I'm miserable and right now it is at it's worst! - Women's Health Message Board

hillaryb · 11-11-2005, 09:22 AM

I have endometriosis and pelvic congestion. Developed these problems after a late miscarriage and have some issues with uterine infections. My symptoms for the last couple of years have been lower back pain, pelvic pain, and worsening of symptoms right before period. All in all, I could live with it just fine. Just took some motrin here and there. I don't really know why, but over the past year, I run fevers and feel very flu-ey for a week or so before my period. I can function, but it really stinks. I've been treated for endometritis (uterine infection) a couple of times with antibiotics, shots, etc, but it always comes back. i may have a couple of months where I don't have a bad flare-up, and then a bad one right before my period. I had a bad one this time around. My period is over and I still feel lots of pain and over-all crummy. I had fever and chills for the week before my period, and during it as well. I don't feel AS bad, but my pain is bad. I'm crampy and my lower-back is very very painful.

I'm really really tired. I want to sleep all the time. I'm exhausted, though I get lots of sleep at night. I have been pale as well. Hubby commented on how sick i looked the other night. I am frustrated with my doctor, and had a bad experience last year. I was treated for the infection, which took a long time to go away, and my doc suggested I go to the hospital, as the antibiotics were not working. I went, got a jerk of a doctor who told me "a smart girl like you should know that you are just having endometriosis pain and maybe a virus which caused your fever. Here are some narcotic pain killers. Go home". Very rude and patronizing. I went home and the fever tapered off within the next week.

I have been getting sick alot this past year. I've had bad sinus infections and colds. My period used to be short but heavy, now it is short and mild. Am I not shedding my lining? Maybe that is why i have these infections. I don't even know anymore. I can still function and I have seen a couple of doctors. My last one said to get a laparoscopy (I had one 3 years ago to see what was going on) to find out what is going on, but I don't have the money right now. I was on antibiotics for a month for a severe sinus infection, which had no affect on my period symptoms (fever, pain) though I hoped maybe as a side-effect it would help. I'm just super-frustrated. My husband gets concerned because i look pale and tired and it is obvious that I am not feeling well. I take vitamins,I am very active, try to eat healthy, and get sleep. Though it is never enough, I could sleep 24/7!

I'm 29 years old, very thin and have lost weight over the past year (which has put my weight too low) and I never know when this is going to strike. Sometimes I am sick and sometimes I feel better, but I never know what it will be like from month to month. I know i wont find all my answers here, but I have to vent. I had a bad month and the pain has stayed. I feel crummy and like I am walking around with the flu or something. I know all about endo and pelvic congestion, but cannot find anything to do with fevers or infections. Maybe someone else is going through this too? My main concern at this point is that this will go on for so long, it will affect other things, appendix, spleen, and I will have worse problems. My aunt had her spleen out and it was attributed to a chronic infection she had after giving birth. Her kids are grown, and her health is still crummy. So I am concerned. I am also a cancer survivor, but it was a tumor in my leg, not related to reproductive system at all. I have been cancer-free for nearly 15 years. I guess that is it. This is just a vent. Sometimes I just worry about my overall health as a result of all this.

tina76 · 11-11-2005, 09:39 AM

I have endo and I had problems at the beginning with infections etc... I was actually admitted the hospital for 10 days on IV anti-biotics at one point. I have been lucky and the infection problem has not continued even though my endo has caused me extreme and chronic pain for the past five years. The doctor was right to say you probably need to have a laproscopic surgery done. I understand the financial issue. Hopefully you can find a way to work around that though. I think you are goign to be short on answers until you are able to have surgery. Could you possibly take out a personal loan to handle the expenses? I think it is important that they get in there and can determine what is happening. You could have endo cells that are infected or even cysts etc...

hillaryb · 11-11-2005, 01:49 PM

At the moment any and all money that is earned, borrowed, etc is going towards my 9-year-old's extensive dental work. She is having several procedures over the next couple of months, and in order to get her pain level down, they must be done. So I decided to put her teeth first, and I guess my stuff will come later. And then I have a flare-up. I think by next fall I will be able to get a laparascopy. It is such a pain to have surgery, even MINOR surgery, just to try and get an idea of what is going on. I was told to expect to have a hysterectomy someday. I'm not sure how to feel about that. I don't like the idea, it all seems so hopeless, and my husband wanted another baby. I havent been able to get pregnant though for over a year, and the last time I did I had an early miscarriage. Thank you for listening though. It really helps!

gel2005 · 11-11-2005, 02:14 PM

Get into the Dr as soon as you can. Try not to wait to long. Back when drs knew even less about endo then they do today my mom had it. Before she had me. They told her she would never have kids. They stopped trying afer 6 years. Long story short had 4 kids. She always had so much pain. We couldn't even sit on her lap with out her being in pain. Drs always gave her the run around and she didn't go in as much as she should and push the issue enough. After dealing with the pain for over 10 years she felt a mass in her stomach. They did surgery on her. SHe had two large cyst and a bunch of small ones and endo. They had to do a full hystrectomy. they had to scrape it off her bowls because it was so bad. If they do it early enough you won't have this problem. But it is important that you have a lap done to check everything out. After the surgery she felt the best that she ever had! She was tired all the time, but later found out that she had an underactive thyriod.

gel2005 · 11-11-2005, 02:15 PM

Oh yeah, I have heard that heating pads help the pain.