Unknown Pelvic Pain...I Feel a Crazy

by Shauna Stevens
(Phoenix )

From the age of 15-19 I would visit the ER anywhere from 2-4 times a year with severe abdominal pain. Every time I was given a different diagnosis or none at all. Ruptured cyst, small cyst that will go away, gas, etc. my favorite was the time the doctors had convinced my parents I was there for the drugs.

One day when I was 20 I doubled over in pain, it was so bad i was vomiting. My friend took me to the ER just for them to prescribe me meds and tell me it was a strained muscle. I knew it wasn't, it was something more and inside me. I followed up with my primary a couple days later with my mom that insisted on figuring out what was wrong. The doctor sent me straight to the ER again with the assumption that my appendix was inflamed. They began with an ultra sound, as my mom watched she suddenly said "oh shit", which of course freaked me out. They found a softball sized cyst on my right ovary. Dec, 18, 2009, After 3 agonizing days I was in the OR having laparoscopic surgery to have the cyst removed.

I recovered great and life was good. Then exactly 2 years after surgery I found my self doubled over in pain and back in the ER. No one would listen to me, it felt as if they thought I was lying. I was referred to a surgical obgyn. When I went to his office he was great, he actually listened to what I was feeling. He told me, "no one knows your body more than you, if your in pain I will listen." That was such a different reaction to hear.

A week later, Dec,2014, we were in the OR undergoing a laparoscopic surgery to remove endometriosis and a small cyst. It turned into an exploratory surgery. I was told there was so much endometriosis and the cyst was bigger than he thought. My right ovary was very small and plastered to my pelvic wall. The right Fallopian tube was blocked and three times the normal size it should be. My left ovary was dead and engulfed in endometriosis. I was given 3 options:
1) have a total hysterectomy removing my ovaries, tubes, cervix and uterus
2) have just a bilateral oopharectomy and take my chances of having surgery again every year
3) do noting and just suffer in pain

After thinking over all my options, calling my mom to find our she was needing a hysterectomy as well, I decided to go with the total hysterectomy at the age of 24. I was informed and convinced this would take care of all my issues and I would be done with this forever. A week later, dec,13,2011 the hysterectomy was completed and I was able to go home 3 days later. It took longer to heal with having the 2 surgeries 1 week apart, but I eventually healed.

About 6 months later, June 2012 I was back in the OR having a bladder sling implanted. Yes the same one you see all over the tv having a recall. Mine is fine I have had it checked every year. No I do not have kids, I was told my bladder fell because my female organs used to hold it up.

Again we were back to normal, working, traveling with family, and enjoying life. Then Dec. 2013, 2 years after the hysterectomy and 4 years after the 1st surgery an 11cm cyst was found on my right side. I was so confused. How could this be? All my female organs have been removed. Little did i know that there is something called Ovarian Reminent Syndrome. Cells can be left behind and your ovaries can regenerate themselves. Yay! We were back in the OR 2 weeks later.

The surgery was set to be laparoscopic, however after attempting this method they had to move to a laparotomy. The cyst was tangled and very large. I was kept in the hospital 2 days and then released home. 2 days later my belly button where the laparoscopic incisions were started bleeding, bad. So another trip to the ER was made. 4 days later they found the issue and I was sent for surgery to implant a uerter stent. From a small nick made to my uerter. This was the most painful. My body rejected the stent and it was emergency removed 3 weeks later. It was such a great feeling to wake up out of a surgery and not be in pain.

Since my hysterectomy I have been on bio identical hormone replacement pellets. They are very expensive but the only thing to help me feel somewhat normal, however I have been reading that this can feed endometriosis and cysts, so I am confused.

Fast forward to now, Sept 2014. I went to the ER Sunday night with sever abdominal pain. Of course all tests came back normal. I made a follow up with a different obgyn and my regular one. Yesterday I saw the new one, she told me that everything in my history states it's removed, endometriosis doesn't come back and it is probably in my head from being sexually abused as a child. I was given a number to a pelvic pain doctor. Once again I felt defeated and crazy.

Today I went and saw my regular OB, he felt my stomach and said I have a lot of scar tissue. He said the pain is probably from that or endometriosis scar tissue. There are no more tests he can perform so we need to have exploratory surgery to see what's going on and to remove the excess scraper tissue. I feel good that he is listening and going to check things out. However I spoke with my mom and she's says no, so now I feel defeated again. She says that I need to find several specialist:
1)allergist for food and inflammation. Says this will cause pain.
2) endometriosis specialist
3) hormone specialist
4) physical therapist for scar tissue.

I just feel lost, I am in so much pain. I cannot sleep and the pain meds are not helping. When the pain is so bad I end up vomiting. I feel as if I am going crazy with this.

Thank you for listening I needed to vent, I hope someone has some suggestions for me.