It seems like the closer I get to surgery (2 more days!) the "worse" I feel. Sometimes I worry that its all in my head...its just HARD when you can't "see" the problem. This isn't like a broken arm where the reason for pain is evident, know what I mean? It messes with my head and makes me want to discount any pain/discomfort I have. I didn't want to "complain" (stupid I know), so I think I went too far in the other direction and never brought up symptoms/questions that I should have.
I do know I have or at least HAD endo. I was diagnosed via laparoscopy with endo back when I was 17 (I am now 36). I had a second laparoscopy to clean out some more/new endo when I was 19 followed by Lupron.
My husband and I were then blessed with 2 beautiful boys and things went really well until about 8 years ago, then all the old pain came back (drs assumed it was the endo returning). I could "deal" with the endo, but now it appears I have a "large" fibroid on the back of my uterus causing me a lot of pain & pressure. After several years of gynos recommending hysterectomies I suddenly found myself READY to do it. Now since I've made that decision, I have several questions that I never asked my doctor about -- mainly a few symptoms that I never connected to being related to my problems, however, after reading this site I wonder if they really might be??
Bloating: Right now I FEEL bloated. I feel swollen and "full" and fat. Well, I AM chubby but I feel extra chubby, but not down low--I feel/look swollen higher up above my belly button and below my breasts. Could that still be from the endo (assuming it has returned) or even from the fibroid? For some reason I always "assumed" that swelling would be lower, below my belly button-and since I'm, ahem, fluffy, I wouldn't really be able to TELL if I was swollen much there. Is anybody else "swollen" pre-surgery higher up? Maybe its not swelling and I'm really just FAT up there now, too!
Rectal Cramping/Spasming: Oh my goodness this HURTS! It happens in spurts (maybe 1 or 2 a week), and then goes away for up to months at a time. I'm not even positive its my rectum that's cramping but I know its in that general area and that it lasts around 5-15 minutes from start to finish. I have never found a pattern to it. Does anybody else have this "problem"? I never attributed it to the endo and or fibroid BUT if it is connected AND if the hysterectomy and removal of the fibroid and any visible endo stops it, oh my goodness what a blessing that would be! I never mentioned this particular "problem" to my gyno--like I said, I just never thought that pain might even be connected to my "female" problems.
Painful Sex: This I'm fairly positive is connected to either the endo or the fibroids or both.
BUT--my question is, sometimes its the actual act of intercourse that hurts, and other times its just this pain I have in my vagina (not the INSIDE I'm not "raw", its more the walls,) that keeps me from HAVING intercourse. I describe it to my husband that sometimes it feels like I could drive a Semi through my VaJJ! It just feels swollen and tender. Certainly that could be connected to either endo OR the fibroid, right???
SO--I'm sorry this is so long winded, but I was just curious if anybody else out there is having or has had any of those symptoms. I was "ok" with the surgery just removing the pain and pressure from the fibroid--if that's all that is helped than that is fine--because I know I can live and deal (and be happy!) with everything else, however, if there is the chance that maybe a couple other things might clear up as well--well, that is a huge BONUS. I'm not going to get my hopes up, though--I know this surgery isn't a "cure all".
Thank you!!!!
Painful Sex, Bloated & Rectal Cramping - Connected?
