Severe Pelvic Pain TMI Any thoughts?

[MommyofAmaya]

I got an Paragard IUD a year ago. I immediately starting having very heavy bleeding during my period which I know is a normal side effect of the IUD. 6 months later I began to suffer from terrible cramping for 2-3 days, which I also attributed to the IUD. Soon after that I was experiencing childbirth like pain only during my period when passing a BM and eventually when my bowels or bladder were full. I also suffered from a sharp stabbing pain internally throughout the lower pelvic area. I see a midwife practice and they recommended a vaginal ultrasound to check for endometriosis. My mother was diagnosed with endo at 35 and had a full hysterectomy. I am 35. The ultrasound was normal. This month, the pain did not stop and I have been experiencing pain when not menstruating, so I have made an appt with a gastroenterologist. Google has not been particularly helpful with this, as I have come up with a plethora of possibilities. I am expecting my gastro to push this back on the gyno, so I am trying to have a plan of action before I go in there. Any ideas/similar experiences/recommendations?

ETA: I had a colonoscopy (on recommendation from my EYE doctor(!) shortly after getting the Paragard, and it was also normal).
ETA2: Pain mid-cycle started after completely weaning DS.

[Aishe]

Sorry you're going through this. I haven't BTDT, but I have a friend who had endometriosis and it took a laparoscopy to get the diagnosis. Ultrasound didn't detect it. And her case was quite severe (she ended up with a hysterectomy), with symptoms pretty similar to yours, IIRC. So I would think endometriosis is still a possibility. I would try to find a gyno who specializes in it.

[MommyofAmaya]

Thanks for your response, which is in line with my gut feeling. I found an endometriosis specialist, but he will only see patients after being diagnosed.. so I have to find a GYN in the meantime.

[Indianamom2]

My first thought was endometriosis as well and like another poster, sometimes laparoscopic surgery is the only way to diagnose it. Your symptoms are definitely in line with what I have heard others describe who have been diagnosed with endo, FWIW.

I hope you find some relief and an accurate diagnosis....oh, have you been checked for uterine fibroids? That might also be a possibility, although I would have thought they would show up on the ultrasound.

[MommyofAmaya]

My first thought was endometriosis as well and like another poster, sometimes laparoscopic surgery is the only way to diagnose it. Your symptoms are definitely in line with what I have heard others describe who have been diagnosed with endo, FWIW.

I hope you find some relief and an accurate diagnosis....oh, have you been checked for uterine fibroids? That might also be a possibility, although I would have thought they would show up on the ultrasound.

Have not been checked for fibroids, though the vaginal ultrasound was all clear. They might need an abdominal ultrasound for that? I'll be pushing for the laparoscopy when I get a recommendation for a gynecologist.

[WolfpackMom]

Did they do an ultrasound on your ovaries as well? This all sounds like what I have and I have PCOS. The pain midcyle for me is from ovulating and/or from cysts bursting.

[MommyofAmaya]

Did they do an ultrasound on your ovaries as well? This all sounds like what I have and I have PCOS. The pain midcyle for me is from ovulating and/or from cysts bursting.

Thanks for your response. Ovaries were clear in the u/s.