A question for the ladies - TMI ahead!!!

[JESW]

You have been warned!

Does anyone have a lot of problems/pain BEFORE their period? I am 46 and it keeps getting worse every month. I started this morning and the pain is subsiding some. Yesterday and last night the pain was EXCRUTIATING (sp?). It was actually scary pain. Midol did nothing to help. Of course it's when DH is away on business and it's just me and the kids. They have been scared since Mom can't do anything and I have been vomitting some. I keep telling them I just have a stomach bug.

My pain is a burning pain that feels as if someone has a smoking poker and is messing with my insides. It is mostly on my lower right, and towards the middle near my belly button.

I recently saw my gyno for my annual (which was fine by the way) and she suggested a laproscopy (sp?) I am dropping the form off today to get the process started. Anyone have experience with that? What was the outcome and what is the recovery like?

My period greatly affects my life. For 1 & 1/2 - 2 weeks every month I feel "off". I get very lethargic which in part affects my weight gain. I do try to exercise, but when I feel like this it is enough to just get out of bed in the morning. Once I "start" I know I will feel better in a day or so. I don't flow heavy and it is over in about 2 1/2 - 3 days. I feel "good" for just over a week and then it starts all over again.

Just wondering if anyone else experiences this and what their diagnose was. Of course I am afraid of ovarian cancer as the symptoms don't come out until it's almost too late... (See what you think when you are in pain and can't sleep at night?)

Thanks for any info...

Jill

 

[Christine]

Jill,

I do not have the pain issues you are experiencing, but I do have the terrible fatigue. It has gradually gone from being "down" for a few hours in my teens and 20s, to being down for at least a week before and during my period (I'm 42). I don't bleed heavily either.

I am no doctor but the pain you are describing sounds a lot like endometrosis. You probably have uterine tissue growing outside the uterus, into your lower abdominal/intestine area. Before your period, the tissue becomes influenced by the hormones and swells, causing the pain.

I think a laproscopy is a good idea and they will see it right away. I"ve never had one but I have heard they are relatively easy (this is how they do tubal ligations).

Good luck.

 

[jajuan]

I have this...36 hours a month. I have had endometrial albation(?) and it didn't work. I am now supposed to have a hysterectomey but with 4 kids I don't have the time to be down. I used to be a person that didn't take any pain medication...but now I have to take between 2-4 darvocet a month to make it through. I was at a party at a friends Saturday night and I layed in bed the whole time. Good luck...I would definitely find out what is going on.

 

[tw1nsmom]

I had that. It turned out to be small ovarian cysts and endometriosis. My gyn. put me on continual birth control and I no longer have a period or the pain.

 

[Arielle22]

I have similar pain but I do bleed heavily. I am 40 and have had the pain for about 10 years. I have had 2 internal ultrasounds and nothing was found. I was given a perscription for minor pain meds and it helped greatly.

 

[JESW]

Thanks for the replies! It is always nice to know that you can get some answers and help on the DIS!

I stopped by my dr's office earlier but she is in surgery. I asked if I could get a script for pain meds and they will check with her. I also said I could NOT go through another month with this pain without real strong meds. I don't like taking things but this pain is too tough to handle.

Jill

 

[lunchmomd]

I had the same problem - horrible, rocking on my hands and knees pain for 7-10 days before my period. Mostly on my left side, radiating into my back and down my thigh. As soon as I got my period it would go completely away. Dr. said it was endometriosis and put me on DepoLupron shots, one every 3 months. No pain and no period for 5 years. Bliss!!!!

 

[DaniDownUnder]

I'm no doctor...but just wanted to say that you are definitely not alone. While my pain isn't excruciating (or else I've just gotten used to it) the positioning and description (like a hot poker) sounds like what I told my gyno. I was given an internal ultrasound and as no masses were found (tho endometriosis doesn't always how up on a US), I did have LOADS of cysts all over my right ovary. I've since been dx with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and put on Provera non-stop (my body produces WAAAAAAAYYYYY too much estrogen, so the Provera just evens things out). No period...no pain (except when I forget the provera).

Good idea to follow through with the lap... after doing my own homework, it seems to be the best way for the doctors to have a look around. If you have the right sort of doctor, they can even biopsy the ovary if you are worried about ovarian cancer. The downside with that, is that if there is cancer, by biopsying it that way, some cancer cells can be 'released'. A surgeon in Australia however, has started using a version of this to check for ovarian cancer, with great success.

Best of luck... but rest assured...you are most definitely not alone!

 

[HOGFAN]

No pain, but some slight bladder control the week before