May 8, 2002
Other Illnesses
Question from Mechanicsburg, Ohio, USA:
I am a 39 year old female of moderate weight who has had type 2 diabetes for two years, and every month, a few days before my menstrual cycle, I develop pain on my right side about three inches from my middle. A year ago I was tested for everything, but nothing was diagnosed. During this time, I start to have extreme acid in my stomach, I start to feel weak, and I get low blood sugar which I have to monitor closely. However, once my menstrual cycle starts I’m usually okay for a while. Mid-month also brings on these symptoms to a lesser degree. Is this common? Should I have more tests? Also, I get the pain to a smaller degree when I haven’t eaten in a while.
Answer:
I perceive you are having two types of pain; the first is the pain with menstruation and the second is the stomach pain when you don’t eat. The pain with menses could be from endometriosis, ovulation, torsion, or other gynecologic-type problems. You need the expertise of your GYN physician to determine the cause.
The second type of pain, the stomach pain without food, may be a variant of normal or it may be you have gastritis or an ulcer. You need to check with your physician about these. They cannot be diagnosed over the Internet.
JTL
