Severe period pain, no medical cause??

[Jm2002]

I'm looking for some advice. For the past six years I have been suffering from progressively worsening period pain. I have had all manner of medical investigations ruling out the usual causes. Yesterday I ended up at emergency doctors as pain was so bad, tummy contracting etc, my current meds (mefanamic acid) did not work. ED prescribed buscopan for cramps which have slightly eased the pain, however there is still a dull cramping which will not shift. I'm also under investigation for pelvic floor issues and I am due to have an urodynamic test done in the new year. So question is, can the issues with pf (not child birth related but long standing issue) and severe cramp be related? has any one else suffered from the same and if so do you have any advice?

Have they done a laparoscopy to rule our endometriosis? That can cause period pain and urinary problems.

There will be a reason for it. The medics just haven’t found it yet. Keep pushing for an answer.

do you have children, Jm2002?

Same here. They checked out pretty much all the options and still couldn't find any organic cause.

Make sure they check for endometriosis (wasn't the case for me but does seem to be a common cause).

Failing that, get your GP to write you a prescription for a decent pain killer (not the OTC stuff). It's been the difference between collapsing on the street and being taken to hospital by ambulance and basically living a normal life for me.

I've been on mefenamic acid for about two days a month for over a decade now. It's heavy duty but it's literally changed my life.

There is a medical cause, they have not found it yet. Do not be fobbed off with yet more pills.

Was also wondering if a laparoscopy has been performed to see if endometriosis is present, it is a common cause of severe period pains.

Mefanemic avid tablets by the way are sometimes given to those who present with endometriosis.

I have three children, all c section x

Hi op
I had the same but used transamic acid ( check the spelling) with the mefanamic acid. Ask doctor again, ended up having a microwave scrape. Which sealed me off inside No more periods. Bliss

so with treatment they have it down to a constant dull cramping? Is it impossible to ignore when down to level of dull cramping?

Sounds not ideal, but sounds like it could be manageable, too.

A tight pelvic floor can certainly cause more pain with periods or bladder or bowel function. Pelvic floor dysfunction is not talked about much but if it's too tight, you can get all kinds of issues. Not sure if that is what you mean, but if so, the treatment is massage of trigger points in the pelvic floor muscles by a physio.

Where are you getting the pains exactly?

I had period type stabbing pains almost constantly in the right side of my groom starting last November. Went for loads of tests couldn't find anything. Was referred back to my GP and was crying to him. (Couldn't do anything was in pain all the time at that point)he asked if I had a c section in the previous 3 years. My little one will be 3 tomorrow so yes. Also had sudden IBS symptoms and bloating. He put me on amatriptaline for nerve damage and IBS. It was like night and day the pain went away really quickly. Doctor said I'm getting transferred pain from where the nerve damage is and may cause all the IBS and bloating. It can happen any time within 3 years of a c section and more likely to happen after repeated ones. (Also a hernia where only a tiny bit is poking through a c section is another thing that could cause that kind of pain)

Forgot to add I've also had long ongoing cramps issues before childbirth but have also seemed to go away while taking those tabs

Thanks everyone for comments. Today has been slightly better, but pain has moved from lower abdomen round to my back. Standing hurts, I have no temp or nausea. 3 c sections, but last one was 8 years ago so definetly do not think it's related. There has been no invasive medical tests only ultrasound so I am going to request a laparoscopy in the new year. Re pelvic floor, mine is extremely weak with no childbirth trauma involved, it has been so since I was a child. I am thinking that all the issues are related but so down about the whole thing and PF is such a hard issue to talk about!

A weak pelvic floor would not contribute to the pain unless you have prolapse too and that feels like everything is falling out.

A laparoscopy is the only thing that can rule out endo: I have severe endo and it’s all over my insides but never once been seen on one of the 100 ultrasounds I’ve had.