Stomach and sex pain

[678anonymous]

Hi,

I've had abdominal pain for as long as I can remember.  I've been to many doctors and they've found nothing wrong with me, so I'm forced to think it's IBS: I have severe pain in the lower abdomen (worse when I haven't eaten anything, worse still when I eat fruit), constipation, and extreme distention of my lower stomach.  I eat A LOT of fiber and drink A LOT of water; just wanted to add that, since many doctors have suggested that lack of fiber and dehydration could be the problem - CLEARLY they're not.

Not only am I in pain for a good portion of every day, I also cannot have sex, and I think this is connected to my stomach problems.  When my stomach is most distended, it seems to "push" on my bladder and make me have to pee, and sometimes it burns when I urinate.  Wearing tampons is painful and having sex is impossible.  I've tried many times, but it always burns and makes me have to pee.  

Doctors have suggested a number of different reasons for this:
(1) The "burning sensation" is actually a good feeling, and that I'm about to orgasm. They are WRONG - it is PAINFUL and I know what an orgasm feels like.
(2) It is psychological. WRONG AGAIN - I am relaxed and comfortable with my longterm boyfriend, I have no history of abuse, and I get similar pain from tampons.
(3) I have an STD. Clearly WRONG - This has happened since the first time I tried to have sex.
(4) I'm not turned on enough. WRONG - I am, and I use lube, and I've tried SO MANY TIMES!

So, do you have any advice for someone who has been to gastrointerologists, psychologists, urologists, and has never gotten helpful advice (about either sex or abdominal pain)???  Anything you could tell me would be helpful.

Also, do you think Colonix could help?

[uttam16]

hello..
i had  2 times stomach pain during the sex..actually i tried to STOP my sperm out by masturbation before intercourse,does it can effect?

[mary412]

don't know if this would help but, in the past i have also experienced similar feelings, at that time was told the pain could be due to a uterus that is tipped. or tilted. was told a different position may help and found some positions were better than others, i also have ibs, and find that one has nothing to do with the other. when you have ibs you have the stomach distention and alot of bloating and can have severe pain,you have bouts og diahera and contipation and certain foods do acrivate it.. for me popcorn, alot of greasey foods, chocolate and some vegtables. you kind of have to try and just keep track of what your eating before the pain and bloating starts.. hope this helps somewhat..               good luck M

[myproblem]

Have you ever been told that you have a tilted uterus, or that your cervix is really long, or low? It could be a structural problem that's just not too obvious. You may be able to get a Hysteroslpingiogram (HSG) done. This is a test used to look for structural abnormalities in the reproductive system. Some structural problems are correctible with surgery. There may also be a structural abnormality of your urinary system, but I don't know what tests would be used to evaluate for that. A gyno. can probably evaluate for both issues, but a uroligist may be helpful too.

[678anonymous]

A guy has been able to get in all the way, it just HUUUUURTS, and it doesn't get better with time, it gets worse!  Also, it's not like normal too-tight pain, because I know what that feels like.  While I certainly have that kind of pain, that kind of pain does get better the more I try.  The pain I feel is like a "raw" sensation, that I also get (though to a much lesser extent) when I use tampons.  The sensation occurs during the thrust; it feels as if the penis is hitting my bladder, which makes me have to pee uncontrollably (I will actually get up and go to the bathroom and pee, though I have also tried waiting it out and have had...accidents!).  This need to pee is accompanied by burning pain.  And, though burning is often associated with STDs, I want to reiterate that it can't be an STD because it's happened since the first time I tried to have sex (plus I've had normal paps).

Thanks again for all your comments!

[678anonymous]

Thank you all so much for your feedback - this is my first time posting and you all responded so fast!  I will most definitely look up endometriosis (as soon as I'm done writing this!)

In response to Adelaide's question: Alcohol is ACTUALLY the ONE thing that helps (!!), though unfortunately not enough to have painless sex.

In response to denmac's question: I'm 22 years old, never had surgery, never *really* had sex.  I'm a vegetarian, but I've incorporated a lot of carbs into my diet since my doctors' advice to eat MORE fiber bloated me to the point where I could barely walk.  I was bulimic, but my symptoms were present before (though they may have gotten worse).  My parents have stomach pain too, but nothing like this - my dad has acid reflux disease and my mom has a disfunctional gallbladder.

THANKS AGAIN!

[myproblem]

Just one more thought since you say you've never been able to have sex successfully. Have you ever been able to let him get it all the way in? or do you have to stop before full penetration? The reason I ask is that when I got married, it took four days of trying (trying very hard, I was a 24 year old virgin, and so was my husband) to even get it in because I was so tight that it hurt to try. It took about 6 months for me to get stretched out enough for it not to hurt too much. It wasn't until after I had a baby that it quit hurting completely. Just a thought.

[678anonymous]

Also, I should mention that I've had blood tests, a sonogram, and an endoscopy.  The sonogram revealed flailing white things on my bladder wall; the endoscopy revealed a slight redness at the base of my esophagus - neither doctor thought these were relevant findings.  Also, a couple years ago, I ended up taking doxycyclin to treat a urinary tract infection and it made my symptoms pretty much disappear (except I didn't attempt sex).  I went on it again for several different intervals and it worked for a while, but the symptoms eventually returned.

[denmac]

I wonder have you ever had surgery, what is your gynae history, age, etc.

[adelaide]

I agree with the comment made by my problem.  I would want a really good gynecologist to check for endometriosis.  That can cause severe abdominal pain.  Also, you could be having colon, uterine, or bladder spasms that don't show up during exams.  If you drink a little wine before sex, does it help at all?  Sometimes, it will for people who have spasms.  Whether it helps or not, see a good gynecologist.  Maybe a female doc. could relate to you more and would be a bit more understanding.  Good luck.

[Curls]

Also I for one can sympathize with needing to make reasons like numbers 1-4 clear when it (at least to me) feels like I'm wasting time stating the obvious and missing time spent figuring out the problem while in doctors offices.  I guess what I am trying to say is that you state you situation very clearly and I want to extend sympathy for all the frustration you must have experienced on those many doctors appointments having to state and restate logical concepts and defend yourself.

The endometrosis does sound on target.  Over on the ovarian cancer forum there is a lot of description of IBS diagnosis for all sorts of gyno problems that cause IBS like-symptoms including benign cysts and endometriosis.

[myproblem]

Have you looked up endometriosis? For many people, pain is the major symptom, especially during intercourse. See a good gynecologist.