Undiagnosed rectovaginal endo? Please help!

Hi everyone,

Since the age of 16 I’ve had what I thought were two separate issues. Pain during intercourse/when trying to use a tampon and pain during urination, and then anal fissures. I’ve been dealing with all three for 8 years now. Ive had swabs and scans etc and no vaginal infection. I’ve recently got a referral to gynae for the vaginal/urethral issues as my GP thinks it could be endo. My apt is the end of June. I’m currently seeing a colorectal surgeon for my anal fissures and have been for the past year, having previously seen a surgeon in 2013 and getting no where. My surgeon has no doubt that I’ve had anal fissures in the past as he can see where they have healed. But there has been a few occasions where he says I’m still healed and has discharged me, even though I’m still having pain. He just keeps saying he can’t help me if he can’t see anything to fix. The problem is, I’m in excruciating pain every day when having a BM. This pain occurs when I feel the need to go, and whilst I’m going. The pain can then last from 10 minutes to 24 hours or more. I was due to have surgery for an active fissure in April, however when I woke from the anaesthetic he told me that I had healed and that I didn’t have the ‘tightness’ associated with fissures. I saw him again today, crying as I was in so much pain. He examined me and said he can’t see anything, just healed fissures. I was so frustrated, how can I be in so much pain with no fissure anymore? My partner said when I got home, is it possible to have Endo in the rectum? I have done some research and apparently it is!

Obviously I haven’t even seen a gynae consultant yet so I can’t be sure if I even have endo anywhere, but does this sound like it could be rectovaginal endo? Anyone out there with similar symptoms? I’ve never noticed if it’s worse with my periods but then I’ve never written it down. But I was on my period last week and I will say that my anal symptoms were a lot worse than previous weeks.

Is it possible for rectovaginal endo to cause anal fissures at times, as well as be responsible for fissure like pain in the absence of any actual fissures? Could it be that endo pain cause me to tense up etc and mimic anal pain, which in turn leads to actual fissures because I’m tensing? My surgeon hasn’t got a clue what’s causing my pain and is getting a colleague to examine me. I might suggest this next time I’m there.

I do have period cramps which sometimes require a hot water bottle but I never thought they were more painful than anyone else experiences.

I also suffer from fatigue but again I just thought I’m someone who’s always tired for some reason!

Thanks I’m advance!

0 likes, 1 reply