Help much needed.

[ashleyjane88]

Hello everyone my name's Ashley I'm 24 years old and have a scan booked on the 4th February to see if I have endometriosis. My bowel perforated when I was 19 Yrs and since then I have had persistent problems with what feels like all my insides! After having a c section in Sept 2010 the problems with my periods have got increasingly worse after being told by doctors since then it's all in my head, it's normal or it's just stress I became so disillusioned I carried on as best as I could until this month I couldn't take it any longer. My period came unexpectedly on the 10th Jan so I went to the doctors again, this time in tears begging him to take me seriously as I'm at the stage I feel I can't go on, every normal bodily function hurts I can't go to the toilet without intense pain in my whole lower half, it's total agony, i can't sit down without getting stabbing pains through my backside legs and my back, I can't even have an intimate relationship with my partner anymore without me ending up in tears. However the worst thing is a constant pain in my bottom right hand side at all times. In the past 2 weeks I have been advised to take ibuprofen, paracetamol, mefenamic acid and diclofenic to no avail, my biggest fear is that nothing will be found on my scan and the doctors will think it's enough and I will be left yet again with no answers, I'm so sorry to go on but I don't feel able to talk to my family because I feel sometimes they think the doctors may be right but they can't be I'm in misery. Has anyone else suffered anything like what I have mentioned I would greatly appreciate any response wishing you all the very best of luck

Much love and gratitude

Ashley x

[jojo777]

Hi Ashley

I know its hard and more or less most of us here were/are suffering. I had the constant right pelvic/abdominal pain like you and discomfort in sex. It ended up to be endometriosis and you have to know that NO ultrasound or CT or MRI scans usually show endometriosis unless there are cysts of endo (endometrioma or chocolate cysts).

You definitely need to get to the bottom of this, even if your scan comes back clear (i did all kinds and they were all normal) dont let them send you home like that.

If you feel that your doctor doesnt listen to you, change doctor asap. Dont waste time, we have all been there and you will do more harm to yourself. Put pressure to be referred asap to an endo gynaecologist and take it from there.

Unfortunately the only way to diagnose endo 100% is with laparoscopy so be prepared to have a surgery if you want to get answers.

Jo x

[ashleyjane88]

Thank you for your reply Jo I really do appreciate it. I'm sorry if I sounded like a whiner I have a little two year old and have to get on with it as best as I can and not complain too much and my question was a bit of an offload for me and already I feel a bit better so thank you again! I'm honestly quite happy to do whatever needs to be done at this point even surgery I just hope that I can get a little bit of my life back. I'm going to see what happens with the scan and see what my GP has to say afterwards and like you advised I will change for a second opinion if I feel I don't get anywhere.

It's really nice to hear from someone who knows about these things as I don't have a clue

Ashley x

[jojo777]

I was in your position (not having a clue, actually never heard endo before in my life) last year. But after a lot of research, bad experiences with my first gynae, I finally found a way to cope and i found a great new gynae too.

Good luck xx

[Hidden]

It sounds very much like endo to me and I've had it 35 years. The stabbing pain is especially indicative of endo. I was sent for every test under the sun (some were quite painful because of the endo) and was told there was nothing up with me and offered anti depressants!

As previous posts have said, tests and ultrasound often show nothing amiss but in my case and I'm sure your case too, something is very wrong. Hope you get sorted soon xx

[memyselfi in reply to Hidden]

I think the emotional and psychological pain from endo is as bad as the physical.

Like you I had it undiagnosed for decades and they eventually convinced me that it was all in my head/result of stress, which made me lose confidence in my own judgement and ultimately myself. Particularly every time I ended up at the GP with severe abdominal pain it was just before my period (well, it would be, wouldn't it?) but no one thought endo, they just thought premenstrual and bonkers.

[Hidden]

Just to add to what I wrote before, endo seems to like burying itself in surgical scars so I think the fact you have had two abdominal operations is quite significant. I've had scars excised and revised and each time more endo was found in the scar tissue that was removed.

Good luck with it all and I hope you can get treatment very soon that helps you! xx