Sudden increasing pelvic pain. What should I be expecting? Feeling quite stressed.

[BigAuntieMeg]

I was diagnosed with Endo at about 26, but I'm aware of symptoms as far back as aged 14 when I first discovered bleeding from my colon. I've been very lucky having a baby cured my endo tempriarily and I have been breastfeeding for two years which has left me symptom free. Now that my daughter is weaning, the pain is coming back and it's getting worse the last few weeks, I've been having pelvic pain so bad that I've found housework, particularly if i need to bend, a struggle. I would like to know if this is a normal part of endo? Do symptoms suddenly get this bad or should I be worried? Please help!

[Impatient]

Yes they can get that bad quickly. The pregnancy and breastfeeding do pause the endo in its tracks but don't stop adhesions from growing and as soon as you begin to get back the old oestrogen levels again that endo kicks off and irritates whatever was there before and also any new adhesions from the pregnancy can be aggravated too. If you had a c-section then extra adhesions from that are bound to have grown in two years. You might also have endo growing in a c-section wound site.

Once your little one is weaned, then you can start trying different meds to help with stopping periods (like BC pills taken back to back) or implants like mirena coil or nexaplon for longer term treatment, you can also try altering your diet to reduce the gluten and other foods known to promote oestrogen levels. None of which are ideal while you are still breast feeding.

Or if you are ready to have another little one, getting pregnant again is always an option to consider too.

I'd suggest having a word with your GP, as if you are unable to manage housework at times, obviously that means you are struggling and in the interests of looking after your toddler you should be checked out to see if there is anything else other than endo behind the pains. You might have an ovarian cyst or two, or adhesions might be tightening round organs. Both of which can be tackled with a lap op.

Don't suffer in silence, expecially as the demands of a toddler can be a real burden on women with endo too. It won't get better if ignored, that's for sure.

[BigAuntieMeg in reply to Impatient]

Thank you so much for this, I was beginning to think that something awful had happened! I did have a c-section. My mum had very bad adhesions on her c-section, so I was warned that it could happen. I didn't realise that my endo would carry on while pregnant and Breastfeeding, I feel so lucky that I have had three years pain free. We want to try for another starting in June. I wonder if I could fit a lap in before then? I would also be interested to know of endo has been the cause of my excessive and trapped wind. I really should just see my doctor!