pain when having a bowel movement whilst menstruating

I could have written any one of these posts myself. Unbelievable. I had my 4th episode of pain today, so bad so, that the preschool teacher from next door came over after I rang my husband to warn him I was going to faint from the pain. My dr I saw today says I have an anal fissure and that's whats causing the pain....I have creams to use, so we'll see how that goes. I have never in my life felt such pain like that before. Ive had 2 boys, 5.5yrs and 3yrs, both c-sections.

Another suggestion actually: has anyone here thought of tricycling the pill? It's not for everyone but I much prefer it, because I have a period every 9 weeks rather than every 3. If I have to experience this pain, the least I figure I can do is make it less frequent 8-|

Wow!!! I feel your pain ladies. I am 21 and have had this pain for atleast 4 yrs. I get painful cramps and bm's to the point of vomiting. I went to the doctor when i first had the problem and he gave me naproxen which worked for a few months, then it stopped working. I haven't been back to see my gyn but am planning to after hearing about endo and such. Wish the best for you all.

Hi Everyone,

I have had this same issue off and on for years. I dont think its related to endometriosis at all for people who just have this symptom. The swelling theory seems to make sense to me. We all go through this so it is probably something quite normal. I just came off birth control pills 2 months ago and today I had excruciating pain but for me it only last until I can use the bathroom. I hate taking any kind of medication and had a super bad reaction last year to medication so I really dont want to take anything else unless it is a matter or life or death. After a bowel movement it goes away. However every time my period comes I get constipated so using the bathroom isnt easy and then it hurts on top of that. I eat very little meat and because of this I am otherwise extremely regular. Like same time of day, every day, and very easy and fast. Then my period comes and I immediately because constipated and the pain comes as well. Im going to try taking a fiber drink twice a day for 4 days before my period to see if that helps. Has anyone else tried taking Lots of fiber?

Wow...what a great thread! I searched on this topic a few years ago, but didn't find anything. How nice to see that there are others I can relate to!

I've been having these excruciating pains for several years (I can't remember when it started). They come only when I'm having bowel movements, and while they always happen the first couple days of my period, the pain can also occur other times of the month. When I get hit with one of these pains, I experience it deep inside, not near the anus. I've never had any children and often wonder if it's anything close to labor pains. Anyway, when these waves of pain hit me, I have to grab onto something to keep me from doubling over. I can't walk or talk....just breathe very quickly until the pain (bowel movement) stops. Some times the pain won't go away until I use the restroom; on a few occasions I almost didn't make it to the bathroom because "holding it" made the pain even worse. I have to force myself to walk during the pain to not have an accident. It's horrible!

I'm 31 years old and have never had kids. My periods are like clockwork and occur every 28 days or so. I've always had very heavy periods, and find as I get older, I'm getting larger and larger clots. Typically, my periods last the full 7 days, however, I've recently lost about 10 pounds, which has helped shorten the length to about 5 days. Unfortunately, I still have the clotting and heavy flow.

I don't know if I have endometriosis, but plan to ask the OB/GYN at my next appointment. Intercourse isn't really pleasant for me (and can be painful in certain positions), so I'm wondering if it's all related.

I'll definitely try drinking more smoothies (I'm in LOVE with the Naked Mighty Mango drinks) to see if that alleviates the pain at all. While they've never woken me up or lasted for more than a minute, I'm worried it'll happen in public, and freak someone out!

Thanks for sharing!

Karla

Wow I finally found others with this problem. Over the last couple of months I have had constant anal pain. Along with the pain I have uterine cramps. My gyno has told me that I have thickened endometrium and has put me on a medication called premphase. I am menopausal and have not had a period in a few months, and the doc thinks the thickened uterine lining needs to be purged. Premphase is a 28 day course of hormones - first 14 days is estrogen, second 14 days is estrogen and prometrium. I finally had a period and have a tiny bit of relief from the pain. But, bowel movements are horribly painful still. The doc said if this medication, which causes me to have a period, doesn't help, he wants to do a D & C and cautery inside my uterus. So, he thinks that my uterus is enlarged from the thickened lining, and it's pressing on my bowel. I also have alot of discomfort when my bladder is full, but nothing like the pain with a BM.

Has anyone else been told they have an enlarged uterus and thickened lining?

Thanks everyone.

I wanted to take the time to share my experience and thoughts on this topic. Let me start by saying that I have alot of sharp pains when having a bowel movement and it's almost always during the first few days of my period. I had a fibroid the size of a small soccer ball attached to my uterus so I thought that the pains I was experiencing during a bowel movement was due to the large fibroid. I had an abdominal myomectomy to remove the fibroid and when they opening me up they also discovered that I have endometriosis.

The fibroid has been taken out and I still have pain during bowel movements around the times of my period. After doing research, talking with doctors, and talking with other people who have endometriosis, I have come to the conclusion that the pain is most likely due to the endo. Unfortunatly endometriosis can usually only be diagnosed through such things as laprascopy, ultrasound, mri and ct scans. In some cases your doctor can tell by a pelvic exam. If your doctor feels an abnormal mass on an ovary during the pelvic exam then you may have an endometriosis-filled cyst on an ovary but the the only sure way to diagnose endo is through surgery.

If your doctor has done a pelvic exam and could not find anything, I would not rule out the possiblilty that it could still be endometriosis. I came across a link that talks in depth specifically about pain during a bowl movement and its association to endometriosis. Hope this helps.

omg Karla your symtoms are exactly like mine!!u can read my posts(eilish78)i couldnt believe it when i read it!i to have severe pain during intercourse!!alot of clotting and heavy periods,mine last the whole 7 days and i get my period ever 21 days ...the pain when i have my bowel movement is excruciating (thats because the endo has grown onto it)

well i have had this pain to right before bowel movements and its only really happened in the last three years. im 22 at the moment. So what i do is steady myself and plant my feet firmly on the ground when i feel it coming on. I tighten the muscles around my anus and just sit up really straight. just tighten everything you can feel down there and usually the pains pass and are not AS painful but i can still feel them. When i do that i found i can manage the contractions a little more so that the pain does not make me want to scream lol. for me to its only usually like the first couple days of my period...maybe it is just normal since it seems allot of us are going through it. glad to hear im not the only one though...............

I'm experiencing it right now. Even if i'm just 15 yrs old.... having your period while you have bowel movements. Sometimes the pain is in my stomach, then later i feel like i want to use the toilet. it's so weird. I've never experience things like this before. this is my first time.. I hate it... :-(

Hi everyone - can't believe I found others out there with this problem. Does anyone have any answers yet?

I have no children, but my mother, aunts & grandmother all suffered with various "womenly problems" so I have had regular checks to be on the safe side. I went to see the gynae about the excruciating pain (which almost feels like it is running up the middle between my anus and stomach) - they could not tell me what it was - said it 'might be' endometriosis but the only why to check was having an operation - which I can not afford. I was also told it might be the pressure on a nerve ending - but who knows!

I also only get the pain if I have a full bowel during my period mostly, but sometimes even a few days before. I find if I keep my bowel empty (go to the loo regularly) then I have less or no pain, but sometimes it does not always work out like that and my husband has found me in the bathroom crying with pain and with sores in my palms from my nails digging in.

If there is a doctor out there that can help us - PLEASE let us know.

when i was younger, i went on birth control to regulate my periods and to help with menstrual cramps. I was on the pill all through highschool and my first 2 years of college. throughout this time, i had severe pain during my period. The sharp knife pain that most of you are describing is what i have. it hurts to pass gas, have a bowl movement, sometimes hurts to wear a tampon. I have nearly passed out several times from the pain. it is usually only the first 2 or 3 days of my period.

I recently went off of the pill, and after i did, i had one extremely painful experience, and then i had no pain for 2 years while i was off of the pill.

now, i went back on the pill, and what do you know? the pain is back.

anyone else experiencing this? I have always thought i had endometriosis, my symptoms follow it exactly, but the birth control has seemed to cause the pain... very strange.

Ladies, I found this thread a few weeks ago and was so happy to see I was not alone! It is such a frightening experience! I have a 12 yr old a 2 yr old and 6 month old. The last two are exactly 2 years apart. My cycle returned 3 months after the baby. I thought I was going to die! I have never in my life experienced the pain that this causes. Even urinating hurts. It's like contractions all over again. For the first day or two of my full cycle I am vomitting, cramping and crying. I never had problems before my last child. Here and there I would cramp but NOTHING like this. It's like you are afraid to go to the bathroom. I cannot use tampons. It's not a heavy flow, just completely painful. I already take strong pain medicine for a back injury so nothing helps this pain. I noticed intercourse was much more sensitive now, but not painful. The next day is a different story. I cramp all day after it. Now if I have to go to the bathroom and don't go immediately, I start getting the cramps again. Not as bad, but like a tiny touch of what's to come.
Now for the diagonosis. I went to my gyno & had an internal ultrasound done. She found a small cyst, but that wasn't causing the pain. The demon is a thickened lining and varicose veins. It makes sense that any time your bloated or unnecessary pressure is in that area, it hurts like hell. Her recommendations for me is to try birth control to see if it helps at all. She doesn't think it will, but understands my hesitance on the primary suggestion. The doctors in the office all advice a partial hysterectomy if I have finished having children. I was totally shocked about this response. They said the condition will only get worse.
I just want to cry, but I am trying to find the strength to know this does not make me less of a woman. I am trying to find support to help me cope. I keep trying to think about the last time I had my period I woke up in the middle of the night, went to the bathroom, broke out in a cold wet sweat & thought I was going to die on the toilet trying to have a bowel movement. How sad is that? Now I'm going on vacation with the whole family which includes a 12 hour drive and guess what. I'm due to start the same day. It sucks! She gave me the nova ring to try for 3 months first. I know nothing about this thing. It all sucks. I wanted to let you all know what I am going through as well. Sad 3 years from the time this thread started, more and more women are jumping on here to respond.

Wow....All of your posts have made me realize I'm not crazy! I noticed the pain beginning after the birth of my second child. I now have three little ones, and have been dealing with this pain for over 4 years. I have assumed it was nerve related because of the sharpness of it. I find myself muffling my yelps of pain in the bathroom so I don't freak out my family. I have been to to OBGyn's and had ultrasounds, had a colonoscopy. The did find a polyp during the colonoscopy, but the pain remains. After awhile I thought it is just something I will have to live with. No questions answered. Unfortunately the last couple of periods have been unbearable. The pain is horrific. In the hour prior to the bowel movement I can barely walk, and passing gas is ridiculous....Forget about wearing tampons. I tried to use a Keeper-holy c**p-it was beyond horrific....

I have made an appt with a third OBGyn and we'll see if anything changes. I have been telling my mom and my husband about this for years, and they keep brushing me off. So thankyou ladies for posting your struggle. I will post again if I get any answers.

Sarah

I found this thread through google.

I have a lot of the same symptoms people are mentioning.

I am 25, have no children and Im not on birth control.

My symptoms started 2 years ago, but have been the worst over the last 6 months.

My symptoms are:

Painful gas/bm in lead up to period (day prior)
Need to urinate a lot, any time i wake in the night, i have to go. usually a few times a night.
Lower abdominal bloating. like air is in there or something. has nothing to do with foods, but im actually least bloated DURING my period, strangely.
I have had pain several times from intercourse. sometimes it feels like something is knocked. I get a tight/pulling pain. like the pain you get in your neck if you turn it too quick. except it lasts for 1-2 hours, so i take a pain killer, because its constant pain and unbearable.
I have also had extreme pain on 2 occasions where i felt sick from the pain it was so bad and was ready to call an ambulance. there was no trigger i could associate it with. but i kinda felt like i needed to go to the toilet although there was nothing to come out.
I have had a tiny amount of blood on toilet paper after BM several times over the last couple of years.
I bruise very easily and badly.
I have started getting lower back pain. something i have never had in my life.
I feel tired a lot.

I have had scans and tests and nothing has shown up other than a small cyst that isnt a problem apparently, but i am now on the waiting list for the laproscopy surgery to see if it is endometriosis.
I have also been put on the waiting list to see a gastrologist(spelling?)

I have had doctors tell me its stress, its IBS and there is nothing wrong at all, however i know my body and this bloating and pain isnt due to any foods or anything that i can pick. I feel there is something more going on.

They other thing they noticed is that i have a reversed/tilted uterus..