Coping with IBS and hysterectomy

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common bowel condition that can affect up to a quarter of the population — and is twice as prevalent in women than men. In addition to the many women who already have IBS prior to surgery, 3% of women develop it after their hysterectomy, according to a 2008 study. Common symptoms are abdominal pain, diarrhoea and/or constipation, and bloating, which is often reported as the most troublesome aspect of the disorder. If you already have IBS, a hysterectomy can occasionally have the effect of improving symptoms, due to the settling of hormone levels in cases where ovaries are removed. That said, as your healthcare provider will explain, this should not be taken into account when making the decision about the type of surgery to undergo or whether to go ahead with it, as there are no guarantees. Surgery should never be considered a treatment for IBS. If you don’t have an IBS diagnosis, it is especially important to rule it out in cases of chronic pelvic pain — a 2004 study found that around a third of women diagnosed with this may in fact have IBS, and be experiencing symptoms solely because of it. A hysterectomy may not be beneficial in these circumstances. Remember too that there are some shared features of menopausal symptoms and IBS symptoms — these include bloating, constipation and straining on the toilet. Abdominal pain, though, is solely a feature of IBS, and this should be thoroughly investigated by your doctor. How is IBS diag...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - Category: OBGYN Authors: Tags: Health IBS Source Type: news