I’ve had moderate to severe menstrual cramps my whole life. I’ve assumed I just had a heavy cycle, and possible some small cysts here and there. After I stopped nursing my second child, around 13 months postpartum; my cycle came back full blast. Sorry for the TMI but this meant heavy periods, and horrible pain.
I first decided to see a physician about lower abdominal pain and fatigue in March, where she said she didn’t feel anything out of place, no signs of IBS or a hernia, and my blood work came back perfect. She suggested I start taking stool softeners and wished me luck. Months later it was still awful, and I swore something was wrong with me. I started not only having cramps during my period but during my entire cycle.
June rolled around, and I finally went to see my OBGYN who prescribed me birth control pills and said she did feel some tenderness. The following week I came back with increased pain. She told me to start my pills as soon as I could and to try them for 6-12 months, but scheduled an ultrasound. A few days later at my ultrasound visit, they did find a golf ball sized cyst. The nurse once again, told me I could have a laparoscopic surgery to remove the cyst, and to start my pills asap. After leaving the OBGYN my mother was very persistent on me calling to schedule the surgery. She has had cysts rupture in the past and didn’t want me to have to go through the pain. So, I followed up and scheduled an appointment with my doctor who delivered my first son.
At that appointment, my fourth appointment in less than a month, I was told my cyst was a “partially solid complex ovarian cyst”. It was at that moment I was so thankful that I decided to be persistent and stubborn, pushing to fix my pain. Once I have my surgery, we will find any signs of endometriosis, and what is inside my cyst. I also wouldn’t have had the courage to seek out help if I wouldn’t have came across a social media post by a woman talking about her cyst rupturing and abdominal bloat.
Ovarian cysts and endometriosis are extremely common in women, unfortunately not everyone has their pain taken seriously.
Here are some of the symptoms that I experienced:
- Bloating and pressure in my lower abdominal (By the way, there is something called an “endo belly)
- Lower abdominal pain
- Pinching feeling in side and lower back
- Frequent urination
- Occasional nausea
- Painful periods & intercourse
- Fatigue
- Constipation
I’m hoping by writing this post more women get answers and help that they need if you are experiencing any of these symptoms. However, another symptom of endometriosis or PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) is infertility in case you are trying to conceive. Take care of yourself, so you can take care of your children!
