versus taking charge of my health. Fight, ladies. Try the prednisone if you can. Don't let swelly belly take you out of the game.
Hope for Swelly Belly
