[AT123]

Hi,

I thought I'd sign up to get an idea about whether this is normal or not. I've been told by doctors and other women that haven't seen it that it is. They seem to just pass it off as me being silly.

I'd like to know if anyone has anything similar, did you find out what it was and do you have any ways to treat/ make it not so bad?

I started my periods when I was about 11 and after about a year or so, started to get these awful pains that have gotten worse over the years (I am now 18, to the point where I'm quite often unable to even move a tiny bit because it causes a massive stabbing pain and no position makes it even the slightest bit better. This, of course, results in me crying hysterically.

My periods are usually around 2-4 days of "brown stuff" as I like to call it (I usually get a mild ache in my legs, bum, pelvic area and lower back for around 1-2 days at the start) , then about 5 days of HEAVY blood (usually 1-3 days of agony) and then around 3-5 days of "brown stuff" again (this isn't painful).

They are usually very irregular. For example, I came on about 2.5 weeks ago, and then had another period, which only lasted a few days in total, at the beginning of last week. I had a break of literally about 5 days.

I usually feel very depressed for no reason for the week before and during my period (I've been known to randomly burst into tears for no reason during this time, usually a few days before I come on).

Other relevant things:
- I want to murder someone for all of it.
- I constantly feel like I need to have a "number 2", but can't go.
- I feel weak.
- Painkillers don't work, I've even tried Co-codamol and Naproxen, which don't work.
- I've tried 3 different "pills". The first one gave me migranes, that made me temporarily blind and then I had to sleep to get rid off, and what I only describe as mini strokes (I went numb and my face felt like it was falling on one side). I'm currently on a mini pill, which seems to be the best one yet. They do all, however, seem to help a bit with the pain.
- I get the same horrible pain throughout the month, usually about halfway between periods.
- It sometimes hurts when I urinate.

If I think of anything else that could be significant I'll add it later.

I'd like to know if this is normal or not because the doctors don't take it seriously and keep saying it's normal period pain but no one else that I've spoken to gets it. I'm considering video recording it next time it happens to show them what it's actually like. Is this worth doing or am I being silly?

Thanks.

[ItsASecret]

My periods are usually around 2-4 days of "brown stuff" as I like to call it (I usually get a mild ache in my legs, bum, pelvic area and lower back for around 1-2 days at the start) , then about 5 days of HEAVY blood (usually 1-3 days of agony) and then around 3-5 days of "brown stuff" again (this isn't painful).

Brown is uterine lining as well as old blood. Sometimes you begin to shed your lining before you actually start to bleed so it can discharge prior to your period, it can also come after your period because it can be remaining blood that was not discharged during your period. Both instances are normal and happen to all women at some point.

The rest of your symptoms can be explained by having a case of PMDD, or simply more severe form of PMS. Both happen in a lot of women and symptoms like depression, anger, and hysterical crying are often more related to PMDD. There is no cure for it, there is only management of the severity of the symptoms. Many many many doctors will dismiss the symptoms you have because it can easily be attributed to PMDD, which is very common in many women. Not all women get it and some do fine with taking some mild pain killers like Midol or asking the doctor for some other meds. All you can really do is talk to your doctor about PMDD symptoms and getting some relief through some pain killer prescriptions.

[Little]

Pardon me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the P in PMS and PMDD stand for "pre?" Shouldn't those symptoms be coming before the period if that's what they are? She says some of her symptoms come beforehand, but not all. And I've never heard of pain being part of PMS or PMDD.

Do you have a family history of endometriosis? Look into it. You mention the side effects the BC pills gave you, but you don't mention if they helped your pain in any quantifiable way. In general, pregnancy (and ecological breastfeeding to delay the period as long as possible afterwards) helps these issues in the same way the pill is intended to, though of course this is not the ideal reason to have a child and is a short-term solution at best.

Definitely look for a doctor who listens. Diagnosing endometriosis and other uterine issues can be costly and invasive, which is probably why your doctor is shying away from diagnosing you with anything. There may be no diagnosis in the end, just continuing to try to assuage the symptoms as ItsASecret mentioned.

[ItsASecret]

Pardon me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the P in PMS and PMDD stand for "pre?" Shouldn't those symptoms be coming before the period if that's what they are? She says some of her symptoms come beforehand, but not all. And I've never heard of pain being part of PMS or PMDD.

It is pre, however countless women have the symptoms continue before and during their cycle. And yes pain can be a symptom, does not happen in all women but it can happen. The PMDD is more associated with the mental parts which due to the stress of that alone can create the physical symptoms. It is basically an encompassing diagnosis which is why so many doctors will simply throw it out there to a patient because it often explains a lot of things. However that does mean it explains everything, endometriosis can play a big role in the pain, same with fibroids. Talking with a doctor is still the thing to do though.

[AT123]

Do you have a family history of endometriosis? Look into it. You mention the side effects the BC pills gave you, but you don't mention if they helped your pain in any quantifiable way. In general, pregnancy (and ecological breastfeeding to delay the period as long as possible afterwards) helps these issues in the same way the pill is intended to, though of course this is not the ideal reason to have a child and is a short-term solution at best.

My mum has Endometriosis and I have mentioned that to the doctor, my mum has even come with me, but they haven't taken any notice, which I thought it might not be. Mum said my periods seem to be worse than her's were though. She has got other stuff as well though. (Fibroids and her ovaries are in the wrong place). It took her until she was 30 to get diagnosed though.

I think it did a bit, but I ended up taking it all the time to try and stop my periods all together, because the week that I didn't take it was like when I don't take a pill at all (bloody horrible, worse than it is now). The pill that I'm on at the moment seems to be the best for pain relief and side effects. The pain isn't AS severe as when I don't take it and I don't seem to get the migraines or anything anymore, but the doctor said that that was because the pill I'm on doesn't have estrogen in it.
It hasn't changed how regular I am at all though, but that's not a problem because I haven't known anything else.