Sorry men, this post may be too much for you. Unless you’re used to being around angry uteruses.

Right now my uterus is angry. Feisty. Rebellious. And just generally pissed off. The result of which is why I am awake at 3:30 am when I’m really tired and just want to sleep. But no. The drama queen is awake and active.

Now, I’m not one to normally complain about my periods. I used to have really bad periods in late high school and early college that took me out of commission for days at a time prior to my diagnosis of endometriosis. However, having skilled excision surgery took care of that pretty well. I have to say I haven’t had a bad period in the last two years at least (as I just recently celebrated my two-year endo-versary!)

But there may have been another reason behind this. While undergoing an infertility workup earlier this year, it was discovered that I had a prolactinoma, a benign brain tumor on my pituitary gland which was secreting the hormone prolactin. To make a long story short, prolactin oversees the release of other female hormones that cause ovulation. Too much prolactin shuts down the release of these hormones, and no ovulation occurs. I don’t know how long it’s been since my body actually last ovulated. All I can say is my husband and I have been trying to get pregnant for three years with no success.

I had brain surgery in September to remove the tumor, after which my body should have started to regulate itself and my hormone levels should return to normal. I don’t think I’m quite there, since my first cycle was 25 days long and my second cycle (now) was 48 days long. But this one is Niagara Falls in comparison to what I’ve been used to for the past several years. And the cramping is on an entirely different plane of existence than what I’m accustomed to. Heat doesn’t work. Pain meds don’t work. It’s like college all over again.

I’m thinking this one might be so bad because it might be the first time I’ve had a period actually following an ovulation in who knows how many years. My first one with normal hormone levels. And…it could be the first time I’ve started to experience the true effects of adenomyosis as well. This period is way heavier and much crampier than usual, and those are both indications that adenomyosis may be involved.

So now I’m waiting to see if the pain meds I just took will work at all so I can get some sleep with my heating pad and several cats. Meanwhile, I’ve always enjoyed this tale…

?ribbonrx