|
Post by anneny on Mar 10, 2009 12:30:45 GMT -5
Don't think there's a thread for this yet. "Ovulating Alreadyyyyy..." has become the thread for the return of fertility signs, but it doesn't seem to fit for questions about returning endo symptoms. So here's my question: For all you other moms with endo, when did you start experiencing your endo symptoms again? How long was it after your baby was born before your endo was "full strength", i.e. what it was like before you conceived? How closely was it correlated to the return of your fertility? What about related health problems? How did you handle it? I'm kind of on the tail end of the ER baby-boom. My little guy will be eight months old on Saturday I'm still in lactational amenorrhea, but lately I've started to have that familiar run-down feeling. It's probably partly due to sleep debt, but the aching muscles, migraine aura, etc., seem more indicative of my fibro symptoms coming back. I don't have any endo pain so far...well...that's not quite true. My chart indicates that I almost ovulated about a month ago (no period yet, and not preggers--I checked). Right around that time I had some severe pain in my lower abdomen, which was correlated with pretty bad constipation. (SORRY! TMI!) I can't really tell if the pain was from the endo; it wasn't the same type of pain I had before, but who knows how much having a baby changed everything. Anyway, I haven't had any other endo symptoms except for the ones that are also fibromyalgia symptoms: tingling in my fingertips and toes, aching muscles, fatigue, nagging migraine aura (no headache yet! ), and difficulty falling asleep. My plan for now is to start doing my physical therapy exercises again, go to bed earlier and be more conscientious about eating fruits and veggies and taking my pre-natal vitamins. If that doesn't work, I'll go back on the gluten-free diet, but I really, really, hope it doesn't come to that. Luckily, we're trying for 2-3 year spacing, so I might only have to deal with it until November. That's not so bad, really.
|
|
|
Post by anneny on Apr 5, 2009 19:06:30 GMT -5
Okay, I'm not sure if this was endo pain or ovulation pain or both or neither, but today I had a stabbing pain in my left side--the same spot that used to flare up month after month before I was pregnant. It knocked me out for about and hour, but has been better since then.
I can't decide if I'd rather stay in amenorrhea with these bizarre charts and fertility signs or just go ahead and start having cycles again so I can get into a routine. It's not up to me, anyway, but the waiting and wondering is getting pretty annoying.
Well, here's hoping the pain will be less severe if/when the endo comes back! It's truly been a blessing to have been pain-free almost a year and a half!
|
|
|
Post by omaklackey on Jun 25, 2009 20:54:50 GMT -5
I felt awesome while I was preganant and if the deliveries wouldn't have been so friken bad (one 25, one 36 ending in c-section, and one 12 with a blue baby in NICU at end) I would have had about 20 kids since It was the first time in my life I felt good. My daughter was three when I started getting the horrid pain back, the bad periods, the constipation and then diarhea, mid cycle pain etc. Its taken three years to get to the endo diagnoses. I was pretty much pregnant for three years straight though and I think because of that it took three years to get back to 'normal'. To bad normal is painful!!
|
|
|
Post by ouchy on Jun 25, 2009 20:58:17 GMT -5
I guess it took me about 10 months of having my period back (got it at 8-mos pp, despite nursing round-the-clock) to get bad pain. So, I guess at 18-months pp it started to get really bad--that was a couple months ago. I'm 20 months pp as of 2 days ago.
|
|
Jenn
Junior Member
Posts: 71
|
Post by Jenn on Jun 30, 2009 23:58:46 GMT -5
After my son I had pain back after about 3 months or so and it just continued to get worse. My daughter is going to be 4 months old and I have already been having pain for about 2 months. Mine seems to be coming back faster and worse each time.
|
|
|
Post by ouchy on Jul 1, 2009 0:36:13 GMT -5
^Are you nursing?
|
|
Jenn
Junior Member
Posts: 71
|
Post by Jenn on Jul 6, 2009 18:17:00 GMT -5
No I'm not. I wanted to with both my children, but I have an inverted nipple and it just wasn't working.
|
|
|
Post by ouchy on Jul 6, 2009 19:31:05 GMT -5
Did the nurses not tell you about a nipple shield?
|
|
|
Post by omaklackey on Jul 6, 2009 21:17:53 GMT -5
Nipple shields don't always work. I have an inverted nipple and my midwife was telling me that I just needed the nipple shield and it would fix itself. It never did. I was able to nurse the one side really well but the other hurt like all hell evertime I fed a kid, so I totally understand why it didn't work. If it makes you feel any better nursing wouldn't have delayed the pain necessarily either. My periods came back very quickly and I nursed all 3 kids with child led weaning, through the night as well. The midwife said that nursing only works for a small percentage of people to delay ovulation etc... I could have had kids ten months apart. (Had one 14 months apart) I would wonder if the endo has just worsened? It is after all a very persistant disease. I did feel better when I was pregnant but I was pretty much prego for 3 years straight!! (don't recommend that - hard on the body)
|
|
|
Post by ouchy on Jul 6, 2009 22:09:10 GMT -5
^Did you co-sleep? A study of hundreds of women who co-slept and nursed on demand around the clock, the average to get period (and obviously, ovulation) return was 14 months. That means some went sooner, but some also went longer than 14 months. I highly recommend reading "Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing" as was recommended to me by member "anneny."
Omaklacky, when did you introduce solids? That is often a cause of early ovulation.
|
|
|
Post by ouchy on Jul 6, 2009 22:11:55 GMT -5
Also, it is only a very few severely inverted nipples (ones that actually require surgery) that prevent breastfeeding.
People with nipple problems (including flat nipples, like I have) should consult a IBCLC lactation consultant. They know a lot more than midwives, regular nurses, and OBGYN's.
|
|
|
Post by ouchy on Jul 6, 2009 22:47:39 GMT -5
I had to return to this thread. In case someone finds herself with flat or inverted nipples, PLEASE consult an IBCLC lactation consultant BEFORE or DURING pregnancy to discuss remedies, including breast shells, etc. Very few women, especially those with proper care lactation consultant care, are unable to nurse, despite common myths. I've also read that the corrective nipple inversion surgery is very easy. Basically, if you want to nurse bad enough, you can! Just seek the proper help and don't listen to myths. Go on solid science backed with proper studies. Also, unless you co-sleep, including co-sleeping during naptime, you run the risk of getting your period back early. Co-sleeping babies nurse more frequently since they are in closer contact. Getting your period back sooner than wanted can also happen when you introduce solids--including water! Weaning begins with giving ANYTHING other than breastmilk. PERIOD. If you wean in any way and don't practice ecological breastfeeding, you risk getting your period before you'd like it back. Plain and simple. There was a great quote from that book "Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing" something about breastfeeding is much like swimming. Those who can't either don't have arms or haven't been properly taught." Something like that. I do, however, agree with anneny that you can feel the symptoms returning whilst still in lactational amenorrhea. Anne, you'll also likely note a MARKED increase of cervical fluid before you ovulate or when you get close to getting your fertility back. I never noticed my cervical fluid before...but this was profound. I guess after being in a lactational amenorrhea type meonopause for so long, any fluid is profound! You'll see! Best of luck to you, and I hope it stays away for you and that your symptoms go away!
|
|
Jenn
Junior Member
Posts: 71
|
Post by Jenn on Jul 7, 2009 22:37:05 GMT -5
The nipple shield didn't work out for me. I felt so guilty that I couldn't nurse, but now I have two very healthy children that were both formula fed so it ended up working out ok for me.
Has anyone one ever heard of an inverted nipple being associated with breast cancer?
|
|
|
Post by ouchy on Jul 7, 2009 23:33:47 GMT -5
^Don't feel guilty about it. It is sad that most women don't get referred to board certified lactation consultants when it counts. If you want to nurse a future child, just be sure to get in touch with one before delivery.
I haven't read about inverted nipple being associated with breast cancer. From what I've read, there is tissue trapping or holding the nipple down inside. They just cut that and the nipple pops out.
|
|
|
Post by itsmebaby on Apr 26, 2010 7:41:46 GMT -5
Hi there, My endo is back 3 months post-partum (also having the terrible bloating and IBS symptoms pre-ovulation and during menstruation). The pain and swelling are much worse than before the baby. In fact, I am adding back pain and shortness of breath to the list (I think as a result of the swelling).
I had a cesarean. Not sure if that means I have even more endo tissue in the abdominal cavity now? But I am wondering if I would have been better off with a vaginal delivery. My pre-pregnancy pants don't fit anymore around the middle - it seems like I have a lot of swelling there still.
The thing is... I felt great during pregnancy. My endo symptoms went away very quickly - within a few weeks of conception. I barely gained any weight and never had to buy maternity pants. It feels like I need maternity pants NOW!
I posted in the drug treatment forum about the possibility of taking half of a progestin-only pill (due to the side effects I've had on BD and mini pill - bad headaches and irritability, and leg pain).
I could really use someone to talk to - my Mom thinks it is all in my head, my sister doesn't really think I have a problem either.
|
|