Can anyone help me?
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi,
I'm wondering if anyone can give me a bit of advice on a complicated matter.
I'm a 23yd female, i began my period from 13-14, but from the age of 16 I have suffered excruciating period pains.
my first ever experience I remember being struck randomly in the bathroom, stuck in the fetal position sobbing and clutching my abdomen in pain, to a point I thought if I stood I would for sure pass out. My nan was so fearful she rang an ambulance, by the time the ambulance arrived my pain had passed and once at the hospital I was subjected to a few blood tests, but told I probably just experienced period pain and was sent on my way. From then on I have lived with on and off period pains, sometimes so extreme it rips me from my sleep and all I can do is squirm and cry as the pain overcomes me, sometimes for a couple of minutes, sometimes it will last an hour. the pain is so intense it causes my thighs, back and bum to throb.
A little bit of back detail, I have always had heavy, 'uncomfortable' periods. I have bled through tampons and pads in a few hours and had mistakes many times in the past. I have also experienced blood clots, one once being the size of a 2p (that didn't feel pleasant). I have a family history of Endometriosis, my mother and nan had been diagnosed, so when I opened to my mother about these issues I had at 16 she took my to my GP who also shunned it down as just intense period pain, I have been on pain relief in the past but as the pain comes on quite suddenly and can only last a set amount of time, taking pain relief only takes effect if the period pains last longer than the initial bouts of intense pain, and at that point the pains I experience are painful yes but bearable. For many years I have dealt with the pain through contraception but as I have gotten older I have found it to become more intense and more frequent. I have been put on contraception since I was 16 to try and minimise my periods and the pain. Though my old contraception which I have been on the last two years, the pill 'cerelle' up until recently made me excessively bleed almost every two weeks and the pain is still there and coming back more often. When returning to my GP a few weeks ago after getting the all clear from a trans vaginal ultrasound they put me on a two type hormone pill, this pill unfortunately has many side effects and makes me feel sick almost every day, even though they told me it was 'treatment for endometriosis'
I know this forum doesn't really have much direction as this is the first time I am trying to voice all my 7 years of suffering into a small forum, I just want to know if anyone else has any related pains who aren't sure if it is endometriosis or if they have been downcast by doctors telling them it is simply period pain? I experience alot of issues 'down there' including reaccurant water infections, water infection symptoms when there is no infection present, reaccurant thrush.. that I wonder if they have any relevance to my constant issues that I have down there.
I'm very lost in my mind currently, I have began to doubt myself and what is real and isn't and as a result I have spiraled into a severe depression over everything.
If anyone can offer me any insight or their experiences that I could possibly relate to I would be grateful.
thanks.
0 likes, 2 replies
eleanor77971 bethany59512
Posted
Hi only 13 days ago i got diagnosed with endo after it being mistaken for pcos. After having a 32c32cm cyst ovarian removed last june they re did my pcos test and said i did not have so i had 10 years being made to belive i had it. My periods following this were awful and i ended upu in Accident and emergency. Eventuslly september my consultant decided to use the last resresort as a doing s lap. They only found an adhes ion. My period issues continuedcontinued and even my endoicolgist knew something was not right so pushed the gynceologist to investigate further all he did was to put me on the pill. Tried thatthat still with afomonak pain went back and he would not trtry anything anything else and said he had no feelings about whsg i did next. Ended up two weeks later very sick with infection in hospital they coucould not trace the infection source or pain so said needed another gyn assessment. Changed gyn and a lap and endo was found. Endo does not show up on scans and sadly can take along time to diagnose. Have you been to a gynceologist? Where abothe you.
charlotte1824 bethany59512
Posted
Your symptoms sound exactly like mine, period at age 13, agonising from the start. My mum used to come in my room at night as i would be wimpering in my sleep.
Same thing, curled up in a ball crying most of the time. I am woken from sleep and end up bent over like when in labour. Painkillers help but dont totally eradicate the pain. Hot water bottles were useless for me. My mum put me on depo injection at 14 i think for the period pains- no periods bliss and i stayed on it until i was about 20, when i came off it periods returned with vengence - spoke to drs about endo and they werent particularly interested. Fast forward to last few years where it is much more recognised still told by gp that only way to diagnose was a lap operation so best to go on pill instead however i had abnormal bleeding and was sent to a gyane who let me have an ovarian scan which shows a 10cm cyst on my ovary, i had to have an op to remove it. whilst in there they discovered endo and the cyst was an endemetrioma which is conclusive of endo.
If you have pain which stops you performing daily activities or stops you going to work/social events then it is quite likely you have endo.
The thing is to find out you will need the laparscopy and it doesnt cure the problem for ever. It usually comes back and people need more ops to remove the new growth.
My symptoms did not improve at all after my surgery and i have another cyst so am now waiting for another lap + surgeon said he suggests a hysterectomy as endo cysts point towards more advanced stages plus im done having children. Im only 35.
There is a drug called Zoladex which puts you into a chemical menopause temporarily which stops or slows down the growth of new endo. Aside from that they do manage it with hormones that stop you ovulating such ad cerelle.
Starting ibrofprufen a few days before your due and setting a 4hr alarm to take more throughout the period can keep pain at bay, i even set my alarm throughout the night because if the excrutating pain sets in then it takes ages to go.