Twice In A Day

[Warning, this will be a graphic blog post. If you're squeamish or judgemental about posting too much information online, skip this post. I'm writing this for myself as a record and for others in case they experience the same thing, so they know they aren't alone.]

Saturday afternoon, I started having lower back pain. Typical enough as I have several herniated discs and I'm usually in a lot of pain from that lately. Well, a little bit later, the pain began to become stronger and stronger. Before I decided to go lay down, I went to the bathroom and realized my cycle had started.

(As a side note, just about two and a half weeks ago, I had stopped bleeding after four weeks of bleeding, but it wasn't painful like I have been experiencing these last few days. It was just your average cycle, but longer. And yes, I tried to get a doctors appointment during that time, but no one would see me until Oct/Nov unless I paid out of pocket.)

Anyways, I finally was able to go to bed Saturday evening after downing lots of Advil. I woke up still feeling bad on Sunday, but I had a meeting after church I agreed to attend, so I downed more Advil so that I could make my commitment.
Shortly after the meeting at church the pain returned full force. I seriously felt like I was in labor or something. I had to stop several times to breathe through the intense pains while I was running errands. By the time I got home, I was popping Advil like they were m&ms. I finally gave up on studying and tried to down more Advil and sleep.

I set my alarm for 4 am so that I could do some studying since I was sidelined most of the weekend with back and abdominal pain. When my alarm went off Monday morning at 4 am, I woke up soaked in blood and in the worst pain of my life. I took some more Advil, made some coffee, and ate a cup of yogurt hoping to get some studying done.

That was not to be. By 5:30 I had gone through two tampons and was on the phone with the nurse in the ER discussing whether or not I should go to the ER. With her strong urging, we headed out. Once I arrived, they took me back and started an IV for the pain and bloodwork needed. I gave a urine sample as well. The ended up doing two pelvic exams, too. They came back and pretty much said it was probably the PCOS and sent me home with a script for pain meds and orders of two days of bedrest.

Part of me was a little bit annoyed because I didn't think it was connected to the PCOS because I have NEVER experienced the clotting/cramping/bleeding like this EVER. Not even half of this.

But, I filled my script, took my meds, and went home to take a nap. I had an appointment for a clinic outside of town scheduled for Monday afternoon so I kept that. My girlfriend took me and we were back home an hour or two later. I started hurting again as the pain meds wore off. After my friend left, I downed more meds and went for a nap.

By 10 pm, the pain meds weren't touching the pain and the bleeding went from having to change once every 1-1.5 hours, to less than an hour again. And the clots were getting pretty big. I gave myself an hour to see if it would calm down, but fifteen minutes later, I was crying and begging someone to put me out of my misery, so I told NYEBoy it was time to go back to the ER.

I had remembered the ER mention me getting an ultrasound earlier that morning but they never did it and I thought by going back they would do that to see what was going on and perhaps give me something that could control the pain.

I was wrong. Shortly after I went back, some PA walked in and discussed everything with me and then sent in some woman doctor who basically didn't believe me. She told me they wouldn't do an ultrasound, I just needed to be put on birth control. WTF? Shortly after that, they doped me up again, did another pelvic exam, and by 1 am, I was leaving doped up from hell with a prescription for pain meds and birth control. Still in pain and bleeding heavy, I threw up as soon as we got home.

I slept pretty much the whole day only waking up to change and take more meds. As of this evening, the pain has gone down from where it was, but it's still pretty intense. The bleeding has slowed down to where I can go once every 1.5-2 hours to change, but the clots are still pretty big. I'm taking my lowest dose of pain meds so that I can try to get some housework and studying done.

Tomorrow morning I am going to call for an appointment with the doctor on Thursday at the health clinic in the other town. I would have gone today or tomorrow, but she was booked today and doesn't work Wednesdays. I am really nervous about tomorrow because moving around too much hurts really bad, but my note was only for two days and I have a quiz I can't make up. I'll likely take Thursday off since I only have one class and hope to get the appointment with the doctor.

I don't know what is going on with my body, but I have never experienced this much pain/bleeding/clotting in my life. I've never missed my doctors back home more than I have right now either. They totally wouldn't just brush a patient off with a blanketed response. Hopefully the doctor on Thursday can help me. Her front desk staff was very nice, so I have hope!

Has anyone else experienced something like this before?