I’m not soliciting medical advice here–I guess I’d like to know whether I’m making assumptions based on being not-a-doctor and on doing a little online reading (a potentially dangerous combination, I know).
Here’s the background, hopefully briefly: I had a Paragard IUD installed a couple of years ago. I’ve never had kids, which I know can make it more difficult/painful, but my doctor didn’t balk at doing it. It was extremely painful and I felt nauseous and dizzy for about 24 hours after.
I had horrible cramps on and off for about the first three months, sometimes so painful that I would end up doubled over or curling up on the floor. The heating pad became my best friend. After the first few months, that was usually limited to two weeks out of every month (ovulation and during my period). I never had cramps before, so I assumed I just needed to adjust and that I’d get used to it.
After about six months, the cramps changed. They were still there, but there was a core of sharp pain, always in the same place (low on the right side, close to my pelvic bone). Heat didn’t help, swilling ibuprophen didn’t do much.
When that pain started to stick around even when the cramping wasn’t there, I decided it was time to do something, and had it removed. I had a sharp pain in that spot when she yanked it out, but nothing too dramatic.
It’s been about a year since I had it removed, and I still sometimes have pain in that spot. Sometimes it’s sharp, sometimes it’s dull (radiating into my leg and back), and sometimes it’s more of a tugging feeling. That’s the only symptom I have.
I’ve read about perforation, PID, ovarian cysts all associated with IUDs, and have wondered if any of those could be what’s going on. But I would think that in any of those cases, they’d be progressive and the pain wouldn’t be intermittent.
So I’m wondering if it’s all in my head, or related to other issues. I have an SI joint that gives me trouble, and I know that pain can wrap around to the front of the pelvis too. I’ve been severely stressed over the last year (financial issues), and I know that can do weird things to your body.
After this long ramble (sorry), what I’d like to know is, if I came to you and told you about this in your office, would your first thought be that it’s psychosomatic? (Not “officially” as I know you need to check out anything a patient reports, but what would you be thinking?) What would be the best way to bring it up to my doctor in the 15 minutes or so I get with her when I’m in her office?
I’ve never had anything other than minor health issues (flu, tonsillitis, etc) before, so I really don’t know how to approach one of these vague things that, from what I’ve read, is usually diagnosed by process of elimination. I’d rather not end up being one of those stories about seeing 20 doctors over the course of 5 years before being diagnosed and treated.
Thanks everyone!