Pain in pelvic area

[brownie6366]

I have been on birth control for about 18 years now.  I had my gallbladder out on 2006 and they picked up on the CT scan a golf ball size cyst on my ovary.  The gynecologist put me on a higher dosage birth control to shrink it and it did eventually go away.

Well 2 weeks ago I woke up with a really bad low back ache and a dull ache in my lower pelvic area in the front.  I didn't think much of it until I was having sex with my husband and it was so painful.  I have always had painful intercourse because I have a tilted uterus.  But this was way worse.  Well it seemed to only get worse.  I was using the bathroom fine my bowel movements seemed ok but when my bladder would fill up it would make more pain in the abdomin.  

I decided to go to the gynecologist.  She had me take a urine test and she examined me and said that she didn't feel anything.  She then ordered a pelvic ultrasound which I had yesterday.  I was watching on the monitor to see what I could see but I'm not sure what I was looking at.  The technician told me that everything seemed to look ok but I think that they are supposed to say that.  I won't have the results until this Friday when I go for follow up.  The doctor prescribed pain pills for the pain but it has been so bad the last 2 days I can't hardly sit with out my lower back killing me.  I know that it isn' t just a back ache because I have had lower back issues in the past and they didn't feel like this.  I also feel alot of pressure pushing down inside.  I don't have any discharge and no burning during urination.  I do feel like I have to pee alot.

If the ultrasound doesn't show anything what else should I do?  I am at the end of my rope.  I can't get the discomfort to subside.

[Elaine Brown, MD]

Hi!
It certainly sounds like you may have an ovarian cyst or a uterine fibroid.  The symptoms all add up!  But if the ultrasound is negative, that will rule out those causes.
It can be easy to miss a large cyst on an internal exam because often they are soft and squishy just like everything else in there so that they don't feel abnormal.  You are also correct that ultrasound techs are not allowed to interpret the findings even though they usually know exactly what they are looking at.
If you were my patient and we had a negative ultrasound result, I think the next step would be laparoscopy--a minor surgical procedure in which we look inside to see what is going on in there.  I suppose it could be something like endometriosis, or possibly your ovary is twisting.
I am still wondering whether they will see a cyst on your scan though!
I hope this is helpful!
Dr B

[brownie6366]

Thanks for the response.  I  am now on the 6th day of antibiotics with no relief.  I am waiting on my period to start any minute.  I am worried that it might actually be worse when my cycle comes.  I didn't start having this pain until 1 week after my last period.

I feel the same way that I know that something is very wrong but I'm not sure what it is.  I called my gyno and asked if my pap results were back yet and of course they said no.  The nurse told me that the pap only shows if you have HPV or possible cancer forming in the cervix.  Now I am really worried because I don't know what is going on.  I search on line and the 2 things that keep coming up with the symptoms I have are either Pelvic inflamation or Endometriosis.  With Pelivc inflamation you would have to have a bad infection and she told me that nothing showed up in my urine.  Endometriosis symptoms are kind of all over the place but I still think that possibly this is my problem.  

I have a follow up on Wednesday of next week and I feel that if I am no better I should push the laproscopy procedure to see if it is Endometriosis.

Very frustrated!!

[nicolette1972]

hi hun,i too am suffering from terrible pelvic pain and just had a cystoscopy which ruled out any bladder problems,i do have urinary problems and also the pressure which i say feels very like when heavily pregnant and the womb is pushing down,i am going to my docs for a pelvic exam because something is there,i just dont know what,i also donated my eggs in march and it was within 2 weeks of this that my problems began and i dont think its just a coincidence........they said my ovaries looked fine but that was months ago......x

[brownie6366]

Thank you for the reply.  I got the results on the ultrasound and it didn't show anything.  She did my annual pap.  While she was doing it the pain was really bad.  She then examined me and pushed on the right and the left with some discomfort and then pushed in the middle which is where I quess the Uterus is and I burst into tears from the pain.  My Dr. said it felt like my Uterus was swollen.  She put me on an anti-flammatory Naproxin and antibiotic Doxcylin for 14 days.  I am not sure how long it will take for the results on the Pap.  What is so wierd is that I am not having any kind of discharge which I would think I would have if there was an infection pressent.  I have been on the medication now for 3 days and no change.  I am still having bad cramps and lower back pain.

I guess my next step is to continue to take meds for the 14 days and go back to do my follow up and get my pap results.  This is so frustrating because I feel like I am not getting any answers.