Firstly thank you for this site, it really is helpful hearing other peoples stories and being able to share mine without feeling like a moany old beggar!

My periods started at 14 and I will never forget it - it was Boxing Day and before any sign of bleeding appeared I was in such immense pain I thought my appendix was going to explode. My periods were regular but excruciating and I had clots pretty much from the start; I used to vomit from the pain and collapse. I was put on the pill and Mefenamic Acid which helped for a while but soon they were bad again, I had smears even though I was not sexually active, unfortunately I have always felt my doctor thought I was attention seeking and still do!

The years went on and I just toughened up I suppose, I had my two lovely babies which even though my pregnancies were hindered by severe sickness (Hyperemesis) the break from periods was a wonderful reward.

Anyway over the last two years my periods have been getting worse, I flood and ruin lots of knickers! I also clot quite badly (They are still visible after flushing much to my partners disgust!) I also have major bowel (also bad piles and pressure in the rectum - nice!) and bladder issues which is always there but worse at period time.

I am now generally exhausted, I experience extreme pain in my pelvis and lower abdomen, my legs ache and cramp constantly and my immunity is terrible. I also have low blood sugar. Occasionally the shooting pains are so bad I actually yelp like a dog! Which is rather embarrassing (people will soon suspect mental illness on top of womb problems). It feels like something is ripping inside and sometimes like my ovaries are being squeezed.

Anyway Dr gave me internal and said my cervix was very hard to find (I could tell, it felt like she was looking for a contact lens with all that rummaging, the pain was immense) and that my womb was enlarged, I was sent for an abdominal scan, I think with the intention of finding fibroids; nothing to be found apparently - personally think it should have been probe scan, I also felt that the ultrasound person was very unprofessional (but I am very frustrated and finding faults everywhere). When I went back for results Dr said no fibroids so everything is ok. I said no actually not ok, I am in pain three weeks of every month, nausea, dizziness and getting every illness going - not ok - I had collapsed a few days before and I felt it was a urine infection, eventually Dr gave me urine test and I had massive amount of white blood cells in urine - has this anything to do with endo?

Under duress I am being sent to see the Gynae and I am not leaving without answers as this is really starting to wreck my sunny disposition - I’ll have no friends left if I don't stop moaning soon. I'll let you know how it goes; in the meantime I am going to keep popping the Naproxen (which doesn't do much) and continue to buy heat pads wholesale!

I expect you lost the will to live half way through my babbling, but if you made it to here thank you for listening/reading and I hope you find the answers you need.

Update January 2010

Finally got to see a lovely consultant who agrees it most probably is endo, I have pre-op next month and hopefully shortly afterwards a Laparoscopy. In the meantime my immunity has got even worse and I’ve had two urine infections and shock horror the dreaded swine flu, my platelets in my blood are on the low side and I have fallen deeply in love with my bed and lavender scented heat wheat bag.

I am also suffering from guilt because I have become so boring and exhausted that I don't have much energy for fun with my lovely girls, the house is losing its gleam and I’ve been pretty much useless at work. But I can see light at the end of the tunnel now so fingers crossed I will have answers soon.

Update March 2010

Just a little update: got appointment for my op, going in on the 27th of April. I had to wait a little bit longer than expected because I requested a particular consultant. Feeling less depressed now that something is actually being done to resolve the problem and I must admit the positive thoughts are helping a great deal, even if I am in tons of pain I try to say positive things such as "I know that soon I will get answers" and "I'm adamant that this will be sorted". I'm also not being too hard on myself about house work and stuff, I just do what I can without it causing pain.

I honestly feel the end is in sight now after fourteen years of pain - I'm really looking forward to not yelping in pain in public anymore because everyone just thinks I'm weird! I'll let you know how the op goes, take care ladies.

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