Living with Adeno

After the UltraSound (US) in March 2021,
I started the higher dose of birth control
for Adenomyosis. But, unfortunately, I didn't feel like it was changing my symptoms. I was still feeling bloated, irritable, shooting pains in my lower abdomen and spotting. 

In May 2021, I turned 33. It was supposed to be a fun month! But Felicia decided to go rogue. 

It started with me waking up in the middle of the night with cramping, not normal cramping—the type of cramping that takes your breath away. Then I started having severe cramping after orgasms, so painful I was hunched over for up to 15 minutes to an hour after. 

Felicia went to another level of pain-where the labor contractions started. I would have such severe camping attacks. My body would immediately bend over in pain. My breath would be taken away, lips quivering, falling to my knees in agonizing pain. That would travel from my knees up to a little above my belly button. This would happen a few times a day. And the days after the attacks, I would be so sore and completely terrified the contractions would come back. 

At the beginning of June 2021, I was so distraught about what to do. 
I was also fighting my insurance because they denied the prior auth to get the higher dose of birth control (eye roll). Emotions were high! 

So I went to my doctor. He was concerned and wanted to help, but the options were very limited. I didn't want to be on narcotics and I didn't want to be on high doses of synthetic hormones. So the next step was to get a pelvic MRI to get a clear picture of what was happening with my dear friend, Felicia.

My doctor got me in for the MRI a week later. Surprisingly the worst part of the MRI wasn't the enema or the MRI machine. No, the worst part was putting contrast both vaginal and anally, then sitting still for an hour and a half! (I now know how a stuffed turkey feels on Thanksgiving!) So here's the REAL TMI to the story: I had a bad reaction to the anal contrast and had severe intestinal distress the rest of the day and contemplated going to the ER if it didn't get better by the following day.  

A few days later, I saw my doctor for results, and he also got my birth control approved by my insurance. My doc confirmed all the pain and symptoms I was having were due to the Adenomyosis and that Felica was enlarged and tilted.

The next step was for me to think about my future and to come back to see him in a month or two. 

TO BE CONTINUED...

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📷 by istockphoto.com

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