Please tell me if you have gone through this?

[Raerising]

Nobody understands my pain.. I don't even understand it seeing as I have had pretty much normal periods. I'm 36 with two children, 16 and 10. I went off all birth control 7 years go do to migraines. I have been through a divorce almost two years ago and have a new boyfriend. I went on the pill to try it out for three months but got the migraines again so I stopped. Than I started getting breakthrough bleeding during sex so I went back to the OB/GYN where she said I was fine and sent me on my way... The next month period was SO different from any other period in my life! I had extreme pain to the point of being curled up on the floor and bled like crazy with small clots. These spasms in my lover belly brought me to my knees and I would scream out in pain! They would last 1 min to maybe 5 than dull down. Two days of my period was the worst pain in my life. I called the OB/GYN and went in two weeks later where they set me up for an ultrasound where it showed I have a cyst in my uterus, the nurse practitioner said it was small but could be why I was in pain and we talked about birth control once more. She put me on a pill called Heather that was just estrogen-based and said it would help with my bleeding and shrink the cyst. 4 months later NOTHING changed! Crazy pain where I couldn't even use a tampon and hurt when I drove over bumps!! During this time I would call the doctor and she said give it time. NO MORE!! I was done. I stopped the pill.. That next month the pain was so bad I went to the ER it hurt so bad to just walk! I sat there for 6 hrs with extra strength Tylenol seeing as I do not take pain meds. ( crazy I know) it did nothing. Gave me another ultrasound said everything was the same asked what they could do for me, I said " fix me" they looked at me like I had 10 heads and sent me on my way.... I now felt very lost and just dealt with it... The pain went from a 20 to a 10 no more spasms so I thought I was getting better. The last incident I was at work feeling soooo sick and in Pain my coworker even commented on my look asking if I was ok... I went to the bathroom to freshen up came back and all of a sudden I felt this griping twisting knife stabbing pain and than a gush!!! I bleed through a new supper+ Tampon along with an overnight pad!!! It was all over my jeans! I felt like a balloon of blood had popped inside me! I rushed to the bathroom and out came this large clot the size of both my hands! I was freaked out! I called the doctor and they said to go to the ER if I wanted and called in another drug to stop the bleeding that I didn't even pick up do to the Side effects and just went home.. I want to the OB/GYN once again when I finally met the real doctor and not the nurse practitioner. He didn't even examine me and I asked for a hysterectomy. He said no way would he ever give me a hysterectomy and to make sure I do all The research I need to do first, to cross my T's and dotting my I's and that was it ... Are you kidding me!!! So I went to see the nurse and told her how unprofessional he was than she said she would recommend me to another OB/GYN two months later no word and I'm sitting here in pain where I can't even touch my belly, I am so tired I sleep all day and my back feels like a twig about to snap, I'm in bed missing family time and my boyfriend has no clue what my pain feels like with 3 Advil that does nothing he just thinks I have cramps and to come out of bed. This all went from normal periods to this craziness in one month/ over night. What is this?!! And why now?? Anyone please let me know if this happened to you!!

[givemeananswer]

Hi Raerising,

Wow I can't believe a post like that got no response in 9 days, you might want to try posting this on the Endometriosis forum, I think maybe the ladies there will be better able to identify with your situation. I've never had fibroids so i couldn't tell you but if I were to hazard a guess that sounds like what I've read about them. You can also get good recommendations there about the whole birth control dilema, from people who have tried them and can tell you the side effects. I am not familiar with Heather, sorry not much help. I have experienced the stabbing pain mine was burst ovarian cysts and I can tell you that a lot of things don't always show up on transvaginal ultraound scans. I'm with you on not wanting to take drugs to give you side effects to deal with in exchange, rather get to the root of the problem anf fix it.

Best of luck in your search, hugs

givemeananswer

[Londongrl68]

Hi, and I am sorry to hear what you are going through. I have endometriosis myself, and the severe symptoms and pain that you describe sound a lot like endo. Severe pain and heavy bleeding are common symptoms of endometriosis. You say you had migraines, and for me that has been one of the side effects of endo, as well as fatique/tiredness, nausea, poor quality sleep, infertility. Endometriosis can only be diagnosed with a laporascopic surgery. It is usually missed in ultrasounds. I think the doctor is right not to rush into having a hysterectomy, as you are still quite young and the uterus is an important organ and removing it can has a great effect on hormones, sex drive, etc. It also brings on the menopause, hot flashes and everything, and you have to have hormone replacement therapy (HRT). I can understand you are desperate, but I would think twice about having a hysterectomy before knowing the cause of you symptoms. Don't give up until you find the right doctor! There is certainly nothing normal about the pain you are experiencing.

[Raerising in reply to Londongrl68]

What have you done to help you with your endo?? If they just take the cervix and leave everything else I read that your body still gets the hormones it needs? I'm in a new relationship and with all this hitting me now it's putting a strain on us. I don't want more kids, I'm done! But can't take the pill and breakthrough bleeding during sex has freaked him and I out and I am just a mess sorry for rambling but I'm at my wits end.

[Londongrl68 in reply to Raerising]

Hi, I think every woman reacts differently to hysterectomy, hormone-wise. Although the doctors may say that leaving the ovaries and only taking the uterus does not affect estrogen levels, or that you will not go into menopause, that is not always true. I am partly basing this assumption on the experience of my mum, so . She had her uterus and 1 ovary removed, yet she went into menopause immediately or very soon after the op. She had to stay on HRT for a long time due to severe menopause symptoms, In many cases it at least causes an earlier than normal menopause. Then again, it may also run in my family because I have just been told by my GP that I have entered menopause and my AF has now stopped, at the age of 41! However, this page says that after a hysterectomy there is an up to 50% chance of entering menopause within 5 years, even if both ovaries are left intact: hysterectomy-association.or... , so this is definitely a real issue.

You seem to have confused the cervix with the uterus. Uterus is the organ that is removed in a hysterectomy, but the cervix (lowest part of the uterus) can be left intact. (The cervix is the "neck" of the womb that protrudes down into the top of the vagina.) Please please make sure it is NOT removed unless absolutely necessary, as it plays a huge role in enjoyment of sex and the ability to achieve orgasm. Do not let any doc convince you otherwise, and you have a right to ask about this before signing the consent form. Here is an article on the effects of cervix removal (for both the woman and her partner). hysterectomy-association.or... Reading the article, I find it quite shocking that in the UK the cervix is often unnecessarily removed. Unfortunately, many male doctors in the UK seem very ill informed about women's sexuality. Entering menopause will be bad enough for one's sex life (believe me), without also having no cervix! You asked me what has been done about my endometriosis: I have had two laparoscopies (keyhole surgeries) to remove endo tissue and adhesions. In the first one the endo was diagnosed for the first time. A laporoscopy is the "gold standard" for diagnosis of endo, as "givemeananswer" says above, the endo often does not show up on transvaginal scans. I also had medication: first I tried Norethisterone that worked like a dream and removed the pain (this was before my surgery); and danazol for 3 months after the lap, which felt like I had entered menopause: hot flashes, vaginal dryness, low sex drive and inability to reach orgasm, the works However, as I was also trying for a baby, I only stayed on these medications for a short time.

[Londongrl68]

One more thing, since you mentioned that the pill gave you migraines: have you tried a progesterone-only pill? The one I have used is called cerazette. It should not give you headaches, as it does not have oestrogen. It might not work for you, but it did for me. It also regularized my periods and kept my endometriosis in check. It might be worth a try.

[Raerising in reply to Londongrl68]

Sorry I only seeing this now... Yes I have tyed all kinds and tho I don't get the migrains I was cramping and bleeding and breaking out so badly I got off all meds!!! I'm looking for a new doctor still... I'm so sick of just being a number to doctors who don't care and I have almost given up im trying anything I can that is natural. blackstrap molasses strangly has helped with the cramping!! They are still there but it's helping so I can function!