For Noelene - Symptoms

May 8, 2003

Noelene,

Your bad cramps story strikes a bell...

I had very bad cramps from age 17-23 ( " periods From Hell " ). Despite

extensive tests in hospital, no one knew why (the tests were going on and on

and one day after the umptieth pap smear and internal examn and lying

sprawled for the next assistant to come and see, I just had enough and

stopped going). So I never knew what caused the cramps, and after a few

years they lessened and tapered away. Funny the way memory works because I

can't recall when exactly they began and when they had definitely ended.

But I remember being doubled over when cycling to school when I was about

17, I almost fell of my bike. The cramps weren't stabbing pain but more

like an involuntary muscle seizure that locked me into a vise and made me

nauseous and dizzy at the same time. They came and went with my periods. I

spent hours in the bathroom simply because there seemed to be small waves of

improvement when I was squatting down. Periods were debilitating in those

years.

The tapering off was gradual, the cramps didn't suddenly disappear. But

there definitely was a time in my later twenties when I could say to myself

that they were gone, and periods were no longer a thing to dread.

Ever since I was diagnosed with fibroids two years ago I wondered if there

was a connection with my earlier cramps. But your story is the first one

I've seen here that resembles mine. The doctors have not been able to

conclude anything, so this is just one of the things on my " Need More Data "

list.

Effie.

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May 8, 2003

Hi Effie:

I had those awful cramps as a teenager too. I can remember being sent home

from high school (I got to know the school nurse very well!) and sitting on

the city bus crying and doubled over in pain. During those years, sitting on

the toilet was a favorite pose for me too! My family doctor gave me percodan

for the pain and that even didn't work all that great and left me feeling

either high or dizzy depending. The gyns I saw always wanted to a laparoscopy

to see if I had endometriosis but I thought that was too invasive.

Thankfully, all that is behind me. I, too, can't remember when it stopped but

I'd say it was maybe eight years ago and the pain had tapered off gradually.

I guess it is possible the fibroids were starting their journey then, so to

speak, but honestly I think they really started growing when the pain settled

down....maybe all that cramping kept them at bay.

Rhonda

May 8, 2003