can endometriosis pain and symptoms recur at perimenopausal age after a long time without symptoms

[scottie47]

I am nearly 47 and was diagnosed with endometriosis at 26. I had severe painful symptoms at ovulation until around 6 years ago when symptoms disappeared. Over the years I have had 2 laparoscopies and laser treatments. However about 3 months ago I got bad lower abdomen and rectal pain the day before my period and the nightmares of endometriosis came back to haunt me. Anyway no pain since until this morning when I got up for work and within 5 minutes i was doubled over in excruciating pain, broke out in pouring cold sweat, felt like i needed to open my bowels and was sick. The pain in my lower abdomen and rectum was so severe I almost passed out. and felt terrified. Managed to crawl to the sofa and curl up but it took around half hour to feel able to move to get some pain killers. I've managed the pain with pain killers for the rest of the day but my lower abdomen and back feel so tender and sore. I'm so scared! Don't feel i could cope with that kind of pain again. it's the worst i can ever remember and I have never actually been sick with it before. In the past I always got the pain at ovulation but the last two times my period has been imminent. Anyone experienced similar after pain free years or suddenly worse at menopausal age? i am definitely going to see my G.P.!!

[Impatient]

Sounds like a typical ovarian cyst explosion to me.

It takes a rare pain to induce vomitting, and the excrutiating shock pain of a burst cyst can do exactly that and paralyse you with pain. It can be one of the most painful of pains, along with kidney stones and other particulary nasty medical events. Not like endo pain which is relentless soreness.

It's only a theory, but the 3month ago pain might have been caused by a cyst leaking, and then it sealed up, and swelled up and today it burst.

It does happen, and happened to me twice. Cysts can leak then recover then eventually pop at the weakest point.... and then sometimes refill up again or disappear absorbed in to your body in the comming weeks.

One way to check it out is to report right away to your GP about what happened. you do need a scan and your GP should refer you to the hosp to get one, just to check if there was a cyst or still is cyst. Even if it burst there will be debris which can be picked up on a scan as well as the empty sack of a cyst (like a burst balloon). It might have been benignly sitting there for years or be a recent one. One last hurrah before the ovary goes to sleep....well one can but hope that was the last one.

The contents of the cyst might cause follow up endo like pains because if it did explode, it's contents would have hit several internal organs and bruised and bashed them like a shot gun going off inside you, bits get pelted everywhere.

I'm gonna put a bet on it being a burst cyst.... do hope your pain is calming down, if it doesn't then do visit A&E and get a proper strong pain relieving jab in the bum. Do not even try to go to work till you have recovered. Infact a visit to A&E might get you scanned quicker too.

Best of Luck. It sure ain't nice to go through.

[Joyraffe]

Hi. Im 48 and had a lap last year following about 2 years of symptoms like yours - excruciating pain, sickness, diarrhoea, not being able to get up off the floor, almost passing out, wondering if I should get myself to A&E every month. Every month just before and for the first 2 or 3 days of my period. I then flet like I had been kicked in the stomach for a few days. Prescription cocodamol 30 would take the edge off it but not stop it at its worst. Any way I had scans etc, def no cysts. The lap didn't find Endo, but did find an adhesion (scar tissue) between my stomach and my bowel, they removed that and apart form some lower back ache I've been ok since. They were adamant I didnt have endo. My research shows that adhesions tend to be the last stage of endo, so who knows! But if you had a previous op you may well have similar scar tissue. I know that pain, you described exactly what I had. Go get it checked xx

[Chrissie66]

I'm with Impatient, that sounds like a cyst to me. I had one that they reckoned had either leaked or twisted on its stalk and the pain was exactly the same as you're describing. It came out of nowhere, I was at work, walking up the stairs; I was fine at the bottom but by the time I got to the top I was on all fours. I went home from work and made a doctor's appointment but in the few hours before it came round I had a sleep and the pain had pretty much disappeared when I woke up so I was inclined to cancel the appointment, but thank God I didn't. Sent to hospital for a scan because the doctor thought I was pregnant! but the 'pregnancy' turned out to be a grapefruit sized cyst that was full to bursting.

Make an appointment to see your GP asap. It might not be an endometriosis cyst so don't panic on that front; your body goes a bit mad when you're perimenopausal. Like it's reminding you for the last time of the hell it can put you through if it so chooses!

Good luck and take care

C x

[christinalove]

I was diagnosed with endometriosis over 10 years ago. Gone thru different birth control methods to control amount of bleeding since I was consistent for 3 months. Gone thru everything almost except surgery. I heard hysterectomy wasn't gonna help my pain just put me into early menopause which if it wasn't gonna help me then why have surgery. Went thru several research studies for endometriosis. Finally found one that helped a little but it changed name I don't know if it was approved. It took the edge off my pain for approximately little over a year then the pain gradually started to increase again. So for the last 4-5 years my pain and symptoms have been consistent. Then I turned 43 this year. I started feeling my body having changes. I felt more depressed and moody. My bowels started to feel heavy and started having issues with that again to where I went back in for my 4th colonoscopy. Then I noticed my pain levels had increased before my menstrual cycle where I felt I was on heavy cycle weeks before I actually even started my period. Yet my period seemed very light and short for 2 months. But month the pain got worse. Then missed 2 periods but whole time was in pain. I figured I'm 43 it has to be menopause and endometriosis combined. Then when I finally started my period I was in so much pain doubled over and just couldnt move for awhile. It felt as bad as labor pains!!!! But it was more consistant! It was like I was having a miscarriage. I ran fever. Bleeding extremely heavy but everyone I talked to said menopause so I suffered thru it. Then I got worried and went to doctor. My old obgyn Dr I had for 24 years retired so I had to see someone new and they brushed it off as normal. Is it normal for endometriosis pain to increase so bad as you reach or start menopause? Not sure I can take much more of this! I am still waiting for pelvic ultrasound to check for cyst on ovaries or something else going on. Not liking my new doctor been waiting weeks