TMI - heavy painful AF.

[TTC24]

TMI TMI TMI TMI TMI TMI TMI TMI

I'm 18, TTC with fiancée but recently I have been concerned. For the past year and a half, I've had very heavy AF. Requiring 2 sanitary pads at all times, and only wearing black, constantly dashing to the toilet as it feels like a leak waiting to happen! The past few months though I have noticed pain days before and during AF, and even when AF is not due. Last month I had a lot of hip pain with the pains I have been having. This month however, I have come on early (can sometimes be irregular), heavy as usual but my pain is 10x worse. Pain in both hips to the point I can't move, extreme cramps, leg cramps sometimes. I had put my periods down to the contraceptive I had been using and also down to coming off said contraceptive.
I have always had pain during most sexual encounters, and I've sometimes also bled after. (Not for around a year now).

I'm just wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction as to what to do when waiting for the doctor?? I have a blood test booked and a screening, but I just want some temporary relief as these pains are extreme!!

You might have endometriosis, Adenomyosis or ovarian cysts. Anyone of these conditions can cause heavy painful periods. Ovarian cysts can be detected on ultrasound which you are already booked for. If the sonographer does not find anything then insist on a gynaecologist referral and she will guide you from there. Do not take a no from GP because heavy periods like your need to be addressed properly.

You need to see a GP and ask for a colposcopy. No point asking for a smear because they will tell you you're too young. Push push and push further for a colposcopy. After I had DS my periods were very painful and a lot heavier but seem to have settled now and that was because I had a baby you shouldn't be in this much pain.

Thank you both so much. I'm not one to complain but this pain is too much. I never looked far into this as my periods have been on and off but solidly heavy for a year and half now. I can just about handle the AF, I'm use to dashing for the toilet or changing every 30/60 mins. It's the pain, in my hips unable to lay on my side, it starts in my lower abdomen, the pain can start 2 weeks before AF. Thank you both again, I will definitely be mentioning these to the gp.

Blood tests will not detect endo if it is there and nor will any internal ultrasound scans or a colposcopy (this checks the cervix).

I would go to your GP and ask for a referral to a gynaecologist. Do not take no for an answer here. You are not too young to potentially have endometriosis. It is the second most common gynae problem seen in women after fibroids.

My symptoms were very similar to yours at your age and in my case the cause was endometriosis. It is usually diagnosed through a keyhole surgery op called a laparoscopy.

Endometriosis can cause all the symptoms you describe and deep pain during sex is suggestive of endometriosis being present as well.

You will need to be persistent in order to get answers. Be persistent.

Any symptoms that are cyclical in nature and or get worse up to and including menses should be checked for endometriosis.

Yoy may find the website of endometriosis UK to be useful to you.

Thank you so much for your reply. I will definitely be requesting (demanding!) this from my GP. Is this a possible reason I have been struggling to conceive??

Oh yes. Endometriosis can interfere with ttc as can irregular cycles (that problem is often caused by an underlying hormonal imbalance).

Endo can also cause heavy bleeding to arise too.

Be persistent with the GP and do not let that person tell you its "normal" or that you are too young to have such problems. You are most certainly not too young. I now realise that my problems with endometriosis started upon onset of menses at 14.

Endometriosis

Wow, I have been reading about endometriosis and even though I know google is not a diagnosis, I feel as though I relate to the symptoms and would answer a lot of questions for me. My pain during sex came first around 15. The heavy bleeding started around November 2018 but didn't think anything of this as I stopped my pill. TMI! But around 6? Months ago I was laid in bed, and as usual felt my AF pump out. As I stood up to make a dash for the bathroom to change and feel cleaner, I was stopped in my place by non stop flow of blood. This was red, clotty, lasted 5 minutes and stained everything in its path. I knew this wasn't right but it didn't happen after so I thought it was extra blood. TMI! Since then my pain during inter course has worsened, I've been bleeding heavily during AF, pain in hips, lower abdomen, lower/middle back, cramp in legs. I was an early bloomer at the age of 10/11, and my periods were clock work until I went on contraception, and even when taking contraception I NEVER had a single period symptom at all, and had a light flow.

Thank you all so much for your answers.