May I be so bold as to ask about your fibroids?!?

[littlebrownmouse]

Been for a scan today as I've had really painful periods for the last four or five months. They are not really painful for long, maybe half a day, but the pain is like having contractions and makes me gasp! I can't have a conversation and if I'm standing up, I have to hold onto something. Anyway, my doctor examined me internally and said she could feel a small lump and I found it really painful when she touched a part of my cervix. She prescribed mefenamic acid for the pain and refered me for a scan. She suggested it might be endometriosis and if it was it wouldn't show up on a scan, ut she would rule everything else out first. Anyway, the chap who did the scan said that I've got a backward leaning womb that is touching on my cervix and a tiny fibroid. I'm going back to the doctor to discuss the results of the scan etc. I'm a bit surprised that such a tiny fibroid could cause so much pain. Please discuss your fibroid experiences with as much information and frankness as you are prepared to give (no such thing as TMI here!).

What, nobody has any? That can't be true!

Got a small one, detected years ago. Can't remember how or when. It didn't seem to prevent me falling pregnant and seems to have shrunk since - at least, nobody seemed able to locate it after the birth. Quite dull really.

I've only had small fibroids, but they didn't cause any pain.

The pain you describe sounds exactly like my sil's endometriosis.

I hope someone else comes that will give you more info.

I have a fibroid that has stayed the same since becoming pregnant and having a baby . Its about the size of a golf ball i think. I get really heavy blood loss on day 2 (would like to try a mooncup but not sure it would take it!!) and abit of pain ( 2 paracetamols can cover it). To be honest, its more the blood loss thats an embarressment at the moment. Although, because of that I end up feeling weak and terrible.

Was told that theres not much they can do about it unless I want a hysterectomy!!

Painful periods can be a classic indicator of endometriosis. Fibroids often cause heavy bleeding but these are not unduly painful by nature. Any symptoms that are cyclical and get worse during menstruation may be due to endometriosis.

It sounds like you could have a uterine polyp as it is small; this would not though cause you pain like you are having.

Would not worry unduly about the backwards leaning womb; many women have those without problems.

Your GP should refer you to a gynae as a matter of course; this will likely happen at your next appointment anyway (a referral to a gynae should be made at your next appointment). This is not something that you GP should attempt to treat.

I have PCOS so I can sympathise with you, sometimes my periods are only moderately painful but now and again I have extremely agonising menstrual pain.

Last night was my worst pain yet, I've never felt pain like it, I sounded as though I was in labour, screaming and moaning, writhing on the floor I didn't know anything could hurt so much, that lasted 2 hours complete with bowel spasms at the same time.

I was given the same prescription for the pain, unfortunately it hasn't worked at all for me, ibruprofen actually relieves my pain more, I hope it helps you, most likely it will.

Thanks. My GP has special gynea interest and is known to be very experienced in this area. So far, she's been great and did say she would refer me to gynea out patients if she thought it would be needed after scan. She also mentioned I'd possibly need a laparoscopy although I'm a bit nervous of the thought of this TBH. Generally I take ibuprofen and paracetamol for the pain, but it doesn't get rid of it completely, so hopefully the tablets I've been given will.

They should work for you, they worked for a few of my friends who were prescibed the same, I'm just weird. I always have to be difficult.

I think I may have both fibroids and PCOS so will be going back to my dr soon to discuss that and see if they can prescribe something else for the pain.

Last night if someone had said they could do a hysterectomy on me with no pain relief I'd have said wonderful! Go ahead It was that bad.

Men really have no idea, My SO thought it couldn't be that bad until he heard me last night.

I can sympathise Falcon although I've never been at the writhing on the floor stage. My pain is always worse when my bowels are full but sometimes I can't go to the toilet as the pain is too bad. Often when I've been it feels better although sometimes takes several goes before it all comes out. Yuck, sorry!

No problem don't worry about sharing things like that, that's what the health forum is for and I was actually about to ask if you also suffered from bowel issues, besides I'll be a nursing student soon so I;ll hear about far worse things than that.

I find I often have the same problems during my period, associated pain with bowel movements, and you do feel that emptying one's bowels will help, but when you try it hurts like hell. Catch 22.

Do you also have nausea when you have extreme period pain? I have that for the first day or two and sometimes it's as debilitating as the pain.

No nausea here, just bit of a jippy tummy type feeling for a few days before.

While I'm in nosy mode do you ever have back pain during a painful period?

Used to when I was younger, but not really recently. was a dull ache rather than a really unbearable pain, low down across my back. Was often the first symptom and happened just as period started.