Rectal bleeding during menstruation and other pain symptoms. Endometriosis?

[wonderingtoo2]

My pain began over a year ago.  I have right sided abdominal, flank and lower back pain.  I've had an ultrasound and CT scan that were normal. I haven't seen a GI doctor.  My doctor has said there is nothing wrong with me. My OB-GYN says I might have endometriosis, but will not do the lap surgery to find out for sure.

Now I notice I bleed rectally when I'm menstruating.  I am very concerned about this, but my OB-GYN says it's probably hemorrhoids, and to see my GP about it if I want to follow up.  I also have diarrhea when I'm menstruating, and other times as well which alternates with constipation, flat stools and normal stools.  I did notice blood in my stool once when I wasn't menstruating, and went to the ER.  That is when I had the CTscan. They did find internal hemorrhoids on that trip, which I think is why my OB-GYN says that's probably what it is.

I just am not sure if I should accept that, or if rectal bleeding during menstruation is a common symptom of endometriosis.

If anyone has had similar please let me know.

[mompuzzled]

Hey. I suffered from emdometriosis for years until finally I had a hystorectomy about 6 years ago. I've never had any rectal bleeding,but did have all the same other symptoms you decribed.Why won't your OB do lapro surgery to make sure?

[wonderingtoo2]

mompuzzled, did you have the constipation, diarrhea etc with yours?

My doc won't do a lap because he said my health plan doesn't do that anymore to find out if you have endo.  They put you on the pill and if it helps, it's probably endo.

Also, were you're ribs actually sore to the touch sometimes?

I also have shooting pains in my underarms, they just started about 4 days before I started my period this time, so I don't know if it will be something that will continue or not.

[mompuzzled]

Yes,I did have diarrhea and constipation,but not the rib or under arm pain.I'm not sure how that could be related to endo.I know about the insurance battle.My plan wouldn't pay for the hystorec.until I tried years of horomone therapy(pills,depo.shots,etc.)I do know that my doctor said the endo.had spread to some of my other organs (liver,kidndey).He removed the endo.from them by laser at the time of my surgery.To my knowledge,there is no sure way of knowing whether or not that's what it is without lapro.surgery.I'm sorry to hear you are having pain elsewhere too.My periods were very painful in my lower back and abdomen.

[softrainbow30]

i have been having the rectal bleeding too. every period i feel like i am having diareha but nothing but blood and clots come out and is acopmanied by severe cramping and pain i don't know what to do seeing as my doc says to take fiber and hemmoroid suppositories. i have been doing that but it dosen't help at all and the blood is as much as a period too. i don't know if its related or not but it didn't start till after my first c section 8 yrs ago and has only gotten worse.

[bumblebeecandy]

Hi,
Yes rectal bleeding can be a sign of endometriosis. Initially I was told the same thing that it was probably haemorroids. I had a laparoscopy done last october and I had endometriosis removed from both ovaries, uterus and bladder but they also found rectal endometriosis which they haven't yet removed. But every month during menstruation and sometimes in between I get rectal bleeding. It can also be extremely painful to open the bowels with shooting pains when trying to pass stools.
Try to persuade them to do a laparoscopy to find out for sure because very often endometriosis won't show up on a scan.