Endo Belly: What It Is and How To Get Rid of It

On a global scale, endometriosis affects a whopping 190 million women. Closer to home, endometriosis affects about 11% of women of reproductive age in the United States.

Not only is endometriosis common, it’s also challenging because of the wide range of symptoms that can come with the condition. From abnormal periods and infertility to painful sex and bloating, it’s little wonder that it can take 4-11 years for endometriosis to be properly diagnosed, given the widely varying side effects.

As board-certified experts in gynecology, the team at North Atlanta OB/GYN has an in-depth understanding of endometriosis and its impact on your quality of life. And one of the biggest issues in this regard is bloating, which we call endo belly.

Endometriosis at a glance

A great place to start this discussion is with a brief outline of what happens with endometriosis. 

Typically, cells and tissues that create your endometrium line your uterus. These endometrial tissues thicken with blood and nutrients during each menstrual cycle in anticipation of hosting a fertilized egg. When that egg doesn’t come, these tissues get shed in the form of your period.

When you have endometriosis, endometrial cells and tissue grow outside your uterus, where they don't belong. These tissues often attach to different organs and structures in your pelvis, such as your:

• Ovaries
• Fallopian tubes
• Outer surface of your uterus
• Cul-de-sac — a space between your uterus and rectum

In reality, these misplaced endometrial tissues can adhere pretty much anywhere inside the pelvic cavity, and we even discover them on the outside of the digestive tract.

The problem with these misplaced tissues is that they still respond to your menstrual cycles, causing the tissues to thicken. When it comes time to shed out, however, the endometrial tissues have nowhere to go. Trapped, these tissues can form adhesions that create problems with both comfort and function.

Behind the endo belly

Now let’s get to how endometriosis can lead to uncomfortable bloating. There are several reasons why bloating can become part of the picture, such as:

Inflammation

The buildup of endometrial tissue often creates an inflammatory response in your pelvis that creates bloating.

Cysts on your ovaries

If your endometriosis involves your ovaries, blood-filled cysts called chocolate cysts can form, and their presence often accompanies bloating.

Bowel endometriosis

If endometrial tissue attaches to your lower digestive tract, it can create digestive issues, such as bloating.

Changes in your gut biome

Another way endometriosis can lead to endo belly is if you have small intestinal bacterial overgrowth; this overgrowth sets the stage for uncomfortable bloating.

Finding relief from endo belly

There are several ways in which we can help with the endo belly. To start, we first figure out a good approach for treating your endometriosis in general, which might include:

• Hormone medications
• Gonadotropin-releasing hormones to block the production of estrogen
• Synthetic androgen hormones
• Surgical removal of endometrial adhesions
• Hysterectomy

While these overall treatments can certainly help with side effects like endo belly, there’s more that you can do on your own to minimize bloating, such as:

• Avoiding inflammatory foods, such as processed foods and sugars
• Avoiding red meat
• Avoiding caffeine and sodas
• Eating a low-FODMAP diet, which you can explore at this link
• Eating foods that soothe digestion, such as peppermint and ginger
• Increasing fiber intake

In addition to watching what you eat, exercise is beneficial as it gets your gastrointestinal system moving, which helps to prevent gas buildup.

Between your efforts at home and our treatments, our goal is to help you better navigate your endometriosis and accompanying side effects like endo belly.

For expert care of your endometriosis, contact us by phone or online today at one of our offices in Atlanta, Alpharetta, or Marietta, Georgia.