I have a very important public service announcement; this is something I personally want to pause to highlight. Pain is not a symptom of PCOS. If you have chronic or acute pelvic pain, and you have PCOS, there’s quite likely some other condition/disease/syndrome at play.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex hormonal disorder affecting millions of women worldwide. It is characterized by a range of symptoms such as irregular periods, weight gain, and fertility issues. However, one common misconception that needs to be debunked is the notion that pain is a symptom of PCOS.
Extensive medical research and clinical studies have failed to establish a direct link between PCOS and pain. Numerous scientific publications, including the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, have shown that pain is not a consistent symptom of PCOS (1). It is crucial to rely on scientific evidence to separate fact from fiction.
I had pain, and in my mind, I thought, this must be all a part of my PCOS experience. With every rush to the emergency room, or discussion with a doctor I would hear “your pain is not related to PCOS.” Truthfully, I never received a definitive diagnosis for my pelvic and abdominal pain, but I am grateful to have had doctors who believed me.
In this blog post I’ll walk you through some factors that MAY be causing your pelvic pain, that has nothing to do with PCOS.
So, are ready for story time? References included for your benefit.
Story #1
Well, this is not a story, but its a fact, and maybe a good precursor to the next 2 discourses. I started experiencing pelvic and abdominal pain and after I went on the birth control pill. In fact, some women experience gut discomfort on some birth control. I wish someone told me this all those years I stayed on BC with clear, glowing skin on the outside, but deteriorating gut health on the inside.
Story #2
My pain was so severe I would be rushed to the Emergency room and put on a morphine drip to relieve me of my pain. I was an A&E regular up at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). Every 4 or 5 months, I was there. Sometimes, I’d get admitted. On a few occasions based on ultrasounds, the pain had been linked to: a ruptured cyst (there was evidence of free fluid on the abdomen which to them was a tell tale sign I probably had a ruptured cyst). They also suspected intermittent ovarian torsion (3).
It’s crucial to consider other factors that may contribute to pain in individuals with PCOS. For instance, conditions like endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), or unrelated ovarian cysts may coexist with PCOS and cause pain (4). It’s essential to consult with a healthcare professional for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
Story #3
One of the times the pain happened, I went to my gynae, hopped on his table and asked him for an ultrasound stat. He knew of my trips to UHWI, and gladly obliged, wanting to understand what was happening. His face was puzzled. “Chantelle. There’s nothing there (referring to my ovaries).” He turned the screen to me. He explained my ovaries looked the same as they did a week ago (I was actively doing fertility treatments with him, so he had it all documented). Still polycystic, no changes in volume. Nothing noteworthy in my pelvis otherwise. He passed me a bucket and I vomited up more green bile and pus. He examined it, then moved the scope to my abdomen. “Chantelle, I’m sending you to a gastroenterologist.” He explained that my stomach was in an aggressive spasm. He explained that the movement should be smooth and rhythmic but mine was pulsing aggressively as if trying to expel something.
So, I finally saw the gastroenterologist and after an endoscopy confirmed that my stomach was raw and sore as if I swallowed razors (signs of inflammation)! But what caused that? He had no clue, but told me to avoid greasy foods and sent me off with antacids and NSAIDs. Still no answer into how my abdominal issues translated into what felt like pelvic pain. And the antacids and NSAIDs didn’t work!
Story #4
When I finally reversed my PCOS and got my periods back, in times of intense emotional stress, I would experience severe pelvic pain when I bled. Upon investigation I was suspected to have endometriosis (sighs, I know,I could write a whole book about my health journey).
Your pain could be related to Endometriosis. Regrettably, it’s possible to have both endometriosis and PCOS (gasps). I see it often in my practice, after successfully helping PCOS clients get back their periods, but with a few tweaks, we are usually able to manage the pain while restoring normal ovulatory cycles for these women!
I have a few Instagram posts about this, but nothing on the blog as yet about endometriosis. You may however find this blog post on Adenomyosis (which is a cousin to Endometriosis) helpful to understand the mechanisms of both diseases.
Finally, many women with PCOS experience menstrual cramps, leading to the misconception that pain is a symptom of the condition. However, menstrual cramps are a common occurrence in women without PCOS as well. They are caused by the natural contraction of the uterus during menstruation (3). Thus, menstrual cramps cannot be solely attributed to PCOS.
CONCLUSION
I’ve reversed ALL my pain – every single horror story above with a nouriched lifestyle. The first step is understanding WHY you’re experiencing pain, then implementing the right “eat, move, rest” strategies to combat them.
If any of these stories sound like you, and you’d like help “unstruggling” your pain then click HERE to book a FREE consult to talk about it.
Always in your Service,
Chantelle.
REFERENCES
- Fauser, B. C., & Tarlatzis, B. C. (2012). Revised 2003 consensus on diagnostic criteria and long-term health risks related to polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertility and Sterility, 81(1), 19-25.
- Rotterdam ESHRE/ASRM-Sponsored PCOS Consensus Workshop Group. (2004). Revised 2003 consensus on diagnostic criteria and long-term health risks related to polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertility and Sterility, 81(1), 19-25.
- Marjoribanks, J., Proctor, M. L., Farquhar, C., & Derks, R. S. (2010). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for dysmenorrhoea. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2010(1), CD001751.
- Goodarzi, M. O., & Dumesic, D. A. (2014). Polycystic ovary syndrome: etiology, pathogenesis, and diagnosis. Nature Reviews. Endocrinology, 7(4), 219-231.
Nouriched: Eat, Move and Rest Your way to Wellness 