MC and pelvic pain/endometriosis vs MC just getting worse ??

[kroekatoa]

Hi All,

I was wondering if anyone could provide some insight to this. For background: I am a 25 y/o female. I've had MC symptoms my entire life, diagnosed at 16 years old by colonoscopy with biopsy, and confirmed LC again by colonoscopy at 21.

Since July I've had right lower abdominal pain, which I thought was pelvic in nature since it started a week after I missed a period (and I've never missed a period in my life, never been pregnant). Every month since then, I've skipped every other period, and each month I have pelvic pain around the time I get or am supposed to get my period and it sticks around for a few weeks. It usually comes on kind of suddenly, and is moderate. I can still go about my day with it. Advil helps a small bit. It feels like a burning, cramping sometimes that goes to my back and down my leg. The pain is also relieved somewhat by going to the restroom. I saw a doctor at an urgent care I trust in August who thought it was ovarian cysts rupturing, but both pelvic ultrasounds I've had (once in August, once in October) were normal with no signs of cysts or uterine/ovarian abnormalities. Not pregnant, no urine problems, no changes to my bowels. When I don't have the pain, I still feel like something is "there" in my right lower side, or as if it is more bloated than usual.

I saw an OB/GYN yesterday morning who seemed to think the skipped periods and pain were not connected. She did an exam, and said if the ultrasounds and pap smear and STD testing we did (which I'm sure it is definitely not STDs...) are all normal, the only next step is exploratory surgery in my abdomen. However, she doesn't think my symptoms sound like ovarian cysts at all, and doesn't believe I would form them OR endometriosis since I've been on birth control pills for the last 5 years. So she advised we give it a few more months before thinking about doing surgery since the risks probably outweigh the potential benefits right now.

I also had a telephone appointment with my GI yesterday afternoon, which was originally scheduled because my internal hemorrhoids have also been worse this year: extremely painful episodes every week, and bleeding more often when I'm really gassy. I brought all of the above up with him, and he thinks I should have another colonoscopy since the right low pain is relieved by bowel movements, during which he'd also examine my hemorrhoid and maybe refer me to a colorectal surgeon for banding or something.

SO my questions for all of you... has anyone been through something similar? Do you have any suggestions for me? I feel like I'm going crazy. I don't really want another colonoscopy due to the trouble, the money, etc. I don't think it will be different necessarily from past colonoscopies... other than bleeding from my hemorrhoid I wouldn't say anything else about my colitis has really changed. I'm still not convinced the pain is unrelated to my missing periods. I've read up on how endometriosis can invade the bowels and do weird things, and the pain around periods more often happens with that.

I don't know how any of you will really be able to help, but any thoughts, suggestions, stories are much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Sarah

[Gabes-Apg]

Hi Sarah
I did have similar issues when my digestion was inflammed

(brief history, life long digestion issues, 3 x bowel surgery before age 25, life long hormone issues PCOS)
long story short, when gut was inflammed, i would have bad period pain and vice versa with hormonal fluctuations and cramping my digestion would be impacted.

sadly modern day health system is very much things in their silo's - they look at systems very individually not holistically/ functionally

hormonal symptoms are linked to magnesium deficiency. and cramping digestion wise is also linked.
for hormonal swings, I increase use of topical mag during these times

hope this helps

[kroekatoa]

Thanks Gabes! I appreciate your input so much. I had my magnesium serum and RBC levels tested earlier this year (June-July) when I thought I may have been having twitching and muscle cramps. Both were "normal" but on the lower end of normal. My primary doctor recommended against magnesium supplements at the time because of that (I've never taken them). But it's interesting to hear that it's also related to hormonal symptoms... I did have a particularly bad go of bloating, hormonal swings, nausea, and feeling like crap during my last period. I'll have to try the topical mag or something. I'm just worried about how possible it is to over-do on the magnesium if my blood tests aren't considered "low" or if I don't have a confirmed deficiency...

[Gabes-Apg]

There is a post at top of this page about magnesium..

it has lots of key information

long story short mainstream testing for magnesium is not accurate

[tex]

Sarah,

The current magnesium tests and so-called "normal ranges" will get you in trouble (healthwise). Been there, done that. My magnesium tests always returned a "normal" result, and my magnesium deficiency eventually became so severe that I was having serious cardiac, blood pressure, and breathing problems. My doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. I had to figure it out myself.

Have you ever checked out any of Dr Carolyn Dean's sites and her magnesium discussions?

https://thequantifiedbody.net/magnesium ... olyn-dean/

https://drcarolyndean.com/2014/05/magne ... lood-test/

Tex

[jessica329]

I do believe that there's a connection between MC and horrendous periods. Lately, mine have really ramped up (I've been struggling with my MC this year). Pain so bad I feel like I'm dying. Gives me awful diarrhea. I get very swollen "down there". Very heavy bleeding for 7-8 days. I feel like total hell the whole time. I couldn't take it anymore, so I am now on birth control- the continuous type where I'll get a period only 4 times a year.

[jessica329]

I forgot to add that my periods have been all over the place, too. Two weeks late and then came 2 weeks later.

[SerahCC]

Hey there,

I also have been having worsening periods. I get nerve pain in my left leg, slightly painful lymph nodes in various areas, EXTREMELY achy joints (knees, hips, thumb, back), cramping, extreme brain fog and depression, and dull but widespread muscle pain. My colitis also flares BAD during menstruation. I see that magnesium may be part of this so I will try that first to see if that will give me some relief. These worsening symptoms started when I got off of birth control in June of 2020 and have not gone away since.