Ouch

For the record: Adenomyosis sucks.

It has been a handful of years since my diagnosis and thankfully they have been fairly easy years as far as the pain goes. But, it is getting worse. Progressively worse each month for the last few months. And all I have to say is . . . ouch.

Why am I whining? Here is the back story. TMI WARNING – go no further if you don’t wish to read about pain, bleeding and women parts.

My mom had Endometriosis. I remember when she was going through the worst of it and then had her hysterectomy. I knew then that it was a heredtiary thing, but put it in the back of my mind. Flash forward to a few years ago when I finally had enough of the very heavy bleeding and horrendous pain I would have every month. It wasn’t “normal” crampy pain either, it was wierd pain that is hard to describe. All I knew is that it felt like someone was stabbing me in various places with very sharp knives. I’m talking pain so bad it would make me hit my knees sometimes. I mean literally fall to my knees and feel like I was going to pass out. (I also had wierd GI symptoms that always corresponded with my cycle – but more on that later). Those who know me, know that I have a very high tolerance for pain, so when this started happening on a regular basis, I knew I needed to have it checked out.

I went to my OB-GYN and we talked about my symptoms. It was thought originally that my GI symptoms might be IBS or something else, so I had a colonoscopy to rule out anything really bad and when that was normal they chalked that up to IBS and suggested I change my diet and let it go at that. Regarding my other pain, my OB-GYN scheduled an laparotomy and endometrial ablation. He guessed that it probably was Endometriosis and that some of the errant tissue might be growing on my colon/intestine and that might be contributing to the GI connection.

I have the procedure done and after waking from the procedure, my doc is there to give me the news. Good news – I don’t have Endometriosis! Bad news – I do have Adenomyosis. He also went ahead with the ablation in the hopes that it would help with my pain for a little while.

Now – what is the difference you ask. Well, in a nutshell, Endometriosis is when the endometiral tissue (that is shed each month) gets out of the uterus and starts growing on other places inside your abdomen. Each month it still sheds itself but doesn’t have a way out. It causes much pain and surgery can be done to remove the spots. Adenomyosis is when this same tissue somehow has worked itself INTO the muscle wall of the uterus. It too causes much pain but cannot be removed without removing the entire uterus. It also causes the uterus to be enlarged to the size that it would be at the 4th – 8th week of pregnancy. Yippee.

So. I had that procedure done a few years ago and did pretty well, up until a few months ago. Now. Ouch. In the meantime, my OB-GYN closed his practice and I have been negligent in getting a new doctor. I don’t normally complain about it because, seriously, who wants to hear about this kind of thing. So, I deal and “push through” the pain and go about my life.

This week, I found a group online where other women with these types of issues chat and such and discovered that many of them who have adenomyosis also had these GI issues and were also diagnosed with IBS. But, when they had their hysterectomies – their GI symptoms went away. Abra-cadabra – poof – gone. Holy crap. If I could get rid of my pain AND get rid of my constant state of either constipation or diarrhea – YAY! That would rock the freakin’ Casbah!

Today I called and made an appointment with a new doc and we will see what he thinks. Somehow, knowing that there may be some light somewhere at the end of this tunnel is a little helpful. Until then, please accept this blanket apology for any grouchness or general bitchiness that you might encounter from me. It is hard to be chipper and funny when it feels like there are 15 strong men stabbing knives into your abdomen, your back and up your arse. :-p