Moleskine
Feb 8, 2011, 02:54 PM
I am a 21 year old female and about a month ago I fell unwell with cold-like symptoms, then as soon as they were getting better I began feeling very nauseous, achey, and having fevers and chills. After a few days I went to my GP who said it was a UTI and gave me antibiotics for a few days. I felt a little better in myself but the aches, particularly lower back ache and a nagging, dragging pain in my lower right side worsened. After a week I went back to the doctors, a different GP saw me and said she didn't think it had ever been a UTI and was probably a virus that would go away on its own. But over the next few days the pain got worse and it was very difficult to sleep. I went back to the doctors as I felt even more unwell, and there I had a temperature, was tachycardic, and my abdomen on the right was extremely tender. My GP thought it was an appendicitis or kidney stones, and I was sent to A and E. There they ummed and ahhed as to whether it was an appendicits as I had been ill for a few weeks rather than the typical appendicitis history, and so was sent to a gynecology ward. There I had internal exams, tests, and an ultra sound but nothing abnormal was found. My pain was worsening so they told me to stay a few more days for observation but I was away from home and my parents wanted to take me back. The first night I got back however the pain became the worse yet and by the morning I had to go back to (my hometome) A and E. There again they were unsure as to whether it was gynecological or gastric or viral etc. and after more examinations and IV fluids I had both an internal and external examination. The consultant said that there was fluid in the pouch/sac but that this was normal (more on this later!) and that he thought it could have been and appendicitis but that my immune system had fought it off and the initial antibiotics had helped. I was given a lot more antibiotics and went home. When I went back for an outpatients appointment he said that he now thought it never had been an appendicitis and it was most probably viral, possibly mesenteric lymphadentis, and that it would go away on its own.
A week later, I again feel better in myself, less tired etc. and the pain has lessened, but it is still a constant nagging pain which has now settled in my lower pelvic area, more and more I have been getting pains on the left too, but the right is always there. It sometimes gradually worsens and eases, and sometimes 'shoots' or jabs painfully, but I am never totally pain-free. I have also experienced some rectal tenderness, but my pain doesn't seem connected with bowel habits.
I am increasingly doubting the viral explanation because of the length of time I have been in pain and the position of the pain which suggests to me something more gynecological, and I am concerned that my pain symptoms sound a lot like endometriosis, but can this come on suddenly? I am on the contraceptive pill and had a normal period whilst I have been ill and this didn't worsen the symptoms, and I have not suffered from abnormal periods prior to this. I did take two packs of my pill without having the week break just before I was ill, but I have done this before and have had no problems and all the doctors assured me this is perfectly fine...
I am also concerned as to the fluid in the pouch they mentioned. They said it was most likely to be phisiological and harmless, but I thought women on the contraceptive pill don't have phisiological cysts or fluid or even follicles (which they saw on the scan).
I know I should probably just wait longer and that all the doctors I saw will have made sure there's nothing seriously wrong, but I can't stop worrying; I feel a lot like because they couldn't find anything obviously I was just dismissed with no explanation of why I am ill or when I will get better. I have a really stressful workload and it is nearly impossible to deal with when I'm feeling so low.
I was wondering if anyone had any similar experiences/answers to my questions/advice...
Thanks very much :-)
A week later, I again feel better in myself, less tired etc. and the pain has lessened, but it is still a constant nagging pain which has now settled in my lower pelvic area, more and more I have been getting pains on the left too, but the right is always there. It sometimes gradually worsens and eases, and sometimes 'shoots' or jabs painfully, but I am never totally pain-free. I have also experienced some rectal tenderness, but my pain doesn't seem connected with bowel habits.
I am increasingly doubting the viral explanation because of the length of time I have been in pain and the position of the pain which suggests to me something more gynecological, and I am concerned that my pain symptoms sound a lot like endometriosis, but can this come on suddenly? I am on the contraceptive pill and had a normal period whilst I have been ill and this didn't worsen the symptoms, and I have not suffered from abnormal periods prior to this. I did take two packs of my pill without having the week break just before I was ill, but I have done this before and have had no problems and all the doctors assured me this is perfectly fine...
I am also concerned as to the fluid in the pouch they mentioned. They said it was most likely to be phisiological and harmless, but I thought women on the contraceptive pill don't have phisiological cysts or fluid or even follicles (which they saw on the scan).
I know I should probably just wait longer and that all the doctors I saw will have made sure there's nothing seriously wrong, but I can't stop worrying; I feel a lot like because they couldn't find anything obviously I was just dismissed with no explanation of why I am ill or when I will get better. I have a really stressful workload and it is nearly impossible to deal with when I'm feeling so low.
I was wondering if anyone had any similar experiences/answers to my questions/advice...
Thanks very much :-)