Ok. I want to start by saying that I am a 36 years old woman, and due to lack of health insurance, and the fact that I am afraid of what this may be, I have not had this seen by a doctor. Most of these symtoms have been noticed and ignored for a decade or longer. Paps come out clean, but I haven't had a pap in 2 years. Have one scheduled at the clinic for March.
Ok, I will decribe this the best I can. I have two types of pain, andIm not sure they areassociated with each other or not, if they are a gastro problem or a gyn problem. The first I will discuss is the lower abdominal pain. Located in the center of my abdomen, right above the pelvic bone, deep pain, not superficial. It's very dull ache with alot of pressure. It gone on for a years and it never ceases, but at times its barely noticable, and at other times it's almost painful, but not sharp pain at all, but dull heavy almost-pain but isn't. Sex is sometimes painful, and I have seen blood on the tissue afterward at times. I complained to the gyn yeas ago, and they did an ultrasound, but found nothing wrong, and didn't do further tests (prob due to lack of insurance, ya know, docs are all about money, they dont really care...) Easy to endure, easy to ignore. Couging and sneezing cause painful pressure. I have alot of gas about 90% of the time, sometimes painful gas. I have diarrhea about 75 -80% of the time, pretty normal the rest of the time. Almost never get constipation, usually have loose bowels and alot of gas...
I have regular periods, which are medium / heavy flow with alot of cramping and some blod clots usually no bigger than a dime. Always been regular, except about 2 years ago, I was going to school full time and working full time, never sleeping (sleep apnea), and my periods had stopped for nearly a year. I was also 140 lbs overweight at the time (I have since lost 70 lbs) When I was no longer in school and back on a normal schedule, and lost weight, periods went back to normal. I don't know if this info has any relevance here, but I tought I'd throw it in anyway... I also believe myself to have a hormone imbalance of some sort, cause I grow alot of facial hair (lip and chin, male pattern hair growth). I have to shave facial hair every day or I will die of embarassment. I try to hide it, but it still shows. I also have alot of body hair, such as arms, legs, stomach, and buttocks (not quite manly, but a bit too much to be womanly)
Now for the recal pain. It comes every so often, about once every few months, sometimes more often. The only way I can describe it is like this : it's like having a lightning bolt shoved straight up my butt!!! A bolt of white hot electricity in my anus / rectum... It is so painful, so intense, it has literally knocked me of my feet, I was walking and I fell on the floor in pain. I almost got in a wreck once, it hit me while I was driving in traffic, I remember lifting my whole behind off the seat and arching my back, and i excellerated and couldnt stop. These intense pains last about 10 - 20 seconds, and then they're gone for months, like they never existed.
Any clues??????
What kind of doctor should I see, since I'm not sure which is the problem, gastro or gyn... I've often thought about going to the ER, but the one pain is too dull, or even really a pain, more a pressure, and the intense pain only last a few seconds, then it's forgotten until the next time it happens... The thought that the ER is for emergencies and not for complaints such as these stops me every time. I'm thinking, since Im not good at stating my symptoms, that I should maybe print this out and bring it with me when I do go to the doctor... "Here doc, read this" LOL
Sorry to gross you guys out if i did....