I get violently ill just before my period, usually the day before. I vomit and can't hold anything down -- not even Pepto-Bismol, a sip of Coke, or a pill -- for 12 hours of more. I feel feverish with chills, but I don't have a fever. It also affects my bowels, and I feel like I have been poisoned. Is there anything I can do to alleviate this problem? I am in my early 50s and it seems to be getting worse. Will this go away with menopause? When I tell my doctors about it, they don't want to touch the matter and I feel like they don't believe me.

Judy

I'm wondering whether you may have endometriosis. This condition, in which tissue of the type that lines the uterine cavity is found outside the uterus, can cause painful periods. If the endometriosis involves the bowel wall, loose stools around your period may occur as well. Endometriosis can be most definitely and reliably diagnosed by a laparoscopy; this surgical procedure involves making a small incision in your navel and inserting a miniature viewing device in order to see inside.

Other possibilities include perimenopausal hormone imbalance, although your symptoms are not common in such a case. Nongynecologic problems such as irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel diseases (including Crohn's disease) may wax and wane in relationship to the menstrual cycle. You should see a gynecologist. He or she may refer you to an internist or gastroenterologist in order to be completely worked up for this problem.