Could this be Endometriosis?

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Hi, im a 18 year old female and im genuinely concerned about issues ive had with my menstrual cycle for awhile.

My cycle was always normal when i was younger. When i first started getting my period i would have a lot of spotting but i guess thats expected for a 10 year old. It eventually regulated itself after awhile. My periods have also been always quite short but very heavy.

Although as long as i can remember ive always had extremely heavy periods, but it has gotten worse i would say over the last 4 years. Ive told my mom and my doctor, i think they understimate what i mean by heavy flow. (TMI but what i mean by heavy flow is when i go to use the toilet and i finish, the toilet bowl is absolutely filled with dark red blood. You can not see the toilet water or urine. Its a very dark red..) I can soak a very thick overnight pad (The Always #5 overnight pads) in an hour and still bleed through onto my clothes. Over the last four years i have also noticed that i pass a lot of clots, very large clots. Much bigger than a dollar coin. Ive told my doctor about the clotting and she said its normal, although everyone ive talked to about this says they dont experience that large of clots.

When i was younger i didnt experience menstrual pain, but within the past 4 years i developed menstrual pain. It started out relatively normal, just an uncomfortable cramping that would eventually go away. It slowly got worse to the point where i had to take advil urgently, like right as my period started or i would be in serious pain. The pain within the last year has gotten immensely worse.

Back in January of 2020 i had a serious scare. The first day of my period was normal for me, but i was woken up at 3am out of my sleep the second day in serious pain. I was writhing in my bed, i almost had to call 911. I decided not to go to the hospital because i was afraid they would just tell me to take some advil and tell me i was overreacting over a period. It got so bad that i vomited stomach acid 3 times and i was gagging. The pain came in very frequent waves as if i was giving birth! I took extra strength pain reliever and i placed a very hot microwaved pad on my body and i just waited it out in pain. Thank god it broke at one point.

Ive passed kidney stones before and this period was more painful than that! I had never experienced that bad of a period like that one. It was terrifying, really. It was also concerning because im not one who commonly vomits, it takes a lot to make me vomit. This was uncontrollable and it was the first time i threw up in 5 years..

On top of this, i also recently within the last year started having serious hot flashes and blackouts from my period (im assuming from such great blood loss). I have been standing speaking to my father and then had to run to the couch while my vision would go clouded black and i would pass out for a few minutes.

My doctor put me on birth control and sent me for a regular ultrasound, which revealed nothing. The birth control helps the crazy blood flow for the most part, i still have one day where im pretty heavy. But what concerns me is i still have bad pain and very clotty periods. The birth control seems to have made my period only full of clots and no liquid except for the one heavy day.

I also have a few other red flags. I was diagnosed with ibs as my period issues got worse. I have read online that ibs often accompanies endometriosis and sometimes gets confused with it. I get constipated quite often, during my period and not. As well as diarrhea. I also frequently feel pain when i have a bm. Sometimes i also noticed i have a hard time peeing, like theres pressure put on my abdomen.

I could be missing some key things, but as far as im aware the only symptoms i dont have are infertility and pain during sex, as im not sexually active. Im not sure if these are issues for me yet.

Does this sound like it could be endometriosis or something else? I really dont know what to do about it. My doctor asked me to go for a transvaginal ultrasound since the regular abdominal ultrasound revealed nothing yet im still having issues. i backed out because im scared. I still have the paperwork and im considering just sucking it up and going because i really need help. i havent mentioned that i think i could have endometriosis to my doctor because im unsure.

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  • Posted

    Hi Soapbubbles.

    I'm sorry to hear you going through this kind of pain. I myself have also always experienced extremely heavy periods accompanied by heavy bleeding. Like yours mentioned, every other month from the age of 16 (I'm 24 now) my sleep i occasionally get this intense wave of pain that is so unbearable it's almost indescribable. For me I have to sit on the toliet and just cry it out as it's the worst pain i have ever experienced, no position helps, it's so quick that no pain relief acts quick enough, it causes me to sweat excessively, my body pulses, my head throbs and the pain in my abdomen is so bad the first time I had it I passed out temporarily. Like you I always debate calling an ambulance. (I had an ambulance called for me by my nan the first time it happened) but unfortunately, and I'm not sure if this is the case for everyone but the pain only lasts around 10-20 minutes. I know it doesn't seem a long time but every minute is pure agony. so by the time an ambulance arrives the pain has reached its worst. For me the only method of coping with the pain is having a poo. this probably sounds weird but I for me that intense strain on my body I feel is only relieved when I force something out. it doesn't cure the pain but since the first time I had one, up until now, i have always found having a poo when i have them pains seems to subside it. I'm not sure if its related/linked as during my period I get stabbing pains in my anus and I have read that cysts can grow there. I have had both an normal ultrasound and a vaginal one. they didn't show anything. but I am convinced pain like this is not normal! (despite the doctors playing it off like it's just normal cramping and giving me every birth control, pain relief) me and my partner are trying for a baby so the worry is even more present of if I have it, has it made me infertile. I am planning to go to the doctors and request a laparoscopy. despite my fears of it. I hope you manage to find help too!

    All the best to you.

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