Tired of pain/irregular periods - any ideas?

[yournicknamehere]

I've had very erratic periods for some years now, coupled with absolutely crippling pain on ovulation.

Before I had my last dc 2 years ago I had suffered from very heavy periods lasting over a week in some cases with only 22 days between them. No pain as such during the periods, but I used to get ovulation pain lasting for 2 or 3 days. GP reluctantly agreed to get it investigated as I was horrendously anaemic even taking iron supplements, I had an external scan, and also a hysteroscopy (privately) - no signs of anything untoward, so had a mirena until we decided to conceive the last dc. Consultant thought maybe a touch of endometriosis but as I had no problems conceiving he thought the mirena was the best option.

Two years on .... my periods are still horribly irregular. I've literally just finished one which started 17 days after the last. They're not heavy anymore though - in fact the bleeding is completely different -very bright red and copious but no clots like before. I'm in pain on and off the whole cycle but mostly the second half - stabbing burning pain in my right side.

I still take iron tablets - could this cause frequent bleeding? I think I can feel the anaemia creeping back again as I've been very breathless recently. I don't think my GP will be at all sympathetic, he definitely thought I was fussing before about the pain - but it's worse now as it's almost all the time.

I'm tempted to try the mirena again as I had no pain on it, even though the other side effects were grim.

Any ideas?

Go back to the doctors and ask for - demand, if necessary - a referral to gynae, blood tests and an ultrasound scan.

It is not normal to have eratic, heavy periods with pain.

Am I right in thinking that it was 2yrs ago that you had the hysteroscopy? A LOT can change in two years. Two years ago I was perfectly 'normal' gynae wise - 2 months ago I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and am now recovering from a total hysterectomy. I am 37.

Please, please don't leave it and think it is normal. It is probably something really harmless that can be easily sorted with the right treatment but you do need to get yourself checked out.

Sorry to hear that LilyPickle. How are you feeling? Is the hysterectomy a complete cure?

My hysteroscopy was more than 4 years ago - I had a year on the mirena, 6 months to conceive dc (plus pregnancy) who is now 2 and a half. Both GP and consultant seemed to think ovulation pain was not significant as I don't get pain actually while on my period - in fact getting a period is a bit of a relief. I'm just not sure I can bear seeing the GP again and getting that whole face.