I know you mentioned that you've been scanned for endometriosis and fibroids, but a lot of the time, endometriosis can be difficult to detect from a scan. Some people don't find out they have endo until they've been opened up abdominally. In my experience, the 1st hospital I went to didn't detect any endo during the MRI. However, the 2nd hospital I attended (which has a special unit for women's gyno health) detected the endo straight away via MRI. Which means that either they have better MRI equipment than the 1st hospital, or the 1st hospital had a bunch of idiots who doesn't know how to read a scan. Either way, I hope you get some answers soon. In the meantime, get yourself a mattress protector and some good painkillers.
6 days ago (edited)
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I’m so sorry. Sending hugs. Please get checked out for ADENOMYOSIS which has similar symptoms but is not the same as endometriosis. Adenomyosis has Symptoms like very severe cramps and heavy bleeding; endometriosis does not always involve heavy bleeding. Please feel better soon
6 days ago
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Oh, I hope you get some relief. I'm keeping you in my secular humanist good thoughts.
6 days ago
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Oh Shayna, I’m so sorry you’re going through this! As someone who is dealing with multiple fibroids and multiple surgeries, NONE of this is normal, no matter how normalized it is. I wish you relief, a clear actionable diagnosis and healing!!
6 days ago
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Endometriosis or extensive fibroids can casuse those symptoms. They are both treatable, so hopefully it's something along those lines, and with proper treatment you will get relief. I am so sorry for your pain and discomfort. Suffering like this is all too common, in a medical/health system which has been centering white men for centuries.
6 days ago
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My wife has endometriosis. She says endometriosis can cause heavier bleeding, but it's more likely to be something else. Endometriosis is more about the radiating pain than it is the bleed though it can act in concert with other things. Polyps, fibroids, etc. She's said she's bled through a tampon and 2 pads (used together), but never bled through a mattress before, but also, when she feels she's bleeding that much, she wakes up and changes the pads so it's hard to tell if she would have. Good luck at the doctor.
6 days ago
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So sorry to hear this, Shayna. 😭 You are correct, these types of menstrual issues are NOT NORMAL and should be treated by the medical community as the emergencies they are!!! 😡 A friend who’d suffered from horribly painful and heavy periods her entire life (and perpetually low iron b/c of it) finally found a female gyno who was willing to perform a hysterectomy. (Ovaries left intact so as not to impact hormones.) This was despite all scans over the years coming back “normal.” While the surgeon suspected endometriosis, what they found instead was adenomyosis! (Even lesser well-known than endo, despite being very similar.) She said that recovering from surgery was less painful than even ONE round of her monthly cycle - apparently pain scale ratings place endo/adenomyosis in the top 10, and many women report it’s worse than even giving birth was! 😱 The estimated numbers of women suffering from these issues are horribly UNDERrepresented specifically because women’s menstrual issues largely go ignored, often for decades! I hope you can find a doctor educated about these issues and find support to deal with whatever is causing you such pain! 🙏 Edit: Fixing the name autocorre
6 days ago (edited) | 19
You are not alone with the cycle issues. Had them my whole life and perimenopause is terrible!! I WISH YOU LUCK & HEALING LIGHT & LOVE & FINANCIAL MIRACLES 💝❤!! 🙏
6 days ago
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That sounds awful. If they rule everything out and dismiss it as female histeria or some bs, then find a doctor that can put you on supplemental hormones such as progesterone, estradiol systemic and vaginal (which address address different symptoms), and testosterone. I wish i had known to balance my hormones as a teenager instead of waiting till my late 40's. I think so many health problems I've had were hormonal. TCM also works wonders, but it's a long-term commitment to adjusting ingredients in very stinky teas. Just a few suggestions of things i wish i had done differently. I hope you feel better!!!
6 days ago | 7
I’m so sorry. I have one suggestion. Have you ever run across Dr. Sarah Myhill(she has a few interviews on YouTube)? I have several autoimmune diseases and her suggestions were so easy to implement that I thought it couldn’t hurt to try. It’s been 3 months and I’m a new person. The protocol addresses vitamin and mineral deficiencies. And once those are taken care of, the symptom alleviation falls like dominoes. I wanted to feel better, but even my allergies are gone. Best of luck!!!
6 days ago | 8
Listening to the endometriosis girlies and the PCOS girlies has been very useful for me and here are two resources or communities of women you may want to follow they are all leaders in this space The panel of women talking about these issues https://youtu.be/kizDk8idpT8?si=vbrPB5_tF0u8w_2Z This conversation with grace beverly https://youtu.be/xcakXzgImlg?si=ylDoQHNP0utV7MAc
6 days ago (edited) | 9
Oh wow, I'm sorry you're going through that. I can't help financially but I can send up well wishes and healing energy if that's welcome.
6 days ago
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Best of luck for a full recovery and good medical treatment, and full funding. I can't send any money , but I recommend the books/ videos of Dr. Gabor Mate. He is a medical doctor and Holocaust survivor who discovered a link between trauma and serious medical conditions.
6 days ago
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OMGoodness! I had no idea! I'm sending tons of gentle hugs 🤗🫂🤗 and prayers your way! 🙏🏾🙏🏾 I hope you receive clarity as to why this is happening and solutions to end your pain & other symptoms
5 days ago | 2
Sorry to hear that as someone with PCOS and possibly endometriosis my periods are a nightmare as well hoping to get a hysterectomy next year I hope you can find answers and get proper treatment.
6 days ago | 0
Ask your doctor for Flexeril. I originally got it for back spasms but its helped with my cramps (ovarian cysts and fibroids) and a few other physical issues and also I think it's been enormously beneficial for my PTSD because not being able to move my body/ unlock my vagus nerves was a real problem for me before.
6 days ago | 1
I'm always horrified to learn what people with uteruses have to go through! Sending best wishes from California!
5 days ago | 0
TL;DR: There's something going on in there, don't trust scans that turn up nothing. I've been there. Keep advocating for yourself, and keep getting tested. You've lived with pain, discomfort, and the mess it can make for too long. I've had increasing period pain since my late 20s, before then cramps were unknown to me. Fast forward to my late 30s I could barely stand or sit, the cramps were so bad. Popping high doses of ibuprofen was the only pain relief that worked. I needed to empty my menstrual cup several times a day, and wear a pad for added protection. I had a lower body MRI done for a different reason, but no one told me anything was wrong or looked concerning. Later an ultrasound finally picked up what was believed to be a small growth in the space of my uterus. Surgery was mentioned at that time, but they definitely said they'd keep monitoring it. A few years later the pain was unbearable at that point. Another ultrasound showed the small growth and TWO fibroids on the outside of my uterus. My uterus was very enlarged, so much so that I had two IUD expulsions within one year. Surgery was once again on the table. I was too afraid of going under to remove the fibroids for fear they'd perform a hysterectomy without my consent, so I opted for a D&C to remove the "small growth" in my uterus. Well, that turned out to be a fibroid too and a quite sizable one that added extra time to my surgery. I'm thankful that my OBGYN didn't give up on removing it. My cramps aren't gone completely, but the pain is more manageable now. Now I'm on Tamoxifen (spl?) for breast cancer prevention. One its potential side effects is promoting the growth of fibroids. Ugh. I plan to revisit the surgery options for the remaining growths. Being in my early 40s now they may nudge the suggestion for a hysterectomy again, but I still don't want that. Out of the surgeons I was referred to, only one was a woman, and my OBGYN, who at least can perform D&C, is also a woman. It's getting harder to trust medical professionals who don't relate to my life experiences.
6 days ago (edited) | 3
Shayna Conde
UPDATE:
Thank for everyone’s kind words, medical suggestions, and gifts 🥹 I just woke up and will be writing down all your suggestions to ask the doctors and I’ll be taking down my gift app handles. I think there’s enough to cover some follow up Dr visits and I don’t people feeling stressed to donate if they don’t have the money. If anyone is also having menstruation related issues, definitely look through these comments and talk to your doctor about these suggestions (I know I will)!
I’ll keep everyone updated on what the doctors say and HOPEFULLY I can get some relief from what feels like a cursed uterus 🙏
MANY HUGS and I’ll be responding to everyone who donated individually throughout the day 🥹🫂
VULNERABILITY POST:
I think there's something very wrong with my uterus. Like VERY wrong. I've been trapped in my condo for the past 5 days because of the excruciating pain and nonstop nausea. This cycle hasn't even been one of my worst ones. I've been in so much pain that I've vomited while crying. I've bled THROUGH mattresses. Bleach and cleaning products are always running low in my residence. And the worst part is that I know I'm not the only person who has to experience this on a regular basis, who has normalized this.
NONE OF THIS IS NORMAL.
I'm very grateful that I've been able to create income through my journalism and online presence because I literally could not work a 9-5. I'd run out of sick days in 2 months.
All this to say that, now that I'm settled in Thailand, I will be investing in my health and hoping to get a diagnosis and treatment. This, plus my Multiple Sclerosis treatments (technically, I have NMO but I have the same treatments and symptoms as MS so...yea...). It will be significantly less expensive than in the United States, but it could still throw a wrench in my finances if I have to run from doctor to doctor again while paying for everything out of pocket.
All this to say, LITERALLY NO PRESSURE, but if you could share a gift to my CashApp, PayPal, or Venmo, it would be much appreciated! Once again, no pressure if you can't. I know times are hard for a lot of people and I don't want to put anyone in a tough spot financially. My mom always said to ask for help and that the worst someone can say is "no" so I'm practicing.
My first appointment is on Monday and I'll be batching some content in the meantime so I can rest. I'll keep you all posted on how that goes. WISH ME LUCK (aka a clear diagnosis and treatment plan lol).
6 days ago (edited) | [YT] | 955