# Menstrual pain and IBS taking a toll on my Business



## cleung (Feb 14, 2009)

I am so sick of getting sick! I am an entrepreneur, cannot afford to get sick! These two years has been really bad, my IBS problem was bad last year, and my doctors sent me to different specialists once again to do a bunch of tests since last year March! Doctors visit was very time consuming. Thoughout the whole year, the uologist found that I have bladder infection for a long time, so he put me on six months of antibiotics. That doesn't help so I need to go back some time this year. The gyno still thought I have endometriosis, while she couldn't find anything on my ultra sound, x ray, mri or ct scan, so she said the only way to find out is do to a laparoscopy, which I won't be able to work for two weeks! Still they don't know why I am having so much abdomenal pain. So, I am going for yet another ultra sound, almost a year later. I have always have severe menstrual pain seen i was 11 years old. I would fainted, vomit, back pain, abdomenal pain, blowed, hot sweat cold sweat you name it! The pain only get worst with my IBS. I have been overdosing myself taking 800mg of advil 4 times a day before and during my period, which really doesn't help matter. My stomach hurts and feel even more blowed, and usually comes with another episode of IBS after my period, so now I manage by eating very little during and after my period. Every month, the whole week is pretty much gone. I cannot do any work, even if I tried to concentrate. How can I do anything when I am in pain! I take the advil if I need to see clients, and that is most of the time. If I don't work, I don't get pay, simple as that, not like any full time employee who has sick days. Oh, and please don't tell me to get a full time job







If you are a business owner I am sure you would understand. And i am trying to grow my business, a lot of work for free need to be done, but due to this constant sickness I feel very discourage, I just cannot keep up and get things done! Even if I have a full time job, all these sick days will probably get me fired.Economy is bad, all these sickness is really taking a toll on my income and my business. Any entrepreneurs out there are sick and find a way to manage?


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## Yukie (Feb 13, 2009)

Not really, with IBS my periods are only worst. I'm sorry. But I wish you the best.


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## jessaroni (Feb 20, 2009)

Without a laparoscopy there is not way to get a definitive diagnosis on endometriosis. If there is any way at all for you to take the time off then I would do it. The dr can clean it up while they are in there and it can reduce your symptoms drastically. And normally you will not need 2 weeks off. One of mine I had on a Wednesday and was back to work the following Monday. I would have been fine earlier but I developed an infection and it took a few extra days. I just had another laparoscopy 2 weeks ago and the dr repaired a hernia as well and it took a full week to recover this time. The CT scans, ultrasounds and other tests are a waste of time and money if you have endo.


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## Ashers86 (Dec 31, 2007)

cleung, I am so sorry to hear you're having such a hard time with everything!I'd like to help, but am not sure... I currently work from home for a couple small online businesses, and hope to sometime soon open my own. I wish I could suggest something, but with the economy and all, it is a tough time.Just hang in there!


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## magoo (Dec 4, 1999)

I know how u feel. One thing I want to mention is that advil is not good for someone with stomach problems. May be causing more pain. Try tylenol. Anyways, have u tried to hire someone part-time to help out when u are not feeling good. There are lots of college interns that will work for low pay or even free if they gain experience. Endo is extremely painful and worth getting the lapro. procedure. You'll be back to work in a few days, I was. Anyways, hope everything works out for you.


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## AIRPLANE (Mar 15, 2004)

Cleung,Have you tried any alternative treatments?I pretty much always had pretty heavy periods, which got progressively worse and more painful as I aged. I did have problems with fibroids, and even had one removed once, but the surgery made me feel worse and the fibroids only came back. I also was never convinced that fibroids alone were the sole cause of my long, heavy periods and other widespread abdominal and pelvic discomfort.I have been told by physical therapists that they suspect adhesions. Endometriosis is one cause of adhesions. I'm not sure if endo ever was or still could be an issue in my case, but there are many causes of adhesions and they can create additional discomfort and affect both GI and menstrual issues.I'm now in the beginning of menopause. I am currently taking various supplements to try and 'loosen things up'. One of the products I am taking is Endovan- if this product had been available 20 years ago, I definitely would have tried it. I have been on it for a little over a week and while I won't be able to judge how it would effect the menstrual cycle ( since I gave up my uterus 11 years ago- I did keep my ovaries so still felt some cyclical discomfort) I'm thinking it could help. I have been taking other supplements off and on for a couple of years, some of them have one or two of the same ingredients as the Endovan but obviously this product is specifically for menstrual issues, including pain.It sounds like a fairly safe supplement with no side effects, and they say that it usually produces pretty good results in 12 weeks, which sounds like a reasonable amount of time to determine if it is effective for you and whether it's worth spending any more money for it.I also tried Lupron injections a couple of times, which did nothing and made me hot due to the induced menopause. Also birth control pills. Side effects were not worth it and no help. Many doctors think that if you have endo that these things always help, but that has been shown to not always be the case. They may work for some, but not all.I know that deciding what to do is difficult- there are so many variables, fibroids, endo, etc. Obviously, my decision to have fibroid removal and eventual partial hysterectomy did not help in my case, even though I was led to believe otherwise.


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## LittleOne89 (Aug 7, 2009)

You might have already tried this and everyone's different, so it may not work for you, but I take aleve religiously during my period. My gyno told me to take two aleve pills (I think the regular dose is 1 except the first hour) every 7 hours (normal time period of 8 hours). I used to do this for the whole length of my period, but now I can put up with cramps and IBS symptoms towards the end of my period without any medicine. But it's very important to take the pills BEFORE your cramps start. I track my period so every month around that time, if I start to feel ANYTHING, cramps, or anything like that, start popping those aleves. For example, I have work tomorrow at 9 in the morning. My period just started today, so I'm expecting my period pains to be very bad tomorrow. If I don't want to have to call out, I'm going to wake up around 6:30-7 and take my pills then. Then go back to sleep. By the time I wake up, the pills will have started working and hopefully, I won't have to call out. Then during my break, I'll take a second dosage, and I'll be good until the time I leave Like I said, everyone's different, but I do hope this helps you. Normally, Aleve doesn't help with my IBS stomach aches...nothing really does lol I just have to wait it out. But aleve has been the only pill that actually works during my period. It might work for you too. If not, I hope you find whatever works







Good luck.


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