Am I just "the worried well"?

[Eliza22]

Nine months ago I was fit and training for 25k. I'm 53 and in the throes of menopause. Suddenly, I started to feel "off colour". Symptoms: fatigue (as in totally knackered); constant nausea; feeling "full" all the time; waistline/abdomen expanding; unable to lie on my sides due to nausea/abdominal discomfort so, sleeping propped up. My GP referred me to a gastroenterologist (for all things digestive).

Had: abdominal scan, gastroscope, blood tests for coeliac disease, anaemia and hepatitis screen.... All came back negative.

Left it 4 months but went back today with continuing symptoms. Nothing's changed only now I have to undo all my zips I'm so "fat" and I feel like I'm about to go pop! I'm SO uncomfortable. GP said it's probably menopause and to keep taking the irritable bowel syndrome meds (I honestly don't think it's IBS) and anti nausea tablets (even in the night if it wakes me up) and because I have high BP and a family history of stroke, I can't have hrt.

I could cry. I've gone from being as fit as a flea and slim to a stone plus overweight, no energy and feeling like I have constant "morning sickness" to go with having swallowed a brick.

Am I a hypochondriac? I don't WANT to be ill but I feel shocking.

What can I reasonably do?

I had all your symptoms, but was only 29. I had a large cyst on my ovary, it was the size of a melon by the time it was removed. It was picked up on a gynae ultrasound. It took the GP ages before they recognised something was wrong and referred me, like you I was plied with IBS meds for ages which did bugger all.

I the exact same symptoms as you - the thing you said about feeling like you can't empty your bladder properly - I had that, and it was because the cyst was pressing down on the bladder and not letting it empty properly. By mum also had this symptom with large fibroids.

Could you ask for an urgent gynae referral.

Twilight, glad they sorted you. Thing is, wouldn't I notice a lump the size of an orange/grapefruit/melon (why do they always use fruits?) ? The GP had a feel of my abdomen.

I had an ovarian cyst and no symptoms, mind was found by luck during a MRI scan for a back issue - apparently when it was removed it was the size of a large orange / small grapefruit.
I was told I wouldn't necessarily have developed any symptoms until it was much larger or had burst.
Please go back to the GP.

I went to the GP 3 times before they referred me.

It was only on the last occasion that the GP could feel anything, and like I say it was the size of a melon by then. The GP actually thought I was pregnant though!

The 1st two times the GP examined me he couldn't feel anything.

And I couldn't feel a lump or anything. I just felt really bloated and swollen.

Remember your ovaries are at the back like your kidneys are so any growths are deep inside you with all your other organs and bowels on top. Which is why things like this are easily missed, compared to things like breast lumps for example.

I have a friend who has suffered from similar symptoms as you for about 7years now. They have had lots and lots of tests over the years but nothing has ever been found. They are totally fed up of it as it affects them in so many ways but GP is stumped, so is every consultant they have seen. They have had abdominal CT, looked both up and down with cameras, more blood tests than you can shake a stick at, thyroid tests, stool tests, 24hr urine tests, endocrine tests, MRI brain scan, X-rays, ultrasounds, bacterial overgrowth tests, Addison test, Cushings test, etc. etc. And yet nothing at all shows up.

I wish you all the best and hope someone gets to the bottom of your issues because I wouldn't like to see anyone suffer the way my friend does.

Because I've always been fit and enjoyed exercise I suppose that feeling so dreadful, I just want to lie down comes as a massive and debilitating shock. Any illness I've had in the past I've had diagnosed and put right. Feeling ltd is bad when there's "nothing wrong" at only 53 scares me. I always prided myself that because I look after myself (low alcohol, don't smoke, fit, BMI good) that I'd be walking the dog for miles and going to the gym well into my 70's!

How wrong can you be!