Possible adhesions

[cabbage12]

Hi am an new to this page.

I have been having right sided pelvic pain for a year now. The pain started off as a dull ache and sharp stabbing pains when I lay down on my back or stomach or when someone pressed on my right side. Shortly after I started getting the intermittently, started a once in a while. As time has gone on the pain has increased in frequency ( i am now getting the pain every day, most days every hour, some times more some times less) and intensity. I also have had bad period and ovulation pain ( which can last up to 2 weeks) since I was 13 and I have noticed that my pain is sometimes more intense on the right side. Also I am 19 and a virgin.

I have been treated for IBS, constipation, neuropathic pain. I have been tested for PCOS which came back negative. I have had urine test, blood tests, a pelvic ultrasound, have been put on the pill to see if that helps to decrease the amount of periods I have. I have been to my GP & times since December and have seen Gyni who said its not gyni related. I was refereed to general surgery who I saw today.

He asked me the general questions and what test had been done so far, then had a feel of my belly and asked a few more question. He believes it is adhesions from my appedix surgery 4 years ago, but doesn't want to procced in doing anything yet. He doesn't want to do a CT scan due to my age and the level of radiation ( in his words because i am a young woman) or a laporocopy as it could do more harm than good and cause more adhesions. So I am getting sent for an abdo ultrasound ( as i only had a pelvic ultrasound that didn't go over the area of pain) to check what is going on and will been seen again in 3 - 6 months and see if the pain has increased or not by then.

Does this sound like anything that anyone is going through.

I am starting to get to my wits ends. I am a 2nd year student nurse and the pain so far hasn't effected my studies. However I have had times when I havbe had to leave lecture to go to the bathroom to double over in pain, and have been feeling the pain more when on placement and there has been times when I have had to stop and take breaks whilst studying because of the pain.

Thanks in advance.

[PPSN_JudyB Pelvic Pain Support Netwo]

Hi,

I'm not sure how useful an abdominal ultrasound will be in detecting adhesions if this is the problem. There is such as thing as a 3D pelvic floor ultrasound but there are very few of these around. The other possibility is an MRI and I'm surprised this hasn't been suggested.

Did the pill make any difference to the pain ?

[cabbage12 in reply to PPSN_JudyB]

Yeah I was surprised as well when he didn't mention MRI as that was what my GP said they might do.

I pill hasn't done anything in terms of helping my pain. If anything I found that I was in more pain especially during my period and all the pain was concentrated on my right side which is not normal for me. Plus i was having spotting whilst on the pill, but i think that my be down to the length of time i took it ( 9 weeks pill, one week off).

[PPSN_JudyB Pelvic Pain Support Netwo in reply to cabbage12]

Can you ask your GP about having an MRI scan with someone who is experienced with reading pelvic/abdominal imaging results ?

[cabbage12 in reply to PPSN_JudyB]

I'm not sure as the gp that sent me to general surgery has just retired

[PPSN_JudyB Pelvic Pain Support Netwo in reply to cabbage12]

I would try to find out who in your practice is knowledgable /has an interest in pelvic pain. Let me know how you get on

[cabbage12 in reply to PPSN_JudyB]

Had the ultrasound 2 weeks ago and got the report and a letter form the surgeon today saying that nothing showed up and that he doesn't need to see me again, even though a the appointment i had with him he said that he would. It said that if i have ongoing symptoms to go back to my GP ad that he would be happy to see me again. I feel like no one is listening to me anymore and don't care that I am in pain every day.

This is the second time i have been fobbed of by the hospital and by two departments now. I am so frustrated now.

I don't know what to do next, other than cry.

[2cv1964]

Hello, I am so sorry that you are suffering. I am not an expert on your kind of pain, otherthan i had terrible pain during my periods as a young woman and sometimes bled for 3 weeks at a time and ended up with a fibrone (don't know what it is in English) but do make an appointment with your Doctor once more and ask for an MRI to start the ball rolling.

I wish you so much luck.

[cabbage12]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I got my letter through today for my ultrasound ( they are sending me for an abdominal and urinary tract ultrasound) next Friday, so hopefully i might get some answers.

[Confused1991]

Keep fighting! It took me 4 years of ridiculous symptoms to finally get a new gp who sent me to a gynae, had a lap & got a diagnosis. Still a way to go... But don't accept that they can't do anything for you. Good luck x

[Rhiann]

I am 19 years old and am in a very similar situation to you, however the pain is primarily on my left side. It started off as simple twinges and period pain, but then became more frequent, with the addition of bowel problems. I too have had ultrasounds, blood tests and urine tests, but they found nothing.

After getting frustrated, my mum paid for me to see a private specialist in all things gyneological. She suspects endometriosis, and I am now waiting for a laparoscopy. This is something you should maybe research into? Endo is very different for each individual, therefore you could have a few symptoms and mild pain and still have it, while for some it is unbearable. I understand with having your appendix removed, you will already have adhesions and a surgeon may not wish to add to them with being 19, but personally I pushed to have it because the pain is affecting day-to-day life (I had to intermit from 2nd year uni).

It may be the case of weighing up how much pain you are in, how desperately you want a diagnosis etc. because the lap may cause problems down the line... Also, consider trying other variations of the contraceptive pill. My mum has had numerous gyne problems (which at first were said to be digestive issues and not gyne ones), and my best friend has endo, and they both had to go through a few different birth controls before finding one that helped ease their symptoms.

I will also say that endometriosis causes bowel problems, and is often at first misdiagnosed for IBS. It cannot be recognised by ultrasound unless a cyst is present.

Good luck with your studies, and I help you find an answer and some relief soon.

X

[cabbage12 in reply to Rhiann]

Since the pain started I have always thought I was gyni relate and suspect endo myself. Going to try and get an appointment with one of the GPs next week

[PPSN_JudyB Pelvic Pain Support Netwo]

I agree with the useful replies above, it is worth persisting with and please let us know how you get on. Good luck.