Not diagnosed, but worried by symptoms

[NutritionistSoph]

Hi all,

I am new to this community and very worried about the symptoms I have been experiencing recently. I have been to the Gynecologist about them, but he said to give it another 6 months to see if the symptoms continue, however I fear in this time that they could get worse.

Essentially, I suffered from very heavy & painful periods at school/sixth form, which forced me to take days off school huddled over with a waterbottle, feeling sick and taking frequent paracetamol to try to ease the cramps. At 19, I had anorexia nervosa, which saw my weight rapidly drop and my periods them stopped for the next 5 years, in which I had no pain (as had no periods). When my weight had sufficiently restored, my periods returned (thankfully) but were much lighter. Soon after, I started taking the combined pill, and did for years. now 26, 4 months ago I decided to come off of the pill as I was frequently getting thrush and the gynecologist suggested it may be pill related (from the oestogen). However on return of my 'natural' periods I have been experiencing some symptoms that greatly worry me, and when I have tried to look into them, I can only find information about endo. I'm very scared.

The week before my period is due, I suffer period-like cramps after bowel movements, and feel nauseaus for about 5 mins after. I also have lots of spotting of brown blood both before and after the period. I have also noticed a anal discharge that happens after some bowel movements that I have now experienced for about a year. I don't seem to have super heavy/painful periods or experience pain during sex/urination or bowel movements, only for a short time after bowel movement.

Does this echo anyone's experience of endo? Could this be something else? I thought perhaps IBS, however that doesn't explain why I only get these post-BM cramps a week between my period is due, and why the feel like period-cramps.

Any answers or advice would be greatly appreciated! thank you x

[weekari]

Hi

This could be endo but they're are other possibilities too that I thought I'd share.

You've obviously had quite a tough time of it over the years, you must've worked pretty hard to overcome your eating disorder. That's no small feat! Well done for being so strong.

I have a history of eating disorders too and although my periods never stopped, I certainly put my body through it. When all my health issues started 4.5 years ago, I was under weight and not eating very well but as part of trying to get better, I saw a nutritionist and I went on a gut healing eating plan. I ate lots of things like bone broth and sauerkraut to help with my gut bacteria and took really good quality pro biotics (I still do). I tried to really see food as a way to nourish my body,which really helped me move away from that ed type thinking. I think eating this way really helped my digestion which I think suffered from many years of neglect. It didn't help any of my endo symptoms but I now feel my digestion is amazing, despite having a huge endo filled fibroid pushing into my rectum! I think if I hadn't done this, I'd be much worse now.

The other thing is that the hormones that cause our uterus to do is job around our period can also activate the gut, so it can be fairly 'normal' to have a some changes in digestion around our period. If our hormones are a bit out of balance, then I'd imagine this might be worse. Given what you say, it's likely your hormones may be a bit out of whack but there are things you can do to help with that. Managing stress can be important as high cortisol (stress hormone) can mean low progesterone and then our estrogen goes in checked and can get too high (estrogen dominance). I have this. I find meditating and gentle yoga has been amazing for getting my stress levels down and I've been getting different types of therapy too.

What you mentioned about anal discharge, I'm wondering if this is mucus, which is a normal thing to have inside you bit is just not really meant to be coming out like that. I've had this a lot too. It can be a sign of things not being great in the digestive system, so again I'd be wondering about your gut health. I see by your username you might be a nutritionist? If so, this might ask be right in line with what you know anyway?

I hope all of this is helpful.

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