Pain on right side of abdomen

(Hampshire, United Kingdom)

Re: Pain on right side of abdomen, pelvis area - always worse when bending down, sweeping up etc

Hi

I have had pain in my right side of abdomen, pelvis area for over two years - at one time I was making largish cysts which showed up on scans but GP said they would not cause pain. At times its like a hot poker going down inside my pelvis and pain can go down into my leg.

I was diagnosed with IBS around five years ago but I recognise that as wind, cramps and I control it with diet. This pain is different and much worse when period starts. I also have regular constipation and feel I havent always emptied bowels. The pain can almost be unbearable and I now take amptripline to ease pain and it does not react to normal painkillers. Its made worse by gardening, bending over, bathing children, anything that applies pressure to it. When it was at its height, I could not sleep on that side and over time it has eased but recent weeks, I cannot sleep on that side again as it wakes me and I have to shift onto back. Im active, walk everywhere with two children 8 & 5. My father had history of piles - I dont know if any bowel problems. I had a camera five years ago and was given all clear and just recovering from lapascopy as consultant thought it was endometrosis but given all clear.

Im 40 with no other health issues. Allergic to codeine and amoxycillin.

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Hi.

Your story does sound so much like endometrosis. It's good you have been seen by a gynaecologist and had endoscopy to exclude endometrosis.

If it was endometrosis, there is a very high chance that this would have been picked up in the scan of the large cyst you described, and during laparoscopy.

I think attention should now turn towards other causes of chronic pelvic pain, like pelvic congestion syndrome.

I think your GP can work with you and refer you again for gynae review and combine this with good pain control with perhaps some antidepressants - not because of depression, but because they are often very good in helping with chronic pain.
Is this what you would want to explore with your GP?
Please let us know if anything was eventually found and how treatment went, should a breakthrough happens soon.

Best Wishes.

Dr Edema
Abdopain.com