To ask about period pain and bowels?! Sorry TMI

[earlydoors42]

I have 4 children - the youngest is 5. For quite a long time now, but I think since having the youngest, I have been getting increasing period pain when having a poo or passing wind.

This has increased now to the point where yesterday morning I was woken by the pain. Went to the toilet and while doing a poo and just after, felt like strong contractions in my womb (ie not pain in my bowel I don't think). I nearly passed out and also nearly threw up, was sweating profusely and shaking a lot, and had to bite my thumb and breathe through the pain. I felt like that for about 10-15 minutes but then was ok again.

Remained ok the rest of the day except some similar, less bad pains after lunch when I had to pass wind.

Does anyone know what this could be and if it is worth going to the GP? I just have normal, not bad period pain the rest of the time, so it is not totally debilitating. But is horrendous when I need a poo!

Thanks for any suggestions.

I have had exactly the same, once woke up at 4am feeling like I was in labour- hot sweats, almost contractions feelings, nausea etc... went to the doctor the next day and she said as the wall of the bowel is right next to the wall of the womb, and if a bit constipated due to hormonal changes of period etc that was why it was so excruciating, so I said ‘ are you telling me this severe period pain was cos I needed a poo?” And she said ‘yep, Drink more water’

I've had these exact pains since I started my periods when I was a kid. I know it can be attributed to a tilted uterus - but that's not the case for me. I don't have much advice but it can be normal. I'm no doctor but I always assumed it was pressure on the uterus from the bowel or intestines or something?

If you're concerned, see your GP. But you're not alone.

I have this.
In my case, I have endometriosis with adhesions on the bowel (bowel is stuck to my ovary/womb).
Could be other reasons, but definitely worth persevering with GP if this continues.

I’ve found that since having DS2, I only pass clots/huge amounts of period blood when I poo or wee - could my womb have got less efficient at contracting after pregnancy/labour and needs me to bear down to shift the chunks?

Thank you for your replies. It is good to know I am not alone! I am never constipated though, in fact it was a bit the opposite yesterday and still made me feel as bad as labour! Maybe my womb has moved around from all the pregnancies. I feel better for the replies anyway :-)

Yep I get that and arse vomit

I always put it down to having ibs but since being on mn Iv seen it's quite common.

Yes i get this as well. It's a hormone thing i think. When i take evening primrose oil it helps.

Adhesions between uterus and bowel? Were any of your births C sections?

My last 2 of the 4 births were c sections. Could that have caused adhesions? I am guessing there is nothing that can be done?

Happy to try EPO if it might help, thank you :-)

Adhesions is a risk with any abdominal surgery and a big risk with multiple C-sections, yes. I think they can sometimes be separated again if very bad - might be worth consulting your GP.

In my case, the adhesions were due to endometriosis cells between my bowel and uterus. I have had laser surgery to separate some, but it was too high risk to tackle the worst of it.

I used to have similar symptoms and recently had a hysterectomy owing to a septate tilted uterus, a large ovarian cyst and two large fibroids plus bowel adhesions. I am now pain and vomit free in the mornings! Definitely worth going to the GP.

Oh thank you everyone, that's really I interesting! Just googled and a website came up showing the types of c section scar that make it more likely you have adhesions. One of the "bad" ones is how it looked after my first section (a different colour and protruded out) then in the second section they cut that scar off and it now looks like the other "bad" sort (same colour but indented).

Not sure how accurate the website is! Or what other people's section scars look like.

I think I will mention to the GP, especially as it is getting worse.