Pelvic Inflammatory Disease?

lifelover · November 2014

I've been having some discomfort in my lower abdomen for a couple of weeks. A couple of days ago I awoke to painful pressure and what I thought was a urine or bladder infection. I had some itching and lots of urgency and sometimes felt I couldn't push all the urine out.

Saw my nurse on Monday for antibiotics but she said I didn't have a bladder infection (she took a sample). She said I might have thinning and dry vagina and perhaps would benefit from a lubrication like Replens. She did a pelvic exam and said that I was swollen and sore inside my vagina and had a cut on the outside rim. She took a swab for what she said was to check if there is any other bacteria found.

Two days later and I'm getting worse - cramping in lower belly worsening and now I have some lower back pressure.

I don't have a fever although I have some chills.

I'm on tamoxifen and still having night sweats and hot flushes. I'm 53 years old. No recurrence of BC since chemo and surgery and tamoxifen.

Do any of you lovely ladies have this problem or have had this problem?

I realise it could be pelvic inflammatory disease but I can't imagine that I have an STD because I live with my partner and we have sex infrequently and I know he isn't "fooling around".

Any thoughts would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

RebzAmy · November 2014

Hi Lifelover

Sorry you are experiencing this discomfort and worry. I'm afraid I have no answers or suggestions for you. When do you get your results back from the swab? Hopefully you'll get some answers from that.

lifelover · November 2014

Thanks RebzAmy. I'm hoping by Friday I'll have the results and until then, I'm trying to keep my work schedule up, but still rest when I need to. Waiting is the hard part but we know what that's about so I will try to be patient.

vlnrph · November 2014

Hoping that Lifelover is feeling better by now. Not to be too alarming, but since I just had risk-reducing surgery this week, I have been reading a lot about ovarian cancer. Initial symptoms are usually quite vague and a pelvic exam by itself is not diagnostic.

Don't hesitate to get further evaluation if relief is not on the way. Since your bladder/kidneys were checked, perhaps the next step is a GI consult. Are you eating and moving bowels OK? Let us know how you are doing.

lifelover · November 2014

Thanks vlnrph.

My swab came back normal but pain was increasing in my belly and lower back so I went back to the nurse and she took another urine sample and said I didn't have an infection. At the same time though, she did give me a 7-day course of antibiotics which I've been taking for 2 days now. No relief yet.

I'm worried because I have weight gain in my belly and urgency and I'm constipated (can't seem to empty my bowels all the way). I'm also nauseous which isn't normal for me. I have much worse gas than normal - can't seem to stop passing gas.

Is it normal to be cramping after not having a period for 3 years? And on tamoxifen?

I'm having trouble eating occasionally.

As soon as I finish my script of antibiotics I'll make another appointment but this time with a doctor who can refer me to a specialist - perhaps GI.

vlnrph · November 2014

Hope you can get attention from a GI person soon. A pelvic ultrasound might be another step to try & see what might be going on.

Tamoxifen can cause endometrial proliferation which could result in unusual bleeding - if uterine cancer is beginning, that becomes an easily seen warning sign. Ovarian tumors are much more sneaky so insist on getting everything checked out.

lifelover · November 2014

Thanks vlnrph. I see my GP this week and will ask for an ultrasound.

vlnrph · November 2014

Transvaginal ultrasound is a screening tool for ovarian cancer, along with measurement of blood CA-125 levels. The UK has been conducting a big study collecting data to make these parameters more useful for those of us at genetic risk. None of the methods we currently have to monitor are fully effective so that will be important information. I had a laparoscopy last week to have my "ticking time bombs" removed (which is why I have been on line more while I recover!) Hopefully your treatment options will be less invasive...

lifelover · December 2014

Thanks again vlnrph. How are you feeling after your laparoscopy? I hope you are feeling better.

The antibiotics worked for me and the cramping is gone. Saw my GP yesterday and he doesn't think there is anything to worry about. So, I guess that's it for now - so I'll go back on the tamoxifen, I think. Such decisions. Not easy to make and I get scared so easily.

vlnrph · December 2014

Hooray for antibiotics (better living thru chemistry!) Since you had a "drug holiday" from the tamoxifen for at least a week or two, it will be a good test to resume taking it: if symptoms return, that would raise suspicion of the medication being at least a partial cause.

Just noticed that our biographies are almost simultaneous in terms of history & timing. Your diagnosis & surgeries were about a month prior to mine in 2011. Do you plan to attempt 10 years on anti-estrogen therapy?

My pathology results were benign so that's a relief. Still not allowed back in the pool for the warm water exercise I like to do which means I'm still on line a little more than usual...

lifelover · December 2014

Well vlnrph . . . I still haven't started back on the tamoxifen. I was suffering severe anxiety and developed a breathing tic so at first we upped my dosage of Effexor to 450mg and it got worse so now I am weaning off of it. I'm down to 150mg now and it will take me another couple of months to come off it altogether. Then, I will probably go back on the tamoxifen.

Probably not 10 years on tamoxifen for me - onc says I will start an AI after 5 years. However, last time I was tested my hormone levels still showed that I was not yet in menopause. Weird. So who knows?

I need to do exercise. I am a slug at the moment

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease?

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