Pain during intercourse

[Clairem1992]

Hi everyone. This is my first post so please be understanding if some of my questions and concerns have already been talked through and answered, thank you.

5 years ago, I started feeling a lot of pain during an intercourse with my boyfriend. We had to stop and the cramps faded away after a while. Then it carried on happening more often. I would get this very sharp pain deep into the right hand side of my lower abdomen. Following the pain, I would get dizzy, ending up throwing up, then my bowels would empty themselves too and I would sometimes pass out in pain in my bathroom floor. This whole thing would last for about 20 to 30 minutes and I’d be back on my feet, trying to comfort my boyfriend who didn’t understand what happened....

Then, I started having this pain in the same place, but inbetween my periods. It would start around the ovulation and last until my next period. I could always feel it, whether it was as a sharp pain or a milder one.

After years of explaining these symptoms to my GP, after numerous trips to the hospital for scans (internal and external), swabs and gynaecological exams, I saw an amazing gynaecologist who basically told me that if it hurt where he pressed with his fingers (inside me), it would be endometriosis. When he touched me, the pain was so intense I had to ask him to stop. They then decided to do a laparoscopy, suspecting endometriosis.

I had the laparoscopy on the 8th of January. When I woke up, still half asleep due to the drugs, the surgeon came in the room and told me they didn’t find anything and that my pain was probably due to a problem with my bowels. With no more explanation, I got left there, in tears.

Now I have been referred back to my GP, I have not been yet has I don’t think I am quite ready to go through all this again.

The pain is still here, I can feel it most of the time and I am not even mentioning how much our intimate life is suffering from this !

Has anyone here ever had the same symptoms and have you ever found out what was the problem ? Thank you for your help.

[mmaybs]

I can relate so much. I get that same pain in my lower right hand side whenever I’m on my period or during sex. I have my diagnostic lap booked for March and I am so nervous for them to tell me they haven’t found anything.

I’m sorry I can’t help much, but I feel your pain (literally lol).

Keep pressing for an answer - you know your body best and this pain isn’t normal. Xx

[Clairem1992 in reply to mmaybs]

Thanks for your reply, please let me know how you got on and if they found anything ! Good luck and i hope they will be able to help you

[Starry]

Big big gentle hugs. Xx

I've had dyspareunia forever, I didn't know sex could be pain free. though I didn't faint with the pain from it I did start to when having bowel movements during my cycle which led to an embarrassing a and e trip on holiday.

Age 42 and my symptoms extended to bladder problems and a clued up GP found a lump on an internal which was a large rv endo nodule. Mine was so big it could not be missed.

It does seem strange which such strong symptoms to have a clear lap. Im no medic but wonder if its possible, if yours is earlier in its stages, perhaps depending your cycle time it could be barely perceptible and less inflamed? I have heard that it is very variable in appearance and some forms can be very difficult for a non specialist to spot eg sometimes it is very small clear bubbles not just classic red or black lesions. Also the pouch of Douglas can be very hard to see into so rv locations are tricky. Worth checking if the op report says the POD was occluded. Occasionally general gynae have missed some which is why being seen in a bsge specialist endo centre is good if possible but tbf from what you say yours sounds clued up. You could try to find out what extra training he has taken in endo. I think with the new Nice guidelines coming in only gynaes with a registered "special interest" (which I think means they've done extra skills training modules in it) and full accredited bsge centres will be meant to treat endo.

Have you had a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy to eliminate endo actually inside the bowel or other bowel conditions. I imagine any disease causing inflammation in the recto vaginal space could replicate the symptoms as bowel vagina and bladder are all very close together inside. Try and hold on to the thought that not having endo is a very good thing as it is a chronic disease with no cure (spoken as a severe rv endo sufferer 6 months post excision op)

Perhaps getting the full op report from your consultants secretary, plus any photos taken, preparing some questions, also getting checked internally by a colorectal consultant and potentially seeking a second opinion by a bsge accredited specialist surgeon (a private consultation is around 180 quid if the GP won't re refer you) might be possible courses of action once you feel stronger emotionally?

Hope some of this wittering is possibly of use. Xxxxx

[Hidden]

Could also be pelvic floor dysfunction, as what you've said about the pressing a part that hurt a lot sounds like trigger points. I have one down my right side and when anything touches it it makes my whole right side spasm, but I'm working on gently massaging it til it releases, which is a nightmare as it's where I hold all my stress! It's made sex basically impossible because as soon as anything touches it, the entire area cramps up and makes me feel sick and dizzy, but I had a negative lap and was told this was probably the case, and since I've started pelvic floor treatment the pain has been so much more manageable! Fingers crossed you find your answer soon x

[khodnett001]

I’m so glad it’s not just me.... I too, have endometriosis pain so bad that I get dizzy/vomit/pass out on the bathroom floor. It’s frustrating that something that’s supposed to be so “simple” and “enjoyable” such as sexual intimacy, causes such severe pain. It doesn’t happen EVERY time. But when it does... it’s debilitating. And then I’ll have days where I’m doubled over in pain, without sex. So. I did have two huge gusts removed and was experiencing ovarian torsion at the worst of my pain. My pain has *lessened* (some) since the surgery. Just make sure there’s not something else going on too- like cysts or torsion- in addition to the endometriosis.

[Clairem1992 in reply to khodnett001]

Thank you for your reply. I have had many scans which only showed a couple of cysts but the gynaecologists weren’t concerned by them at all. I had the laparoscopy the day after the end of my period. Would it be a reason why they didn’t find anything ? And how did they diagnose your torsion? Was it by scan or during the laparoscopy?

Thanks for your answers. And it doesn’t hurt every time I have an intercourse either, but anticipating the pain makes me tense and the whole thing becomes less enjoyable....