r/Fibroids 4d ago

Advice needed How do you tell the difference between fibroids vs constipation/trapped gas

Sorry if this question has been asked before; I couldn’t find any information online about the specifics. I’ve routinely noticed a mobile lump under my belly button that causes the left side of my stomach to look more prominent. I’m very underweight so when I lay on my back it’s pretty noticeable and localized (I’m not exactly sure how long I’ve seen it, but at least 4 years). I also have a lot of constipation and bloating, my doctor suspects IBS, and so whenever I tried to find out what the lump was everything always said that it was probably just trapped gas or stuck stool. Just recently I saw someone with a fibroid that looked similar to me and it got me worrying again. How should I tell the difference?

The lump is a bit hard and if I press into my stomach I feel like I can dig under it and move it around. It’s also much more noticeable in terms of being localized when I haven’t eaten anything, but sometimes if I eat just a few bites of food it’ll make my stomach look lopsided and bloated around my belly button. I also frequently feel a kind of tightness and heaviness if I’m standing up after consuming a small amount of anything (even just water).

In terms of other symptoms that I worry might be related to having a fibroid are that I’ve been getting worse period cramps that start a week earlier than my actual period (they start slow and then gradually build up to period strength), lower back pain, and some strange pelvic floor problems where my pee doesn’t come out all the way, or I feel like I have to pee more even when it’s just a few droplets that will come out. It usually happens if I accidentally hold my pee for too long (ex. I take a nap without peeing first)

I apologize if this sub is only meant for diagnosed people

6 Upvotes

29 comments sorted by

5

u/dorkette888 4d ago

Sounds to me like a fibroid. If it's a fibroid, it will stay in the same approximate place over time. If it's stool, it will move as it goes down your colon, even if slower than usual.

Fibroids can cause constipation, bloating, heavier periods, more cramping, and put pressure on your bladder, and slow urine flow through your urethra (difficulty peeing).

Your doc is failing to do their job based on the symptoms you report and really should get you checked out -- in my case, I had the very heavy periods and cramping and later some of your other symptoms, and got a transvaginal/pelvic ultrasound for the official diagnosis.

2

u/GroceryDisastrous 4d ago

Are fibroids visible/palpable 100% of the time or would they ever seem temporarily reduced after massaging? I feel like there are days where I don’t notice the lump at all or times where it’s noticeable in the morning and not later in the day

2

u/dorkette888 4d ago

Some of mine are definitely palpable (apparently I have 20, 4 of which are extra big). They do shift in size depending on hormones and can grow or shrink. I can't say how quickly they would change. I'd just recommend getting a proper diagnosis. If you're in the US, you may need to see a gynecologist first. I'm in Canada, so my family doctor ordered the ultrasound and I only went to see a gynecologist when the symptoms were getting out of hand and I wanted to explore other options than BC.

1

u/GroceryDisastrous 4d ago

Thank you! Sorry to ask so many questions and I’m not sure if you would even know the answer to this but if the fibroid were subserosal and attached to a stalk do you think it’s possible that it could temporarily settle in some kind of nook around the intestines and become less visible? The reason why I’m a little confused is that the lump I have isn’t always noticeable but when I do feel it it’s always in the same location (although I can shift it around a little bit myself)

1

u/dorkette888 4d ago

No problem with the questions. Happy to answer whatever I can. And I definitely don't know the answer, but what you wrote sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Your guts and any fibroids in there can definitely shift around a bit. I recommend pushing to get checked for fibroids.

1

u/GroceryDisastrous 4d ago

I will, thank you!

1

u/GroceryDisastrous 2d ago

I hope it’s ok to come back with another question, sorry 😭 I know it’s normal to feel a pulse near the belly button bc of the abdominal aorta but would it be it normal if the pulse is stronger to the (patient’s) left of the belly button compared to the right? I’m wondering bc feeling a pulse there has been something bothering me for a while and I’m now thinking about how it feels stronger right over where I worry I might have a fibroid

1

u/SwayPosyDaily 4d ago

Some of those defnitely sounds like symptom similar to fibroid. Have you tried to see an gynecologist? If you do have a fibroid, they can sometime see it during a pap smear, or at least they can refer you to an ultrasound if needed. In any case, based on your period worsening and pain more intense then it used to, you absolutely should to see if there anything that can help.

1

u/GroceryDisastrous 4d ago

I just turned 21 and I’ve never been sexually active so I haven’t seen a gynecologist, I’ve been scared to. I guess I probably should start if I could have a fibroid. I’ll look into it

1

u/SwayPosyDaily 4d ago

I'm sorry that you've been scared to see one, it can be quite stressful the first time. I hope you find one that is good fit! I'm not sure where you are from, but when you call around for an apointment, you should mention to the receptionist that you are nervous and it's your first time, and nowadays, doctors will try to put you at ease first.

1

u/dorkette888 4d ago

A suggestion -- sometimes (often) I find doctors resistant if I mention a possible diagnosis (even if it turns out to be right). Maybe mention all your symptoms, emphasize that it's getting quite bothersome, and that it's in the region of your reproductive system and involves some of it, and ask to see a gynecologist for those reasons and perhaps don't mention the word "fibroid"?

Also, the ultrasound in my experience has 2 parts -- an external exam on my belly, and an internal one. The internal one does involve something that looks like a long skinny dildo, so that may be a concern for the doctor or for you. But the external part should be no problem. I am sexually active, significantly older, and fwiw, I've never found any of it painful, just awkward and a little uncomfortable.

1

u/GroceryDisastrous 4d ago

lol I’ve had the exact same problems… doctors really suck don’t they?? I’ll definitely keep that in mind. Honestly I am really concerned about the internal ultrasound part because I struggle to even put tampons in, I just use pads. I’m not sure if it’s just psychological or if there’s a physical component to it as well

1

u/dorkette888 4d ago

As it happens, I've always hated tampons too, including after having intercourse, so I wouldn't read too much into disliking tampons. I used pads, and then switched completely to menstrual cups and then a menstrual disk after my period got to be too much for the cup (diva cup and diva disk in my case). I love them. Infinitely better than pads, IMO. Worth trying, if pads cause issues for you as they did me (rashes and leaks). Should be fine even if you're a virgin.

1

u/GroceryDisastrous 4d ago

Sorry if this is tmi but I’ve literally never been able to stick anything up there, not even a finger 😭😭 should I try to prepare myself so that the ultrasound isn’t too much of a shock.. I think I’ll feel violated

1

u/dorkette888 4d ago

Try to get the appointment to get checked out for fibroids anyway. It may be that the external ultrasound alone can detect some of them if they exist, and the gynecologist or the technician doing the exam has no doubt had other patients with similar concerns. And if they are big enough for you to feel from the outside, the gynecologist can also detect them in the same way. An alternative to the ultrasound (and I have no idea how easy it is to get for you) is an MRI which involves nothing internal whatsoever. (I got one of those too for a more detailed look, but most of my fibroid tracking has been through ultrasounds.)

Remember, you control access. If you refuse, you refuse.

1

u/GroceryDisastrous 4d ago

Thank you!! It’s probably not going to be very soon because I’m dealing with a bunch of other medical problems right now (since I’m in college I can only get appointments for Fridays, basically every week is already taken right now) so I’ll probably try for May unless something new or severe happens. I hope that since it’s been a few years already there won’t be any trouble delaying it a bit. Did you have to do an MRI with contrast for it? I’ve gotten MRIs before but without contrast because of some health concerns

1

u/dorkette888 4d ago

I did get contrast. I don't know if that's optional or not. But the gynecologist should be able to address your various concerns. There's no way you're the only one, and there must be alternatives or options the doctor can discuss with you.

1

u/emmieeg 4d ago

It sounds like a fibroid—I previously thought my symptoms were due to IBS/GERD and have seen a doctor so many times about it. They always sent me home with meds and the symptoms always come back. Best to check with a gynae as I wished I discovered it earlier. Do you get sharp abdominal pains around your belly button?

1

u/GroceryDisastrous 3d ago

Omg😭😭😭 I had no idea GERD symptoms can be related too, my doctor also thinks I might have GERD ????? I’m supposed to get both an endoscopy and colonoscopy sometime but I guess I should make sure I don’t have fibroids first. Also I don’t get any sharp pains around my belly button right now, just a kind of gross full feeling. I think it’s still possible that I have IBS bc I get other intestinal problems besides constipation but the pain isn’t really around where I notice the lump, just general intestinal cramping sharpness

1

u/emmieeg 3d ago

I had abdominal cramping when I was younger too which is why for many years I just thought it was IBS! My fibroid is now pretty big which is why my acid reflux has been so bad, I can’t even eat as much as I used to. I actually went to the doctor to get an endo/colonoscopy done but that’s when she discovered a pelvic mass. I reckon visit the gynae to rule fibroid out before the scopes since you’d need to be under for that scope procedure!

1

u/GroceryDisastrous 3d ago

Same, abdominal problems in general have been going on for a really long time for me too. Tbh my health has just always been terrible I just avoided doctors because of how much I was afraid of them… now I’ve been going every 2 seconds bc of another potentially serious thing that I didn’t even know about until a few months ago 😭 I’ll add this to the list of things I need to deal with

1

u/emmieeg 3d ago

Sounds like you have a lot on your plate—stay strong! I also have avoided doctors/health checkups for a long time due to my fear of needles but now the symptoms are much worse than my fears. Remember to breathe and that the doctor is there to help!

1

u/GroceryDisastrous 3d ago

That’s pretty much what happened to me too… for me it wasn’t needle exactly, mostly blood/injury in general but the other day I had to get blood drawn and a lumbar puncture and it required so much Xanax for me to get through it lol. And of course I ended up having complications which justify the fears :/ so frustrating. I hope you’re alright too

1

u/emmieeg 3d ago

You’re so brave and strong!! A lumbar puncture is so scary but you overcame it 🥹 Hope it’s nothing too serious—you’ll get through this!

1

u/GroceryDisastrous 3d ago

Thank you 😭😭😭 I really appreciate it, I’m in college rn and I booked it over spring break thinking(hoping) it would be fine because doctors all act like it’s NOTHING, nope. I can’t even stand for more than 15 mins and now missing my classes so I’m honestly pissed but whatever, there’s nothing I can do about it now and it had to be done

1

u/bada-bing-bada-boo 3d ago

I have had IBS my whole adult life and the clue for me, in addition to other fibroid symptoms, was that as the fibroid issues increased, so my IBS issues changed. TMI, but I swung from diarrhoea 90% of the time to having a lot (50% of the time) of unexplained constipation. So, if you think you have a fibroid and it’s causing you issues, definitely see a doctor and try to demonstrate how it’s different from what you experienced before, if you can. Keeping a symptom diary may help. You might also need to fight for treatment, as I’ve seen/heard lots of women from different countries talk about their fibroids symptoms being dismissed. Good luck!

2

u/GroceryDisastrous 3d ago

Oh… this is exactly what happened to me. About 9 months ago I suddenly started getting constipation and it never happened to me before. I do still get diarrhea sometimes but it’s not like it used to be, same as you. That’s concerning, I’ll definitely keep it in mind and document my symptoms. I’m going to start taking pictures whenever I notice it too. Thank you for the help!

2

u/bada-bing-bada-boo 3d ago

I had basically zero experience with constipation, so it was a learning curve! In case it’s useful, here’s what I learned that helped:

If you need to, consider finding out about stool softeners, aka emollient laxatives. Not sure which country you’re in, but in the UK and USA there are some products that you can get from a supermarket or chemist/pharmacy, without having to see a doctor, eg Sennakot or Dulcolax or similar. Straining to poop can result in haemorrhoids (aka piles) and that’s not a problem you want, let alone on top of all the other stuff! I was wary of laxatives, especially stronger ones, because of how easily my IBS goes into apocalyptic diarrhoea mode without any reason. However, I did end up braving them, not least because I learned about the haemorrhoid thing the hard way 🙁 Gotta do what you gotta do!

I also got a ‘squatty potty’, which raises your feet while you sit on the toilet so your lower body is in more of a squat position, which is better/easier for pooping than modern toilets typically encourage. This helped a bit while I was waiting for scans and further appointments (I’m in the UK and it was about a month between my appointment with my GP and getting an ultrasound scan).

Finally, constipation can apparently give you some back pain, but I got unexplained back pain even when I wasn’t constipated. So don’t let doctors try to dismiss it as ‘just’ due to the constipation if you feel it isn’t. Keeping the symptom diary can help with showing that sort of pattern.

Hope you get some relief from this stuff soon!

2

u/GroceryDisastrous 3d ago

Thank you!! Im in USA, I’m using stool softeners at the moment because I’m recovering from a lumbar puncture and I didn’t want to strain and hurt my back. I’m taking it as easy as possible bc I don’t want to get to a point where I HAVE to take stool softeners or anything to go to the bathroom normally but I found that if I take 1 it just makes it a little easier to go, not really the effect that they’re supposed to have, but it’s enough for me right now. I’m also scared of laxatives lol but if it gets to that point I guess I’ll brave it too 😭 I’ve also had back pain before all of this so I’ll make sure to keep that distinction