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Ibs and ovarian cysts: Is it IBS or something else? | Health Matters

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Is it IBS or something else? | Health Matters

As Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) can have similar symptoms to other conditions, it’s important to rule out different possibilities before coming to the conclusion of IBS.

Consultant Gastroenterologist Dr John O’Donohue shares his advice on IBS and what else it might be. Watch the video below to hear his opinion. 

Here are six other conditions that may be mistaken for IBS

1. Crohn’s Disease

What is it? Crohn’s disease is a chronic condition that affects parts of the digestive system causing inflammation. It’s one of the two main forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

Although it’s a lifelong condition, you can have periods of good health, known as remission, as well as times where your symptoms flare-up, known as a relapse.

  • Find out more about gastroenterology

2. Ulcerative Colitis

What is it? Ulcerative colitis is a chronic condition which causes the colon and rectum to become inflamed. Small ulcers develop on the lining of the colon and they can bleed or pus.

It’s the second form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Like Crohn’s disease, it’s a lifelong condition which has periods of remission and relapse. Both conditions can have similar symptoms.

  • Crohn’s and Colitis Q&A – Our Consultant Gastroenterologist offers advice on the disease

3. Coeliac Disease

What is it? Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease where the ingestion of gluten (a protein that’s found in wheat, rye and barley) causes the small intestine to become inflamed.

If you have coeliac disease you will need to avoid foods containing these proteins.

When someone with coeliac disease eats gluten, their body attacks the small intestine which damages the villi (small finger-like structure which line the small intestine). Villi are vital in aiding digestion. When they become damaged, the body is unable to absorb nutrients into the body.

  • IBS myths debunked
  • Find out about our allergy and immunology services

4. Lactose Intolerance

What is it? Lactose intolerance is where someone is unable to digest lactose, which is a type of sugar found in dairy products.

In those with lactose intolerance, foods containing lactose can’t be broken down by enzymes and instead ferment in the colon. This is what causes the uncomfortable symptoms.

It’s important to be aware that lactose intolerance is not a food allergy. People with food allergies can experience life-threatening reactions from even the smallest of particles from their allergen.

Some people with lactose intolerance are able to tolerate small amounts; however this depends on the individual. Lactose intolerance can be diagnosed by carrying out a simple breath test.

5. Ovarian Cyst

What is it? Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs that develop in the ovaries. This commonly happens during ovulation and they often go away on their own. Many women could have had an ovarian cyst and be completely unaware.

Although ovarian cysts can often go unnoticed, if symptoms do appear they can be quite similar to the symptoms of IBS.

If an ovarian cyst is suspected, an ultrasound can be performed to confirm the diagnosis.

  • Learn about our gynecological services

6. Bowel Cancer

What is it? Bowel cancer, also known as colon cancer, affects the large bowel and rectum.

Although some of symptoms of bowel cancer are similar to IBS, there are some which are not. These include rectal bleeding, anaemia, pale skin, tiredness and unintentional weight loss.

If you have a family history of bowel cancer you may be at a higher risk of developing the disease. In fact, 25% of bowel cancers have a family history1

It’s important to note that over 90% of people with bowel cancer will have one of the following combinations of symptoms below2.

  • Find out 5 ways to help reduce your risk of bowel cancer

What to do next

If you’re experiencing any uncomfortable or particularly painful symptoms, it’s always a good idea to go and seek advice from a medical professional, especially if you feel your symptoms are not improving.

Getting a fast and accurate diagnosis can not only help to get you back on track quickly, but it can also offer great peace of mind.

The Consultant’s View

We asked Consultant Gastroenterologist Dr John O’Donohue from The Sloane Hospital and Blackheath Hospital for his opinion on IBS and other conditions it might be mistaken for.

Q: What else can IBS be mistaken for?

Dr John O’Donohue says…

Symptoms of IBS could be due to other things as well. So we want to make sure that we’re not dealing with Crohn’s Disease or Colitis, particularly if you’ve got mouth ulcers, painful joints or rashes on the skin.

We want to make sure it’s not coeliac disease. We do a blood test for that.

We also want to make sure it’s not an intolerance to lactose and fructose. And we can do a very simple breath test for that.

In women particularly who’ve got bloating and feeling that their tummy is getting bigger, we want to make sure it’s not an ovarian cyst. So we do an ultrasound looking for that.

And lastly but not least, we want to make sure it’s not due to bowel cancer. So particularly if you’ve got bleeding, or weight loss and you’ve got a family history or somebody with bowel cancer, you would need a colonoscopy to look at that one.

Sources

  1. https://www.beatingbowelcancer.org/understanding-bowel-cancer/about-bowel-cancer/causes-bowel-cancer/family-history/
  2. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bowel-cancer/symptoms/

Is It Ovarian Cancer or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?

Ovarian cancer and irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, share many symptoms. Learn why the wrong diagnosis may be made.

By Jessica MigalaMedically Reviewed by Thomas Urban Marron, MD, PhD

Reviewed:

Medically Reviewed

Ovarian cancer can attach to the intestinal tract, causing symptoms that mimic irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).iStock

When ovarian tumors are diagnosed early, the odds of survival are good. Indeed, when the most common type of ovarian cancer is diagnosed before it has spread, or metastasized, five-year-survival rates (a measure often considered indicative of a cure) are above 90 percent.

The rub: Only 20 percent of ovarian cancers are discovered at an early stage, according to the American Cancer Society, because ovarian tumors are very difficult to detect.

One of the main problems making early detection of ovarian cancer so difficult is that we don’t have efficient screening tools for it, as we do for breast cancer, and its signs and symptoms are usually vague and nonspecific, says Marilyn Huang, MD, the director of translational gynecologic oncology research at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Florida.

Some of these signs — such as abdominal bloating, indigestion, nausea, and changes in bowel movements — overlap with and are often confused with the symptoms of a very common gastrointestinal problem: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

RELATED: Home Remedies for Gas and Bloating

What Are the Symptoms of IBS vs. Ovarian Cancer?

If you compare the symptoms of IBS and ovarian cancer, you’ll see why ovarian cancer sometimes gets mistaken for IBS in the beginning stages.

The symptoms of ovarian cancer include:

  • Abdominal bloating
  • Indigestion
  • Nausea
  • Pressure in your pelvis and back
  • Decrease in appetite or feeling full soon after eating
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Changes in bowel movements
  • More frequent urination or urgency

Meanwhile, the symptoms of IBS include:

  • Abdominal pain (often accompanying bowel movements)
  • Changes in bowel movements
  • Bloating
  • Feeling of having incomplete bowel movements
  • Whitish mucus in your stool

RELATED: 10 Ways to Get Rid of Bloating

IBS and Ovarian Cancer: Sorting Out Symptoms

Why are the symptoms so similar?

“The ovaries are attached to the uterus and dangle off the uterus, meaning they’re free-floating in the pelvis,” explains Dr. Huang. The small bowel also free-floats in the abdominal pelvic cavity. As an ovarian mass grows, it can become attached to the intestines and affect how they function, she explains.

Because of that, the initial symptom — one often ignored by women and even the initial providers they see — is a vague sense of pressure or discomfort in the abdomen, along with crampiness.

Another defining symptom of ovarian cancer that the two disorders share is bloating. In the case of ovarian cancer, it occurs as a result of fluid collecting in the belly. In the case of IBS, bloating may be triggered by what people consume, such as fiber-rich foods, fried fatty foods, and carbonated drinks.

With the overlap in symptoms, it can be hard to tell what’s causing them. But one clue may be whether the symptoms come and go or get progressively worse.

“Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic problem, and its symptoms are intermittent,” says Adnan R. Munkarah, MD, the executive vice president and chief clinical officer of the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. “Cancer is a disease where symptoms continue to progress.”

If you’re concerned about symptoms, your best bet is to talk to your gynecologist and ask if testing is necessary.

RELATED: Dead Probiotic Bacteria May Help IBS Sufferers Find Relief

Testing for Ovarian Cancer

Vague abdominal symptoms should raise suspicion, especially if you are a woman in her midfifties to early sixties, when the disease is most commonly diagnosed. In this case, your gynecologist should be your first stop. “Ovarian cancer [should] be considered as a possible diagnosis when a woman has these symptoms,” says Dr. Munkarah. “Proper radiologic imaging needs to be performed to rule out ovarian cancer before a woman is given the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome,”

The most common tools used to begin to evaluate whether ovarian cancer is present are an ultrasound and a blood test known as CA-125, which tests for proteins associated with ovarian cancer.

If those tests are negative, your doctor will discuss next steps — including whether your next step is to be evaluated for IBS.

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Ovarian cyst – causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment (removal), prophylaxis phylaxis

Ovarian cyst – a benign neoplasm of the ovary, growing due to the accumulation of fluid inside. As a rule, it has a rounded shape and is located on the leg. The causes of the pathology are different, often the provoking factor in its formation is the previous inflammation of the organ or hormonal imbalance.

Since there is a risk of malignant transformation of neoplasm cells and the development of complications, accompanied by a picture of “acute abdomen”, peritonitis, infertility, the disease needs treatment. It is selected by the doctor individually and depends on the age of the patient, the type of ovarian cyst and the reproductive plans of the woman.

In the postmenopausal and climacteric period or in case of an unfavorable course of the disease, preference is given to surgical interventions, in other cases, waiting for spontaneous resolution and taking medications is acceptable.

Causes

Functional ovarian cysts are hormone-dependent neoplasms. They are formed from preovulatory follicles under the stimulating effect of gonadotropin on the body or against the background of inflammatory changes that provoke the accumulation of fluid in the Graafian vesicles. Other types of formations may be congenital in nature or be the result of gynecological diseases.

In many cases, it is not possible to determine the exact cause of the appearance of ovarian cysts, but the relationship of their development with the following risk factors has been scientifically proven:

  • female hormonal disorder;
  • early age of first menses;
  • irregular menstruation;
  • use of drugs to stimulate ovulation in the treatment of infertility or as part of an IVF program;
  • inflammatory process in the gonads and appendages;
  • endocrine pathologies, in particular hypofunction of the thyroid gland;
  • metabolic syndrome;
  • surgical interventions on the pelvic organs;
  • history of induced abortion;
  • obesity;
  • taking hormonal contraceptives;
  • chronic inflammation in the intestines or urinary organs;
  • smoking;
  • taking certain medicines to treat breast cancer;
  • congenital malformations of the reproductive organs;
  • stress and psycho-emotional overstrain;
  • hereditary predisposition;
  • harmful working conditions, the severity of the labor process;
  • obsession with strict diets with a poor diet;
  • sexually transmitted infections.

Classification

The cavity of the neoplasm may have partitions, respectively, there are single-chamber and multi-chamber ovarian cysts. Depending on the histological structure, as well as the origin, the following types are distinguished:0003

  1. Functional neoplasms. These include a follicular ovarian cyst, which appears from an unruptured Graafian vesicle and depends on cyclic processes in the female reproductive system. The cyst of the corpus luteum is formed from the membranes of the non-regressed corpus luteum.
  2. Hemorrhagic cysts. Formed after rupture of functional cysts and hemorrhage in their cavity.
  3. True cysts are tumor-like formations formed from the epithelial cells of the ovary. The mucinous cyst is lined with a glandular epithelium that produces a mucous secret into its cavity. An endometrioid ovarian cyst is a consequence of local growth in the reproductive organs of cells similar to those that line the mucous membrane of the uterine cavity. Dermoid cysts are congenital neoplasms originating from embryonic rudiments. They consist of fragments of hair, teeth, bone, cartilage and other types of tissue.
  4. Paraovarian cysts originate from the tissues of the supraovarian adnexa and can grow to enormous sizes.

Gonads are a paired organ, so the pathological process in them is unilateral or bilateral. Cysts of the left and right ovaries are equally common.

Symptoms

Neoplasms of the female gonads, especially of a functional nature, often become an accidental finding during ultrasound of the pelvic organs, since they may not manifest themselves for a long time.

In other cases, ovarian cysts are characterized by the following symptoms:

  • pulling pain or a feeling of fullness in the lower third of the abdomen, aggravated at the time of intimacy, physical exertion, straining or menstruation;
  • irregular, profuse or prolonged menstruation, acyclic uterine bleeding;
  • infertility;
  • enlargement of the abdomen due to large cysts or ascites;
  • spotting from the genital tract;
  • sudden change in body weight.

With a large size of the tumor, compression of neighboring organs and nearby vessels occurs, which is accompanied by frequent urination, difficulty in emptying the intestines and passing gases, and varicose changes in the venous vessels of the lower extremities. In the event of complications, a picture of an “acute abdomen” is possible: increased pain, constant unquenchable thirst, fever, nausea, and vomiting.

Signs of androgen-producing ovarian cysts are a decrease in the pitch of the voice, male-type hair growth on the body of a woman, an increase in the clitoris.

Complications

Since the cyst often has a stalk, torsion of the latter is possible. At the same time, the blood supply and nutrition of the tissues of the neoplasm are disturbed, which is accompanied by their death. For certain types of ovarian cysts, especially dermoid and endometrioid, there is a high risk of rupture of the capsule with the outflow of liquid contents into the peritoneal cavity, bleeding and peritonitis. The pathology under consideration can also contribute to the formation of adhesions in the pelvis, the development of infertility or complications during pregnancy.

Diagnostics

Identification and treatment of ovarian cysts is the prerogative of a gynecologist. During the examination, he clarifies what worries the patient, collects an anamnesis. A subsequent two-handed examination allows you to determine large neoplasms in the area of ​​​​the appendages, their mobility and soreness.

To clarify the diagnosis, they resort to ultrasound examination with transabdominal and transvaginal probes. On ultrasound, an ovarian cyst looks like a rounded hollow formation with or without a pedicle. The method allows not only to determine the location of the tumor, but also its structure, size, nature of the liquid content. If there is not enough data, it is possible to prescribe computed or magnetic resonance imaging, which provide more detailed information not only about the neoplasm itself, but also about its relationship to neighboring organs. Also, according to the indications, diagnostic laparoscopy is performed, during which, in addition to visualizing the pathological focus, it is possible to remove the cyst, and send the resulting biomaterial for histological examination.

Laboratory tests are optional. At the discretion of the doctor, the following are prescribed:

  • a blood test to determine human chorionic gonadotropin in it and thus exclude an ectopic pregnancy;
  • CBC and urinalysis;
  • determination of the concentration in the blood of various hormones in order to identify the endocrine causes of cyst development;
  • blood test for tumor markers CA125 and HE-4 to determine the malignant process in the ovaries.

Treatment

Functional neoplasms are able to disappear on their own within about two months, therefore, when they are detected, expectant tactics should be used. Cysts of the corpus luteum during pregnancy also undergo involution by the 18-20th week of gestation and are not dangerous for the expectant mother.

As a conservative treatment of pathology, nutrition correction, physiotherapy exercises, reflexology are carried out. The drugs of choice for uncomplicated ovarian cysts are monophasic and biphasic combined oral contraceptives, which are taken over several reproductive cycles, as well as B vitamins, retinol, calciferol, phylloquinone and ascorbic acid.

In case of failure of drug therapy for three months, surgical removal of the ovarian cyst is performed – its enucleation or cystectomy. Indications for surgical treatment are also the appearance of complications and the presence of true cysts capable of cancerous degeneration: dermoid, mucinous, endometrioid. It is necessary to remove neoplasms before a planned pregnancy, since during it the likelihood of torsion of the leg or rapid growth of the cyst increases. The method of choice for a surgeon in most cases is laparoscopy, in which all manipulations are performed through punctures of the anterior abdominal wall under the control of a video camera.

In the postmenopausal period, ovarian cancer is common, so at this age, if an ovarian cyst is detected, an operation is recommended – adnexectomy, which includes the removal of the affected gonad together with the tube. During menopause, to prevent oncological processes, the removal of the internal genital organs is performed – an extended hysterectomy.

The question of what to do after removal of an ovarian cyst is decided by the gynecologist in each individual case. In those who have recovered with a preserved menstrual cycle, a relapse of the disease is possible, therefore, systematic medical supervision and hormone therapy are indicated for such patients. Dermoid cysts are not prone to re-formation.

Prevention

Since there is no definite reason for the development of neoplasms in the ovary, specific prevention has not been developed. However, the following measures help reduce the risk of cysts:

  • a proper and varied diet;
  • smoking cessation;
  • physical activity;
  • weight loss;
  • timely treatment of diseases of the female reproductive system and other inflammatory pathologies;
  • preventive examinations by a gynecologist at least 1-2 times a year.

The author of the article:

Shklyar Aleksey Alekseevich

obstetrician-gynecologist, surgeon, candidate of medical sciences, head of the direction “Obstetrics and Gynecology”

work experience 11 years

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Inna

30.12.2021 21:55:20

Clinic

Sukharevskaya metro station

Doctor

Shklyar Alexey Alekseevich

Turned to Alexey Shklyar I want to express my deepest gratitude to the entire staff of the operating unit Shklyar Alexey Alekseevich. You are all doctors from capital letters. I never tire of thanking God for bringing me to you. I came to you on the recommendation of Sorvacheva M.V. We got in touch with the doctor by phone and appointed the day of the operation. For the first time, I was pleasantly surprised how Alexey Alekseevich told me everything in detail and reassured me. A couple of weeks later, I arrived at the clinic at 10.00 with a complete list of tests, and already at 11 I was lying on the operating table, to be honest, I didn’t even have time to get scared) Then the anesthetist magician came and I fell asleep sweetly. I woke up already in bed, nothing hurt, there were no side effects, just a normal morning awakening. I would never have believed that this was even possible, I am very grateful for a wonderful dream. Before that, I had more than one general anesthesia in state hospitals, and now I understand for sure that they apparently wanted to kill me there, but it didn’t work out. For the next two hours, until it was impossible to get up, wonderful nurses came to me asking how I felt and if I needed something, they put droppers, and I lay and did not believe that everything terrible was over)) 2 hours after the operation, I was already getting up and drank delicious broth and tea. The rest of the time before sleep, I walked around the ward, I didn’t feel any pain at all, a little weakness and nothing more. The next morning I was fed deliciously and discharged home. After being discharged, Aleksey Alekseevich is constantly in touch, he worries about my well-being more than even my relatives. I needed further treatment, he even helps me with this by calling the best doctors and clinics, supporting me. And now I know for sure that I am in the most reliable hands. Thank you very much again. Prosperity to your clinic and low bow to all your doctors. You are the best!!!

Lilia

15.05.2021 15:21:57

Clinic

Sukharevskaya metro station

Doctor

Shklyar Alexey Alekseevich

On May 7, 2021, I did a minor gynecological operation in SOD, and I would like to express my gratitude to the attending physician, to the head of the gynecological department Shklyar Aleksey Alekseevich, – for high professionalism, and exceptionally friendly attitude, understandable recommendations. The doctor communicates very correctly, clearly and with explanations.
Special thanks to the anesthetist Alexey Valeryevich Fomin, for the quality of anesthesia (I was more afraid of anesthesia than the operation itself), but everything went well, I was “not present” at the operation, and the condition after anesthesia was normal, as after waking up in the morning, no “side effects” ‘ did not feel.
After the operation, nothing hurt after half an hour, and after an hour and a half, I went home.
The attitude in the hospital was the most friendly, including from the nurses and the administrator at the reception (unfortunately, I did not ask for names).
It’s been a week since the operation, and only the discharge summary # 140035314 reminds of it.
I’m very glad that I trusted the experience of the Polyclinic.

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