bowel problems

Hi all I don't know where to ask this but need some help.I had another sonagram last week and have 4 fibroids 2 as large as grapefruits.I just started taking progesterone and it has really helped slow the bleeding but not helped with the pain.What I really want to know is has anyone had major trouble with your bowels.I have to take senakot(senna) to go at all and when I do I pass out and lets just say have alot of cleaning up to do.I have so much pain I just can't seem to move my bowels while sitting up.Then I pass out and when I'm flat on the floor can go.It is terrible!This happens almost every time I go.Can the place or pressure of the fibroids do this? Has anyone else had this problem?I was trying to wait and see if the prog would shrink them but I just can't stand this.Any help would be appreciated.Thanks Jasper

Hi

I'm really sorry to hear you're having such problems. I haven't had that particular problem but I have had bowel disease for a long time and recently had a hernia that was making it hard for my bowels to move. What you describe is definitely not something you should have to be experiencing. It is really important that your doctor know just exactly what is happening. Don't hold back - this is one time it's important to tell all. I don't know what all could be going on, but a blockage is a possibility. Whatever is going on, your doctor should hear about it and if it were me in your shoes I would definitely insist on an investigation. Hopefully this is not anything more serious than what you already know about. Quite possible. But you need to know.

Joselle

Hi- if you are passing out (due to pain) during bowel movements, this seems a bit worrisome. Does your Dr. know about this? Is this a new development? If so, might want to consult with him/her.

I had a large fibroid (honeydew melon) assoc with my cervix and behind my uterus somehow. It was low in my pelvis and impinging on my bowel, and yet I wasn't really aware of it. All I noticed was that I started having many bowel movements which were thin and stretched out (instead of one larger one.) The Dr couldn't believe that I wasn't totally constipated. (This big fibroid did not hugely affect my periods, and I did not know it was in there. Dr. found it during routine pelvic exam.) I did notice that I looked 4 months pregnant, and that ticked me off as I was pretty fit, and couldn't get rid of this crazy pot belly!

I was put on Lupron Depot for 3 months prior to surgery to shrink the fibroid. A smaller fibroid might mean that I would escape a vertical incision on my abdomen. As well, the Lupron would reduce blood flow to the area, causing the shrinkage and reducing chances of blood loss during the operation. I am home recovering now, and doing pretty good - I got the horizontal incision. Lupron puts one into menopause, stopping all hormonal cycles. I only had mild hot flashes with it. No big deal. Lupron involves injections, once the effects wear off - my ovaries should kick in, and I will start cycles again. Now that I have no uterus, of course, there will be no periods.

Anyhow, if I had progressed much further, I probably would have started having more serious bowel problems - as you are experiencing.

Good luck - I hope everything is fixed for you soon. Sounds like you're having a rough time.

Linda.

Hi

I would definitely call your DR and explain the problem. Usually the progesterone is to control the bleeding, not to shrink the fibroids. I was on it for 2 1/2 years to control the bleeding, when I started taking it my uterus was the size of a 6 week pregnancy, at the time my surgery it was the size of a 16-18 week pregnancy.

Best wishes!

I am with the other ladies. I would definitely call the doc and explain what is going on. However, I must say that this sounds like my problem that I have with irretible bowel syndrome, only I have diarrhea and then severe abdominal pain, and then almost pass out, but opt to lie down on the floor before that happens. I have read that irretible bowel can have these symptoms with diarrhea or constipation or alternate between the two. Sounds very familiar to me. I would tell doc for sure.

meanie

Thanks to all who replied so quickly.I have had this problem off and on for several years but it has gotten worse lately.As Linda said ifit is(I'm sorry this is so gross a subject)formed at all it is long and stretched out.Also Meanie I now keep a large bottle of ammonia in the bathroom and pour it on a rag if I start to get crampy so sometimes I don't go out completely but still can't get up to the pot unless my DH picks me up and holds me on(for better or WORSE right).I have told several docs about this and for instance my PCP said "don't worry that is just because of your vagas(vegas?)nerve ,just get regular and stay that way".This is no lie ! this is what I was told.I'd like to see him go through this. ANYWAY THANKS AGAIN .I was going to wait till June to get this hyster but more and more think it may be the way to go.Ihave so many health problems I'm afraid to make it worse,but this is pretty bad.Take care allJasper

Jasper,

That sounds about right. My docs act like it is not so big a deal. I tell you what, if this ever happens to me at work, EVERYBODY is going to know how big a deal it is. I know what you mean about not being able to get off the floor. My dd has had to clean the diarrhea off the floor, because I was so faint and so weak that I could not get in an upright position! I am so glad that I found this web site and I am actually talking to ladies that have the same, or at least similar, problems that I am having.

I don't understand why you have been willing to tolerate this problem. Are you stuck with this doctor due to insurance or no insurance?

What you are experiencing is NOT normal. It seriously affects your qualilty of life. It may or may not be related to the fibroid, I'm not a doctor so I wouldn't know.

What I "do" know is that I would not be willing to continue living like this without a doctor taking me seriously and giving serious consideration to the problem. If it is beyond his or her ken then I would insist on being referred to a gastroenterologist.

Sometimes you have to MAKE these doctors sit up and take notice. It shouldn't be, but that's the way it sometimes is. Start rattling some chains or whatever it takes to get some help and some answers.

I would call the doctor Monday, INSIST on an appointment yet this week and then insist that he sit down and LISTEN to me and then DO something. Referral or whatever it takes. And I would NOT leave the exam room until I was satisfied that some proper steps were being taken.

Good luck and God bless.

Thanks again for the replies.The doc that told me that is my PCP.I do have a gyn that is very good and also a doc that is treating my fibromyalgia/cfids.I don't even see the PCP anymore -the fibro/cfids doc I have to pay out of pocket to see but he is worth every penny,and the gyn I can see without him cause its ob/gyn and the insurance lets me.Doesn"t that just s**k the insurance LETS me.Sorry I can get on a real soap box about who is running the medical system.ANYWAY I have had such pain today-I really think I'm ready to just GET IT OVER WITH.Maybe I don't realize how much better I can feel.The fibro/cfids has me sick so much I assume all my problems come from that and can't be helped but maybe a hyster will make me feel alot better in the long run. Almost everyone I have talked to says they wish they had done it sooner.I think I am going to call monday and schedule it.I'm so scared though I just don't want something to get worse.ANYWAY thanks for letting me babble.Jasper

CrohnieToo, you are right, she needs to see a GI specialist also. I guess I just assume that everyone having bowel problems with their female problems automatically get sent to a GI specialist, duh!

My ob/gyn sent me to one as soon as I had the lap and was still complaining of bowel troubles. I had a colonoscopy, upper GI, abdominal ultrasound, and HIDA scan. :hair:

The only thing they found during the colonoscopy was a nasty little bacteria called c-diff, but that turned out not to be the culprit as I was still having the painful diarrhea episodes after I got rid of the bacteria (tested negative twice after taking antibiotics).

Every other test came out normal, but I am still waiting on the results of the HIDA scan. However, I don't think there is anything wrong with my gallbladder. That is what has led my docs to the conclusion of ibs, especially since my menstrual cycle seems to affect the occurence of the episodes. :confuse:

In other words Jasper......maybe it would be a good idea to ask to be referred to a GI specialist. It is best to rule out all other possibilities since all of these organs are lying so closely together. It is difficult to diagnose these bowel problems when there are also female problems. I wouldn't let down until I got what I wanted. Some times you have to be demanding.