Lower abdominal pain and rectal pain

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 (symptoms) 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....

[NOHARD]

Hi C, They say we are what we eat, I think your problems are coming from that, you have lost some weight now get the rest off and you may see your other problems go with, it, just stay off fast foods and junk foods, get on a healthy diet, keep off alcohol, get out and exercise, walking and swimming are the two best things you can do, your bowl problem spasms are just that I did used to get them but they have now gone away, used no drugs and never sure a doctor over them, there just something you get, but next time your in the car hit the brake and not the accelerater.
And your hair growth could come from a homone problem, so your would need a blood test for that.
Good luck

[cajungal328]

Well, I wait tables in a busy restaurant, so I do stay active and walk alot, though sometimes non-stop, it is not always non-stop, but it has to count for something.  I will admit to not eating healthy... i don't eat alot of snack junk food (if u look in my cupboard, you will find no junk food, no chips or cookies), but I do eat fattening foods, like fried foods and rice and gravy.  Being cajun, I cook alot cajun food, and though it tastes good, it's not very healthy food... I do need to lose more weight, and I have hit a 4 month plateau... I've been teetering at the 200 - 210 lb mark for months now... time to hit it and make the scale move down again. I can't do it without syching myself up first though.

As for the driving, my foot was already on the excellerator when the pain hit, and I couldn't move my leg, my whole body tensed up, including my leg, and I couldn't control it. If I had been braking at the time, I probably would have came to a sudden halt and got hit from behind. Thank god there was nobody close in front of me, or else I would have plowed into their car. It scared me. I know I need to have it looked at,  but I keep thinking, it only comes once or twice a year, it hits then its gone. How will they find it?? And then,  the thought of having a rectal exam or a colonoscopy is not exactly something I'm itching to have done. But I know it must be done, I'm afraid and I'm putting it off.

As i said before, I have went to the doctor in the past with complaints of lower abdominal pain, the same pain I have now thats been going on for more years than I can count, and becuase they couldnt see anything wrong, they treat me like I'm crazy, like it's all in my head, then I feel stupid for going in the first place...  I think thats the reason alot of people don't like or trust doctors. I don't dislike them, unless they discredit the pain I have and pretend like it's nothing.

[NOHARD]

Hi C, First retal spasms, has a name of proctalgia fugax, just something you just need to live with, googl e retal spasms, and read the netdoctor, will make things a bit clearer for you.
Your weight? try the cabbage deit its a sevon day diet, but its very healthy one, but you can do the first day at the end, so it becomes 8 days, I find the 8 day bloats me out then take a 6 day break then do it again, I found this to be very good for me, and a great way to lose weught, and you may be on your feet all day, but a good brtisk walk twice a day for 30 minutes will be far better for you, as will swiming, its a very good way to exercise, or they both are.
I think if you do lose your weight you may find your lower pain may go, it could be just from pressure bearing downwards, and you can do a weight on here, gives you something to work with, I still do mine each week but just one day a week.
See how you get on.
Good Luck