Ovulation pain or too early in cycle?

[Marne]

My period only ended 4 days ago (lasted 8 days and very heavy), today i have pain low down on the left hand side, could it be ovulation pain?

I'm really worried as my periods are so heavy, i'm paranoid that something is wrong .

Hi Marne

If you are not already under the care of a gynae regarding this issue you should be. Some GPs are pretty much next to useless when it comes to such issues hence me suggesting seeing a gynae.

You need to establish the cause of the underlying problem and you will need to be persistant. It is all too easy to be fobbed off.

Pains like this should always be checked out further to ascertain the cause; am no expert of course but it does not sound like ovulation pains to me. Have you had this type of pain before, either early in the cycle or mid cycle?. Any pains that are cyclical in nature and get worse up till menstruation certainly need further investigation.

Fibroids can cause heavy bleeding to arise, has this been determined?. Also endometriosis can cause great pain.

I get a lot of pains through out the month (the past few months it has got worse as have the heavy periods), i am due a smear so will book myself in this week and ask for a referral to gynae. Last time i went to see GP (a year ago) he checked me for Fibroids and said i was ok but refussed to reffer me to gynae, he said i should get a coil fitted (which i don't want).

Marne,

You certainly warrant a gynae referral and do not take no for an answer. Do see your GP again asap and insist that you are referred. Pain is certainly suggestive of endometriosis and endo can also cause heavy bleeding.

You need to establish the cause rather than the GP just trying to treat the symptoms.

As mentioned previously many GPs know very little about this type of issue and would not recognise endometriosis even if presented with a clear case of it.

my consultant has stated that I couldn't possibly have endo as sex is not painful

he wants me to have ythe mirena coil fitted

good luck Marne

ROH

Deep pain during sex is very suggestive of endo but in my case I had endo symptoms for years prior to becoming sexually active. Infact my problems with endo started when I was 14; I realise that now.

www.endo.org.uk is a good website to look at.

Some cons too are truly ignorant; when it comes to endo or if it is suspected the patient is far better off seeing a cons gynae with a specialist interest in it.

Good luck marne, you too ROH. Do not be fobbed off!!

Marne - if you don't know whether you're ovulating or not then this may well be ovulation pains.

Ovulation occurs two weeks before menstruation - during an average 28 day cycle this would put ovulation around days 12-16, HOWEVER cycles change - it may well be that this cycle is shorter than normal and so you are ovulating early.

I'm not sure why everyone is immediately suggesting a gyne appointment, or endometriosis (which is possible if you don't experience pain during sex, but almost always you would experience pain during menstruation) - nothing about this question suggests endometriosis.

If your periods are in fact heavy (many women think they're heavy - but how often do you get to compare with others, unless you use a menstrual cup there is no way of accurately judging flow), then they DO require tests...and you do have to be forceful with your doctors. For many of us though heavy periods are just heavy periods, there are plenty of ways to lessen flow - tranexamic acid, balancing hormones with chaste tree (pain may possibly be a sign of hormonal imbalance - worth a try until you get help from your GP), coffee during menstruation, various vitamins and minerals will help.

Often doctors will not help with such issues, but there are ways of helping yourself both in treatment and monitoring both symptoms and your cycle in general with FAM to see if you can spot problems.

Hi Marne,

Pains throughout the month should be properly investigated hence my suggestion to see a gynae.

Ovulation does not always occur around two weeks before the start of the next period. It can happen earlier, later or not at all in any given cycle.

Some GPs are next to useless when it comes to dealing with such issues. You need a diagnosis first and foremost. Treating the symptoms is one thing but the cause needs to be properly determined.

Thank you, i have tried tranexamic acid and it had no effect, my periods are very heavy (for 2 days of my period i can not leave the house), i pass huge clots and ruin the bed sheets (sorry if TMI). I can often tell when i ovulate (around 2 weeks before my period), this felt like ovulation pains but was too early. I will ask for a referral when i see the GP (hopefully this week).

If your period lasted 8 days and it's 4 days on I'd say day 12 of your cycle isn't particularly early to experience ovulation pain

I'm going to the doc's on tuesday so fingerscrossed i will get a referral.