I am so glad I found this site, I did not put all of this together for myself until finding this site....I am still undiagnosed with colitis. 4 years ago I went in for surgery to remove a ruptured ovarian cyst and the dr discovered my intestines were "glued" to my ovaries and uterus (they also had to reconstruct a new ovary--which produces eggs quite well now). I was told I had endometriosis. I had no abnormal pain before it and after this surgery is when the intense abdominal pain during menstruation began and blood and mucus came from places they never did before. At this time I also started taking clomid to kick up ovulation 3x unsuccessfully and then began 3 years of unsuccessful In Vitro procedures (we are now hoping to adopt 
) My pain during each period became worse. I went to the dr insisting on a colonoscopy during my period and he looked at me like I was nuts. The pain became so intense I ended up going to the emergency room and demanding it be done. They finally took me seriously. I was so sure that the dr must have knicked my intestines during the ovarian surgery and that endo must have gotten into my intestines. They did the colonoscopy and it came back INCONCLUSIVE! AHHHHH!!!!!
I continued with InVitro and each month the colitis pain (or endo pain as I thought)during my period became so intense I would have to get up for work 2 hours early to try to relieve the pain and would continue to be in the restroom 15 times a day at work (very difficult as a elem. teacher). The pain became so bad it wasn't unusual for twisting abdominal cramps, uncontrollable vomiting, horrible back pain, and freezy icing chills to occur during my colitis bouts. Sometimes you feel like your intestines are dry-heaving. You know your hubby really loves you when he holds your hand through that. I really felt like I was going to die and drs weren't giving me any answers. Darvocet and otc gas meds just weren't doing the trick, and I don't like taking pain pills. I really thought I had endo. I read several books, I had many, many of the symptoms.
My PCP, gyne and reproductive endocrinologist all looked at me cross eyed when I explained my symptoms were only during my period....These were Chicagoland dr's and my repro guy was even on Oprah(so I was told)...I mean if these professionals couldn't figure it out! It just shows your really have to take charge and research your own health issues. Maybe I didn't scream loud enough about what I was going through.
One night I woke up screaming and twisting in pain only to discover multiple large cysts had ruptured again. I was back and forth to the dr and in bed for a week with fever, sweats and pain. After healing I continued with unsuccessful InVitro and the repro dr wanted to do a "clean up" surgery to remove any endo because they could find no other reasons the InVitro wasnt working. The kicker? He found no active endo in my body. Did I ever really have it? was it colitis all along? Obviously I know I have polycystic ovarian syndrome, there is no disputing that, but what was causing the pain? My friend with Crohn's said I had similar experiences to hers, but hers wasn't menstrual only.
I began seeking alternative treatments. I started taking Evening Primrose Oil (helped a bit with pain) and going to accupuncture twice a week. I consider myself a huge skeptic, but I will say that accupuncture changed my life. I went 2x a week for 6 months and it was the best thing I have ever done for myself. My menstrual colitis pain went from a 10 to a 3 or 4 on a bad day. My accu girl giggled when I said I finally felt like I had normal girl cramps again. I did my final InVitro round during this time and I still feel the benefits from the accupuncture.
I am sure it helps that I have been off of the fertility drugs for a year now and I still have not been diagnosed with colitis by a dr, only myself. But the accupuncture did help with the colitis symptoms during my InVitro process. Has anyone else had onset colitis with fertility drugs?