Pelvic pain problems

[jessica17]

Hi guys, is anyone able to help or suggest anything please?

Symptoms:

-pelvic pain (most days but usually manageable and something I'm used to)

-severe pelvic pain, especially the weeks before, during and after my period (7-day pill break)

-painful bloating (I can properly look pregnant when normally I'm quite slim, and it hurts, like as if my tummy is actually stretching)

-tiredness even when well-rested when episodes are bad

-nausea when episodes are bad (generally, when eating, when not eating, when trying to sleep)

-trouble sleeping when the pain is really bad

-bowel changes during episodes (usually when well I will go once a day, as normal, but when I'm unwell it can be anything up to 6 times a day. It increases the urgency as well)

-pain during sex/intimacy

-mood affected by all of this

-inability to do normal things: missing work; not going out or seeing friends; not able to do exercise; not able to do food shopping, for example

Timeline:

-I've been experiencing period problems for years, even since starting aged 15

-several doctors appointments since starting but told it was normal and something to put up with

-started seriously going back and forth to the doctors at the start of 2017

-ultrasound March/ April 2017

-private referral and assessment

-laparoscopy July 2017

-started Microgynon 22/09/17

-started having evening primrose oil supplements (500mg) 11/11/17

-started Cilest 01/12/17

-started evening primrose oil (1000mg) 22/02/18

Microgynon (combined pill) didn't help and seemed to actually make things worse. I took it, as advised, for three packets and then a break.

After this, I changed to another combined pill, Cilest. This seems to be much better in that I have times when I feel mostly well and can do normal things. However I still end up having episodes of severe pelvic pain and all the other symptoms described above.

My ultrasound and laparoscopy only found a small cyst (not on an ovary) and that my uterus is tilted backwards, but neither of these things would cause my symptoms so I have no explanation as yet.

I have tried lots of painkillers and medications, including: paracetamol; ibuprofen; mebeverine; co codamol; naproxen; codeine (and others). But so far, nothing has really helped.

If anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear from you

[AngieMo]

You may have interstitial cystitis or pelvic floor dysfunction or both. I have both and experience some of the same symptoms.

[jessica17 in reply to AngieMo]

Thank you, I hadn't heard of interstitial cystitis so I'll definitely look into that and speak to my GP about it on my next visit.

[AngieMo in reply to jessica17]

I hope that your GP is somewhat knowledgeable on interstitial cystitis and gets you to a good specialist. Urogynecologist are typically the best ones to see.

[jessica17]

Thank you, hopefully this can get looked at so I can finally find out exactly what is wrong with me and how to treat it! Thank you for your suggestions.

[Kerry32]

Did they scan for adenomyosis?

Or endometriosis could be hiding somewhere. Those are all the symptoms I had before diagnosed with endometriosis and adenomyosis.

[jessica17 in reply to Kerry32]

Hi Kerry, since this post I was actually diagnosed with adenomyosis in January via transvaginal ultrasound! I hadn't even heard of it before that! Thank you for your reply

[Kerry32 in reply to jessica17]

So sorry to hear I got NY diagnosis of adenomyosis last month through transvaginal ultrasound too.

And endometriosis in 2015

[jessica17 in reply to Kerry32]

So sorry to hear you have both. I had a laparoscopy in 2017 which ruled out endo luckily. Can I ask what you do to manage symptoms?

[Kerry32 in reply to jessica17]

I'm on serrapeptase and wobenzyme N for clearing of scar tissues. And drinking herbal tea I made from guava and soursop leaves. I don't have period pain anymore.

But pain with sex is just not going away.

I'm planning on taking evening primrose oil also and prenatal vitamins.

[jessica17 in reply to Kerry32]

Oh I haven't heard of those! I'm glad you don't have period pain any more and I hope you find a way to manage pain during sex. That part sucks I take evening primrose oil every day and I don't know if it helps but it hasn't made anything worse!

[Kerry32 in reply to jessica17]

So I have an update on evening primrose. I start going regular which wasn't happening. And I'm getting my next bottle of serrapeptase next week. Wishing you a blessed easter.

[jessica17 in reply to Kerry32]

Thank you for letting me know - I haven't heard of serrapeptase before, what's that for? I'm glad evening primrose oil is helping you. Have a great Easter too.

[Kerry32 in reply to jessica17]

Serrapeptase is an enzyme thar eats away scar tissue's and also reduce inflammation in the body..

I use the doctor best brand. You can research Up on serrapeptase to get a better understanding of what it is.

[jessica17 in reply to Kerry32]

Okay, great. Thank you!