Dark brown discharge, pain, fatigue, infertility, misery. Ruining my life!

[Pat1ence]

I am so desperate for somebody to tell me where this bleeding is coming from!!

I had a laparoscopy a couple of years ago due to pain and spotting. Mild endometriosis diagnosed, follow up lap endo ablated. I came off the pill and we started TTC straight away as I was worried about fertility.

Let me tell you about my cycle:
Day one of my period is awful. As it is for most women with Endo. I take codeine and Naproxen and curl up in a ball. Right sided fireball pain.
Day 2-7 is heavy, some months worse than others, pain simmers down. Manageable but prolonged.
Day 18-21 I will feel aches, pains and swelling. It can get sore and uncomfortable building up to ovulation.
Ovulation- will be about an hour of what feels like an explosion followed by intense throbbing in my pelvic region. I can't walk upright or sit down comfortably. It can reduce me to tears.
Day 23-26 feels like I've been punched a few times in the stomach.

This is the part I'm desperate for answers on-
Day 27 or about 4 days past ovulation, the brown stuff starts. This is preceded by 12-24hours of searing lower back pain. I can't sleep or bend. It's horrific. Then a gush of red blood, usually in the morning as if it has pooled, then it turns brown. Dark, horrible brown. If I go shopping or walking anywhere I have to rest as the back pain flares up, I can't go swimming, I can't wear certain clothes, we can't have sex, i can't socialise due to pain and fatigue. Basically from 4dpo the brown stuff gets heavier and heavier, limits my life more and more and makes me feel so utterly miserable and infertile.

My consultant said it was hormonal yet Clomid didn't fix it. I still ovulated late. Northisterone (taken to delay my period for a holiday last year) didn't stop/slow it. My hormone tests come back normal.

I had a hysteroscopy. The nurse said it was a cervical erosion bleeding. My womb looked clear and 'perfect'. I had a cold Coagulation on the erosion. It didn't work. Pain and spotting worse than ever.

One GP told my it was follicles full of blood bursting instead of an egg?! My consultant laughed at this.

The Dr who did my cold coag inspected the outside of my cervix for endo (at my request) but couldn't see any.

I'm desperate. Where is this brown sludge coming from? if it's not my womb lining then what is it? And how is it getting out of my body?

It's so frustrating. All I want is a pregnancy. I could even live with the pain. This soul destroying brown stuff is ruining my life, ruining our plans and making me feel disgusting! It's as regular as clockwork but completely dysfunctional.

Can anybody help?

Sorry to hear what you are going through, I think you need to push for further investigation into what is causing this.

I would actually argue that it could be hormonal. I bled for over 6 months after giving birth to my daughter...I say "bled", but it was exactly as your describe. Reddish brown discharge, that would turn brown and was at times very very dark brown, with a thick 'sludge like' consistency. I also experienced pelvic pain with it. I was diagnosed with cervical erosion in my early 20's and have only once experienced bleeding after sex, so I don't believe it was that.

I had a smear test, scan, swabs and a whole range of antibiotics. They failed to discover the cause. I'd like to add, I have two other children, and never had this problem before so it was very strange indeed.

Thank you for replying. Did it eventually go away? My consultant does keep telling me it's hormonal. It's also worsening which worries me greatly. The regularity of it would suggest it is hormonal.

It's just so frustrating. I'm exhausted from researching and trying to find out how to stop it

You need to see a gynae now and preferably one who has a specialist interest in endometriosis (also given your previous gynae history).

I'd put a crisp £5 note that all this is now done to endometriosis.

Endometriosis can recur and all your symptoms you describe including the brown (old) blood (I had exactly and recognise your description of it well) can be indicative of this. Hysteroscopy would not have detected endo if it is there; the deposits can be that small.

Hi,
I was diagnosed with severe endo when I had a lap for infertility investigations. The brown stuff between periods has been the bane of my life since I was 12 and started my periods and I have never found anything that deals with it successfully or any GP who took it very seriously.
I do have one child now conceived on my 5th IVF cycle and for a while it didn't seem so bad but I have noticed an increase again in the last 6 months or so (she is 4 now) so back to square one.
Sorry I can't offer any answers but I wanted to let you know you are not the only one and I would love to know if you ever find something to help (and absolutely understand how yukky it makes you feel :-(
Good luck TTC, be stubborn and take care of yourself x

Have you thought about getting a second gynae consultant opinion? you should be able to get one privately for about £150.

Also, although i didn't have pain - i did have the 3/4 days of brown spotting for months - i started taking agnus castus (not the low dose) and got pregnant straight away.