Upcoming hysterectomy - rectal pain!

Hello all
I have my hysterectomy scheduled for June 2nd. Trying for LAP but based upon my c section scar the plan may change. I have very heavy bleeding long 15 day periods and cramping 3 fibroids- not huge but uncomfortable. Just turned 40 and decided to take control over my health. I was on the pill and obviously it masked a lot of the symptoms. The pill stopped working and here I am now. The other symptoms that I have had was a self diagnosed IBS. My stomach has been a mess. Cramping, constipation, diarrhea, lower belly pressure and bloating is common. The one thing that has scared me is that I was woken up in the middle if the night by this awful rectal pain. I was in so much pain! It passed eventually but it scared me. I'm trying to connect all the dots and now I'm wondering - are all the symptoms related? My doctor has never said anything. I'm afraid already but now I feel like I've completely ignored my body and what it has been telling me. Did any of you experience these symptoms and what was the outcome?

I thought I had IBS along with my heavy, painful periods as well. My hormones were all out of whack and I now believe my digestive issues are definitely connected to low progesterone and unopposed estrogen.

I've been on 100mg of progesterone nightly for 2 months while waiting on my hysterectomy and I believe it, along with probiotics, have made a dramatic difference in my digestive health, even though I'm still having some constipation issues from iron supplementation. One of the things I've learned is that excess estrogen can wreak havoc on your stomach. That's why some women have diarrhea for a couple days at the beginning of their cycles. I can attribute the progesterone as helping because I've taken the probiotics for years. It's also helped with many other perimenopausal symptoms I've been having, though it didn't stop the bleeding.

I'm hoping once I've healed fom surgery and can eventually stop with the iron supplements, my stomach issues will also be resolved.

Talk to your doctor about what you are experiencing, I haven't specifically had the rectal pain you describe,but I did have cramping that radiating to the rectum.

Progesterone isn't for everyone, some women feel terrible when they take it and I definitely experienced a week or so of worsening symptoms before it got better, but when it did, it was markedly better.

Best wishes to you, I hope you find answers and relief.

Thank you so much for telling your story. I'm going to call my doctor in the morning.

I haven't had your other symptoms, but I have had those rectal spasms in the past, and you're absolutely right -- they are paralyzingly painful. You'd think that a part of the body that is normally squeezed shut wouldn't hurt that bad if it squeezes harder, but it can be "smash your thumb with a hammer" painful. It's the only physical pain I've felt that's made me sweat, go pale, get nauseous, and feel faint.

I used to get it more frequently when I was younger, and then as I got older, it tailed off. I have gotten one bout of it since my hysterectomy, but nothing else. I've never taken anything for them; there seems to be nothing to do about them but to wait them out. :-(

It may indeed be related to your other symptoms, but I have very uncomplicated insides (no endo or adeno, no adhesions, no IBS, no nothing aside from the fibroid really), and I still got them. Definitely check with your doctor.

The most I can say is that, while eye-wateringly painful, they have never for me been a symptom of anything worse that had gone wrong. Like I said, I've gotten them off and on since I was in high school, and I'm 48 and, other than the huge uterus that had to get kicked out, in excellent health. My sympathies for a fellow sufferer from these things -- they are not pleasant.

I too have low progesterone and low yet dominant estrogen. My adrenal glands were so over taxed that a four day course of prednisone spun me into near death state of Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency. I now take hydrocortisone to replace cortisol. My pituitary "fell asleep" and won't wake up until it's good and ready, apparently. I've been on therapy for a year and a half now. The interesting thing is, when our bodies are cortisol low, progesterone is stolen from the ovaries and is converted to cortisol. Cortisol is the "stress" hormone and is needed for every part of our bodies and being.

Being SAI, while riding the hormonal rollercoaster while trying to fend off endometriosis, fibroid tumors, cysts, non stop bleeding to then being treated with medroxyprogesterone, to having lap surgery to remove as much endometriosis he could and remove cysts tumors and now on Lupron pre hysterectomy I am beyond ready for hysterectomy and be in a place and time where I can finally have a chance to heal and be on the upside of all of this.