Understanding Digestive Issues During Ovulation: Causes & Relief

Question
Hi, Doctor.  About eight years ago, I developed slight nausea and feelings of fullness which would come and go.  Then about five years ago, the nausea pretty much disappeared but I started having periodic excess gas and bloating.  At first, it was just annoying to have to burp frequently but couple of years into it, I started getting extreme feelings of fullness and pain in the middle back.  It just feels like the stomach is so distended that it's putting pressure on my back.  It would sometimes keep me up at night.  Over time, I noticed that these episodes would usually occur while I was ovulating (though not during every ovulation) and keep up non-stop for five to six days, whether my stomach was full or empty.  I had an ultrasound and gallstones were ruled out and I was scheduled for an endoscopy.  Then I became pregnant and the endoscopy was canceled.  

Oddly enough, the entire time that I was pregnant and while I nursed, I never had these gastrointestinal problems.  Now that the baby is about a year old and I am beginning to wean him (and have begun menstruating), they've started again.  

What is your thought?  I have gone to a GI specialist and he thinks it's acid reflux, but I never have heart burn and acid reflux medications really haven't helped at all.  I know I will have to reschedule that endoscopy as soon as the baby is completely weaned.

I am thinking it's somehow sex-hormones related.  I would appreciate your opinion, even if it's just an explanation of how the hormones might affect the GI tract and its functions.

Thank you for your time.

Answer
I have never encountered or heard of gastrointestinal symptoms, such as you describe, in connection to ovulation. It certainly sounds that it is more likely gastrointestinal than gynecological. I not even sure that an endoscopy will shed any light on the problem.  Nevertheless, it certainly may have something to do with the shift between estrogen and progesterone at the time of ovulation. Many women have a short, sharp pain on one side of their abdomen or the other at the time of ovulation. HOwever, you say that this can last for 5-6 days at a time. I'm sorry that I can't help you.