Endometriosis Pain 1 - 10

[MagnificentMeg]

Hi guys,

With all this attention from the media and healthcare about Endometriosis I am starting to worry about whether I have it as well, but I'm not sure if the pain I'm experiencing coinsides with Endo. I'm 29 with two kids which both took 2-3 years to concieve, so difficulty with getting pregnant. I also have a copper coil as contraception at the moment as hormonal contraception doesn't agree with my mental health (become aggravated and depressed)

If you have Endo yourself, or you're a Healthcare Professional, could you please use my scale below to descibe what the pain is like at any time during the Menstrual Cycle -

0 - No pain 1 - Hardly notice the pain 2 - Notice pain, but doesn't stop daily activities 3 - Sometimes distracts me, but painkillers help alot 4 - Distracts me, but can still do daily activities 5 - Worse pain, interrupts some activites 6 - Hard to ignore, avoid doing daily activites, painkillers help a little 7 - Most of focus is on the pain 8 - Awful, hard to do anything 9 - Cannot bear the pain, painkillers do not work 10 - Calling an Ambulance so they can give morphine

My pain on my period is usually up to a 6 or 7, always had this kind of pain since puberty so thought it was just normal. Its always incredibly heavy as well, with big clots (as big as my thumb sometimes) and leaking through the night no matter whether I use a tampon AND heavy pad.

I have sharp pain when ovulation as well which is a 4 - 5 on the scale, usually just on one side but it can wrap around from my lower back to the front side of my hip. This pain also occurs when I have sex around this time, a sharp pain deep inside near my cervix, however I do have the copper coil so I thought maybe it's just that. I have been for multiple scans to look for cysts and even had a cervical biopsy, all came back inconclusive.

I sometimes get a sharp aching pain (5 - 6) when opening my bowels when im premenstual and on my period.

I also cannot have anyone press down on my abdomen as it's painful (6-7 on the scale) I have lower back pain almost every day during my cycle, but it gets worse during ovulation and periods (up to a 7)

Thanks guys.
Megan x

Pre diagnosis I had much of the same symptoms and pain levels as you. I was very sceptical that I had endo (I also have pcos so a lot of symptoms overlap) nothing was visible on scans and my reasons for seeking a diagnosis was due to a sudden escalation of pain and bloating, prior to that it pain was around level 3-4 and additional symptoms were milder.

I classify as the lowest stage/type of endo (there's four) which when well managed is not the scary debilitating condition that endo often gets made out to be (really feel for those that do experience it like that).

For me, being referred to a specialised endometriosis dietician and following the fodmap elimination diet has made it very manageable, there's a lot of evidence that gut health and endo influence each other. Pain levels are around level 1-3, from your list now and I don't suffer with additional bowel, bloating, or shooting pain issues anymore.