I Can't Cope With This Every Month

[ClicksArse]

Once again I am laid in bed curled up round a hot water bottle barely to move because of such bad period pain. The only time I am moving is once every half an hour to go and change my sanitary towel because I have flooded another jumbo night time towel.

I have taken maximum doses of ibuprofen and paracetamol and I am still in agony. I can't taken codeine because it makes me vomit so I really don't know what else to do now.

I have seen my doctor about this more than once and she has told me that because the cramps and flooding only last 48 hours this is not classed as heavy periods and so there is nothing I can take or that she can do to help me. I cannot take any form of hormonal contraception because I am 2 stone overweight (I am trying to lose it) and because I have not had children of my own I cannot be considered for a hysterectomy despite the fact that I am very clear in my own head that I do not want children.

Sorry for the rant because I know that in the grand scheme of things this is a very minor problem but I am at my wits end and I can't see how I can cope with this happening every 21 days anymore.

I had v similar and was diagnosed years later with endo.(they kept telling me it was normalfor me at the GPs..only when I was referred did someone actually listen to me)...I have just 3 weeks ago had a novasure procedure and touch wood this will end all my heavy flow problems....ask about this once you have been fully checked out...x:)

Disco- yes it is right that the only way to definitevely diagnose endo is by lap, but large endometriomas on ovaries etc may be visible. I had and ultrasound and it showed free fluid in my pelvis which can be caused by endo but can happen for other reasons such as infection or can just be normal at some times in your cycle. I have started a post asking for advice about my lap on this thread but noone has answered , so you are welcome to come and chat with me about it - I had a lap yesterday and they found endo, I have mentioned the symptoms I had beforehand which sound quite similar to yours.

Clicks, hope you are feeling better? I guess it is day 3 now, I always find the pain is just starting to get bearable by then. x

21again - what is novasure? Glad you've had such a good outcome and someone listened to you eventually. I was so lucky, I went to my GPs about constipation and just happened to mention that I was also getting funny back, hip and leg pains that seemed to get worse around my period, he immediately referred me for a scan thinking it may be fibroids, then when that came back showing free fluid a female gp at the same practice decided it was probably endo and referred me to gynae asap. So it seems I am lucky that the docs at my practice are good at spotting gynae issues.

Although I have suffered with crippling periods for years but was just prescribed pain killers and the pill - chances are it was endo all along, it was only when my symptoms became more unusual and I mentioned it at my new GP that it was taken seriously. Good luck OP, have you been to docs yet?

Discowomb,

I would think that all your symptoms including the IBS type ones are due to endometriosis. Some women who are told they have IBS actually have endo instead; endometriosis can and does also get onto the intestines causing pain.

If endo is present a hysterectomy is not always recommended or adviseable as it can recur post hyst. Both your ovaries would have to be removed if a hyst was to be performed. Also if it is on your intestines it will not cure the intestinal endo.

www.endo.org.uk is a helpful website.

Am feeling much better today thank you - I took the new tablets yesterday afternoon and felt better within about half an hour. I have even made it back into work today

Feel free to hijack to your hearts content. If it means other people can take something away from this and don't have to suffer then I am more than happy about it!

ClicksArse,
I'm glad you found a decent GP, finally. The mefenamic acid should also lighten your flow. Also, fantastic news about getting a referral.

In your first post you could have described me (up until a few months ago) and my GP. Despite the fact that my mother had to have surgery because the endo had started to attack other organs, my GP still didn't do anything about it. [grrr]

It's very interesting the comments about IBS, as all my symptoms have improved and continue to do so since I removed wheat, sugar and dairy from my diet and I now have had 4 months in a row without taking painkillers (still use the hot water bottle) and not a buscopan in sight. :)

novasure is endometrial eblation..hope it works for me..iv my fingers crossed...good luck with everything xx