About 7 months ago I developed what I thought was a bad bout of IBS (I've had IBS before, but not like this). I felt inflammation in the lower abdomen, mainly on the left side and it felt tender if I pressed on it. It was almost like a really bad case of ovulation pain. This cleared up after a few days, but since then I've had recurring stitch-like or twingy pain/discomfort on the lower left abdomen (and sometimes I can feel it slightly on the right side too).

Additionally, I am experiencing this ovulation-like pain at times or it could even be period-like pain, and this seems to make the twingy discomfort even worse and it makes me think that I have IBS and there is probably a patch of inflammation inside my colon.

Back in December, when all this started, I had a pelvic ultrasound and my OB/GYN said everything looked normal. When I told her about the discomfort on the left side she suggested it might be IBS. So then I went to my GP and asked to have my stools tested for occult blood (just in case it was something serious) - thankfully this test came back negative. So my GP also suggested it might be IBS.

The thing is, this stich-like discomfort tends to be worse when I move or crouch or after sex (where there has been pressure in the area) and even after I had my last pap-smear and the doc had to press on my tummy to make sure there weren't any lumps, etc. So this pain tends to be aggravated by pressure, but not all the time - sometimes it's just there!

I don't know what to do anymore and I'm going nuts with this. I don't know whether I have a really bad case of IBS or whether my hormones are affecting my bowel and creating inflammation which is causing this left-sided discomfort.

I haven't had a period for about 3 months now. I'm 46 years old and perimenopausal, and once or twice I've experienced what they call 'phantom periods', which make matters worse because one can feel all the pain and symptoms of an oncoming period and then nothing happens. And right now this is what is happening to me, except that I'm also getting a clear discharge that looks like I've ovulated, but I doubt it. And all this is making the stitch-like discomfort in my bowel worse.

AAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Has anyone out there experieced anything remotely similar?

Looking forward to hearing from you all. Thanks, Sylvia

Yup, yup, and yup. I'm the exact same age as you and have had the exact same symptoms. I think it's your ovaries just "squeaking"; I don't know why it happens, but I had this for about 5 months then it mysteriously went away.

Are you bowels regular? If it ISN'T your ovary (theory B, here), you might ask your doctor for a prescription for donnatal...it will calm your bowels down...so will any of the benzo's (i.e. Valium.) Try a hot bath, or a heating pad on the area...it helped me.

Hope you feel better soon. As long as you've ruled out the serious stuff, try not to worry...just chalk it up to more meno weirdness...

Yep,

The left pain started on ovulation day as expected but lasted for a week, gradually getting worse. It only usually lasts for the one day. strange...

Roundrobin,

You're right, all I can do is chalk it up to the weirdness of perimenopause. And yes, I am on valiums - no matter that my doc always tries to discourage me from taking them. I said to her only the other day: "If, as you say, most humans will either die of cardiovascular disease or cancer, what harm is there in a few valiums?" Well, that shut her up instantly In any case I've been on valium on and off since my early 20s as I used to get some horrible panic attacks. In terms of regularness, I take fibre supplements and they works wonderfully.

The other thing I didn't mention is that along with all this, my bladder went on the blink! I have suffered from an irritable bladder for close to 17 years now, and yes, I had all the tests, and no, doctors cannot tell me what it is. There is no explanation for it in some bladders, they said. Great comfort, huh? In any case, from time to time on top of everything else my bladder goes extremely irritable and I get all sorts of sensations inside the bladder like I need to go, but I don't really, and it isn't an infection either! Will all this ever stop? I told my brother last night that it will stop when we die Sorry if I sound depressed and frustrated at present, but at the moment I'm finding it very difficult to cope.

Honeydog,

I agree with you on the ovulation pain - I used to get it for 3 days when I was young, but now with peri it may be that the whole thing is exarcebated and it lasts longer. Well, whatever it is, I'm still getting a little bit of discharge, but it's clear. So we shall see.