Hello everyone
im currently trying to get to the bottom of a curious pain that I've been having recently. I've been told it could be retrograde bleeding, but I have a long way to go before someone will diagnose me (coming from seeing other women and their stories)
....anyway, a little about my situation:
I've been experiencing painful periods for about 3-4 years now, but never believed it was anything more than cramps and just my dumb luck. Im irregular and im on the combined pill. yay for me it's always a surprise ninja attack from Mother Nature. It can really put a spanner in the works for me as I work abroad and Half my packing is pants and feminine items.
In the last year my sister got diagnosed with Polyps and the other sister had a cysts on her ovaries (not a great genetic set up for me then) so I turn 24 and get my first smear done in April, results came back as "Unusual" however I was out of the country till this month (sept) and was unable to do much about further testing.
Im due for an appointment next month to have further testing relating to the unusual findings in my smear test, but for the last 12 days I had horrendous abdominal and stomach pain, worse than I've ever had in recent years
(there was only one episode about 4 years ago where I was doubled over in pain and sent home from the hospital with the message of 'hot water bottle and paracetamol-yeah....thanks NHS.)
Anyway this time I spent my days going back and forth to the hospital. The first two days the four doctor/consultants I saw, believed it was early appendicitis. (bloods and urine clean and clear so no not appendicitis....)
The fifth surgical consultant I see on the Monday; then starts asking if this has ever happened around my period, I explain my history and family connections to this type of pain and he starts to wonder if it's Retrograde Bleeding.
He says to go home and see if it goes away with my period ending but that they'd call Friday and see how I was doing.
Cue Friday. Im still in pain and my period is on it's last day.
I go in to hospital as the receptionist I speak to says I have to readmit myself through A&E AGAIN to be seen.
I finally get to the ward, the fifth consultant I had seen wasn't in and I see a new sixth consultant who examines me and tells me that it's merely a pulled muscle. (okay....no)
Their only care was to give me the option of staying over the weekend and being dosed up on opioids to 'manage the pain' (im seriously not a fan of that and want to get to the bottom of the cause of this horrendous pain! Not just manage it!)
So I come home and my period ends, the pain has started easing up, Surprise surprise im starting to wonder if it is connected to the periods...
This pain came with constant bloating/swelling of my abdomen and stomach, a worrying lack of appetite (im a chef so I normally eat ALOT) I could barely stomach a piece of toast in a day
And of course the constant pain that felt as if someone were ripping my insides out with a spoon and no matter how I laid down (left or right) The pain moved with me.
....
So I guess i'm wondering, anyone else in the same boat? I've just started my journey to see whats causing my pain, is anyone else doing the same? or has done the same and can spare some advice for me?
<3 to all the ladies going through what you have, you're awesome. (and give me hope!)