Mummas, I’d like your thoughts please.
After 3 babies, 3 csections, chronic health conditions and autoimmune diseases, my body is more complex than most doctors care to explore.
Since my 2nd bub 9 years ago I have had horrific haemorrhoids. I was set for surgery and found out I was pregnant unexpectedly with #3. That broke me further. I now need to manually evacuate my stools and only when using a step stool to elevate my feet.
That in itself is awful, but since my 3rd (2yrs) my monthly cycle is stupidly heavy and painful, and along with it the pain when trying to poop is worse than labour pains.
When I evacuate the poop, I can feel that my colon is being almost strangled by something. It’s just excruciating. The poop is squeezed down to the size of a shoelace at its largest.
I also have awful aching and stabbing pains throughout the month located in my lower back and at the front where my ovaries are.
When I orgasm (alone or from sex) the same aching happens where my ovaries are and it lasts days sometimes.
My GP seems overwhelmed and doesn’t know where to start. I’ve seen 2 other GPs and they look at me blankly.
I also found it useless speaking to the general surgeon about the haemorrhoid surgery because the only surgeons operating through the public system here have English as a second language and it all gets lost.
Pap smears are clear.
Yes, I know this is a lot of info. But I just can’t keep living like this.
I don’t know if I should just proceed with the haemorrhoid surgery and hope that fixes it, or if it sounds like it could be endo and need that addressed first? Or something autoimmune like Crohn’s?
Edited to add- have had so many ultrasounds- nothing is seen. I have a rheumatologist but no other specialists.
I’m a single mum now, and life and finances are really tough. I can’t go wasting money on stuff that leads nowhere. My gp Is not helping with which direction I need to head down, instead suggesting I wait for more symptoms to show up which will indicate which specialist I see.
7 Replies
You don't mention anywhere what they've actually done.
Ultrasound?
Have they looked to see if your bowel is blocked or twisted?
I have crohns disease and it took me almost dying of sepsis to be diagnosed after feeling like a hypochondriac most of my life. Ask to be referred to a gastroenterologist. Having a good GI has changed my life. I needed an MRI done to detect how severe my crohns was. Thankfully? Because I was in hospital, I didn't have to wait around to get booked in for an appointment.
I’d seek another doctor.
Explain your symptoms - get an ultrasound and a CT of your abdomen because it’s a whole lotta things that could be going on - but endometriosis sounds like a probable cause
I just want to give you a hug, you poor thing 😪
Your GP sounds like an idiot, I'm sorry...
Even in my limited medical knowledge, I know that you need to be seeing a gastroenterologist at the very least for the bowel/stomach/hemorrhoid issue, a gyno for the heavy periods/pain, and a doctor who specialises in auto immune disorders (rheumatologist)!
Possibly even an endocrinologist.
How many more symptoms does your GP expect you to wait for! The ones you're already experiencing are horrific.
I also think you may need to consider going through the private system, I know private health cover is expensive but the public system is often under equipped and under resourced for more complex medical issues.
If that's not an option, a trip to the emergency room during an episode might get the ball rolling for all the checks etc that you need.
I really hope things start improving soon, this must be taking such a toll xx
You sound exactly like me I have endometriosis but They also found I have damaged nerves in my stomach and sphincter the nerves don’t communicate with each other go see a gastroenterologist and ask for anorectal manometry test it can help diagnose a few different things
You need a colonoscopy and ultrasound. You may have a blockage. Go request a colonoscopy. Tell them you noticed some blood in your stool and they’ll get the colonoscopy done ASAP. Don’t put it off. Organise it tomorrow.
Sounds like endometriosis go see a gyno