It is nonetheless important to remember that for some women, endometriosis can often infiltrate the bowel, distort intestinal anatomy, alter normal bowel physiology, which then can also lead to constipation, bloating, painful bowel movements, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.Ĭomplicating matters, endometriosis can also present primarily with cyclical bloating and altered bowel habits indistinguishable from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Your endometriosis lesion may be nearby to your bowel without actually being on it.

This means that you can have GI symptoms without endometriosis actually infiltrating into the bowel. It is also interesting to note that GI symptoms are independent of location of endometriosis lesions in relation to the bowel. In addition to bloating, other gastrointestinal symptoms including diarrhea, constipation, painful bowel movements, nausea and/or vomiting are also common symptoms in women with endometriosis.

Bloating is the most common presenting symptom, and is typically reported by 83% of women with endometriosis. Endometriosis and Gastrointestinal Symptoms | Dr Iris Orbuchĭid you know that Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are as common as gynecological symptoms in women with endometriosis? Over 90% of women diagnosed with endometriosis actually present with GI symptoms as their initial symptoms.

Endometriosis and ibs