Advice needed

[aco1994]

I was on the contraceptive pill for 10 years due to bad periods and back pain. In November I came off the pill to start a family.

I normally have a 32-35 day cycle. In February I had a 63 day cycle so totally missed a period, I contacted the doctor and they said if I missed another to get in contact and not to be too concerned.

In July it happened again but I had horrific pains in my lower left side and back ache beyond relief. I phoned the doctors again. It was affecting my sleep, activities I was doing and I would have random shooting pains which would make me buckle over and I was so bloated and it was painful. I went for an appointment at my doctors (on the Friday) and was checked over, urine was checked for infection and pregnancy and asked questions, she said she would call me back on Monday to see how I was. The Monday came around and she called, I said I was no better. An appointment was made to check me again on the Tuesday. On the Tuesday I went for the appointment with a urine sample again which was all clear and tried to take blood but couldn't get any and checked over again. She said she would get me in for an ultrasound but if anything changed in the meantime to go to A&E.

During this time I was living on pain killers which weren't really doing anything and hot water bottles.

On the Wednesday I went down hill after I finished work and ended up phoning 111. They made an appointment for me to go and see the out of hours doctor at the local walk in within the hour. I was checked over once again and another urine sample but wanted another opinion so was sent to A&E. On arrival at A&E, I was sent into triage and stronger pain relief was given. A doctor attempted to take a lot of blood from me but this was a struggle once again. I ended up that I was booked in for an ultrasound the next day.

On the Thursday I arrived for my ultrasound appointment. Then I went in to get my results a few hours later. It resulted in them finding liquid in the pouch of douglas and they explained that I may have retrograde menstruation due to my missed periods. There were no cysts or fibroids that they could see.

I have been referred for a sigmoidoscopy and a further ultrasound to get more of a look.

Since I went to A&E my period did arrive after a 56 day cycle. It was for 9 days and for the first 5 days there wasn't much blood on a pad but the toilet had a lot of clots and blood in it, then I got heavy after that. My periods are heavy normally and I get in a lot of pain.

Why would I need a sigmoidoscopy? Is this the start of my endometriosis journey? Has anyone else had problems like this?

[Kricam78]

Hi aco1994,

I also developed symptoms of endo after taking a break from the pill (I'd been on it for decades). It seems the pill masks symptoms. Unfortunately even when I went back on it the symptoms just got worse.

I'm unsure why they need a sigmoidoscopy unless you have bowel symptoms also? I've had a colonoscopy but that was because I had bleeding from my back passage on a period, and I had diarrhoea/constipation and high inflammation markers shown in a stool test. When you said there were clots in the toilet did you mean after urination?

Unless they consider that you have deep infiltrating endo in your pouch of Douglas? but I would've thought they would've gone for an MRI instead.

[KamosPains]

Your endometriosis journey started at birth. This is just the part where you wake up from the Matrix and realise you have a lifelong autoimmune diesease that no one likes to talk about or take care of.

Welcome.

I recommend you go to an endo specialist ASAP. Stop using ANY doctors not trained for endo.

If you want to have a baby, you'll meed the best doctors who actually know what to do and not the ones guessing with authority.

Not sure what state youre in, but the sooner you pursue the right help the better. It sometimes takes very long. Sometimes can go much faster. Depends on how hard YOU push for the endo doctors and no one else.

[Avourneen]

Yes it sounds as if they suspect bowel endo. But a sigmoidoscopy is not the right test for that because the endo grows on the outside rather than inside of the bowel so it will miss it. You should probably have an MRI and if you have an ultrasound it needs to be a transvaginal ultra sound done by an expert sonographer who has gynae training.

The pill does hide endo symtoms and if its the combination pill it also feeds the endo (the pop is meant to be safe).

It's pretty good that they are looking into it quickly . I can recommend a brilliant sonographer who will do a great job if you need. I'm sorry you have had to go through all f this. Endo is a pretty difficult illness to manage but I'm sure you will find lots of help,advice and support here. Good luck xx