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Endometriosis

Endometriosis

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Average rating: 4 out of 5 star rating

goodtoknow says: Endometriosis affects around 2 million women in the UK and causes very painful periods, back pain, tiredness, painful sex and difficulty conceiving. But it's not life threatening and with the right treatment many of these symptoms can be controlled or eliminated. Endometriosis happens when cells like the ones found in the lining of the womb grow on organs outside your womb. It's diagnosed by a simple hospital procedure called a laparoscopy. Nobody knows what causes endometriosis but painkillers, hormone medicine and complimentary therapies like acupuncture can really help.

For a full medical explanation of the causes, symptoms and treatments of endometriosis from patient.co.uk, read on.

Endometriosis can cause painful periods, persistent pain in the pelvic area, infertility, and other symptoms. The symptoms can range from mild to severe. Treatment options include painkillers, hormone treatments, and surgery.

Average rating:

4 out of 5 star rating

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KELLY, 8 months

HI IM KELLY N 24 YRS OLD SINCE ROUGHLY ABOUT A YEAR N HALF AGO I CAME OFF THE DEPO INJECTION WHICH I AD BEEN ON SINCE THE BIRTH OF MY LIL GIRL 7 YRS AGO, I HAVE BEEN GETTING REALLY BAD PAINS WHICE IS REALLY HARD TO EXPLAIN OTHER THAN WORSE THEN LABOUR PAINS!!! IN MY LOWER STOMACHE AREA AND IT FELT LIKE IT WAS IN MY BACK ASWELL. MY BOSS HAD BEEN KEEPING RECORD OF EVERY TIME I AD OFF WORK SINCE DEC 08 DUE TO THE PAIN AND SHE NOTICED IT WAS THE SAME TIME EVERY MONTH WHICH WAS STRANGE AS I DIDNT NOTICE TILL NOW.AND I WAS GOING BACK TO THE DOCS EVRY MONTH IN SO MUCH PAIN AND THEY KEPT SAYING IT WAS EITHER INFECTION ON MY OVERIES THEN ANOTHER DOC SAID IT WAS MY IBS PLAYING UP THEN A ANOTHER DOC BLANTENTLY SAID HE DIDNT NO THEN ON MY 4TH TRIP BCK TO DOCS I SAW A WOMAN DOC AND SHE GOT ME AN APP. TO HAVE A SCAN DONE AS SHE THOUGHT I MIGHT AVE A CYST ON MY OVERIES BUT NO NOTHING THERE. THEN 1 DAY LAST MONTH (MAY) I WOKE UP AS I HEARD MY LIL GIRL GOING DWN STAIRS N I FELT A REALLY BAD SHARP PAIN IN MY PELVIC AREA AND AT THE SAME TIME IT FELT LIKE I WANTED TO GO TOILET #2 BUT EVERY STEP I TOOK THE PAIN WAS GETTIN WORSE N WORSE MY WHOLE BODY JST STARTED SWAYING REALLY BAD THEN I JST GUSHED OUT WIT SWEAT EVERY WHERE MY WHOLE BODY FELT LIKE IT WAS ON FIRE THEN I HEARD THIS REALLY LOUD RING N BUZZIN IN MY EARS THEN MY EYE SIGHT WENY WELL BLURED N NXT MIN I NEW I AD COLLAPSED IN FRONT OF MY LIL GIRL SHE CALLED FOR AN AMBULANCE WHICH RUSHED ME STRAIGHT IN AND THATS WEN THEY DIAGNOSED ME AFTER LOTS N LOTS OF DIFFERENT TESTS WITH endometriosis. THEY WANT ME TO HAVE THE COIL FITTED AT THE END OF THIS MONTH OR EITHER GET PREGNANT WHICH I OPTED FOR THE COIL AS ME N MY PARTNER DNT WANT ANY MORE KIDS RIGHT NOW.

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kelly, 9 months

i am 21 and gave birth 9 months ago, ever since every 2 weeks before my period i get excrutiating pain worse than childbirth which was put down to urine infections even though there was no sign of infection in my urine, now i have been told i may have endometreosis. I have never had any symptoms before childbirth i just wondered if anyone else has had this happen before its just that i would obviously rather it wasnt and doctors seem to be absoloutly no use

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karen, about 1 year

i have just had a laparoscopy and told that i have endo, i have no painful or heavy periods, no pain during sex and no other symptoms of the condition except having trouble conceiving, i have polysistic ovarian syndrome which i was diagnosed with back in 1990 so have always put the trouble down to that again tho i have none of the symptoms except the irregular monthly cycle. i go to see a specialist in December to discuss treatments however have been told that nothing clears endo completely so really i dont see much point

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Brittany, about 1 year

I started having severe abdominal pain in my junior year of highschool during my period. For the whole next year every period was excrutiating. Alot of the times i could not go to school. Ive read that it can be painful during intercourse, but ive noticed that it doesnt during the physical intercourse, but if i have sex close to my period that period will be 10x worse than it normally is. Recently ive been having problems with dizzyness, walking, standing, puking, and i get really flushed. It seems to me that these syptoms are only present the first day or two of my period, where very large clots are passing through. Ive been to millions of doctors who all tell me its just a bad period and try to give me birth control. I tried birth control once and i bled for 2 months with clots larger than when im menstrating. Im not sure if i should try to get a laproscopy or not?

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KERRI, about 1 year

I was diagnosed FINALLY in 2003, after a laparotomy (open pelvic surgery) to remove a 9cm cyst. since then I've had a further open plevic surgery and also 2 laparoscopy, I have been on various medications all with horrible side affects, I am infertile through this nasty disease and failed IVF recently. It may not be life threatening but it has caused so much pain and anger in my life, I am just about holding my job down by the skin of my teeth as work cannot cope with the absence's thru my illness. Anyone reading this thinks they may have endo I pity you, but you must get a diagnosis so you can be treated sooner, rather than later.

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Caroline, about 1 year

Im recovering from a lapscopy at the min third one in 4 years, got diagnosed with endometreosis 3 years ago when i was fitted with the mirena coil havent had a period in 3 years yet the endometreosis keeps growin back, althou lucky for me my ovaries and fallopian tubes have always been clear from it, im only 27 and have no kids yet and no doctor can say when it comes to concieving whether i will be able to but i need to keep my chin up, but for anyone out there who thinks there suffering from endometreosis and are being told its just painful periods and givin the pill fight your side it took me 8 years before i got my 1st laposcopy and even thou its a hard operation to recover from at least i know now whats wrong with me

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Melissa, about 1 year

I was diagnosed with endo back in fall of 2007. I had a lapo surgery in October. I have been on 2 different bc pills since then. I am still suffering and I don't know what to do anymore. I am tired of all the medication. And my symptoms seem to be happening more frequently, even when I am not on my period. I am sorry I don't know what to suggest for you but don't give up, something has to help in the end.

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kirsty, about 1 year

Hi...I was diagnosed at 16 with endometriosis and 2 wombs (1 of which was removed in a hemi hysterectomy back at the time). I am now 33 and suffered with unbearable pains from about the age of 13 to about the age of 26....I was prescribed every pain relief on the market, along with injections to induce the menopause...all of which were unsuccessful. You may have already tried it but the only thing that seemed to work for me, was something called Mefanemic Acid which I believe isnt a painkiller but a relaxant. If you havent already...give it a go!

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Amy, over 2 years

Hi Annie, i am 21 and have suffered with endometriosis for 5 years now!! i know people say its not life threatening which is true but try telling that to someone suffering from it!! It's agony! I have tried all sorts to stop the pain, pills surgery and also a mirena coil. your daughters symptoms sound a lot like endo, however, the doctor can normally see the endometriosis during the laparoscopy and you shouldnt' have to wait for any results. If this is what she has i recommend the coil, although i still get pain occasionally, it is a lot more controlled and less frequent with the coil in. it lasts for up to 5 years, acts as a contraceptive and often stops all periods. Good luck!

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Annie, over 2 years

My daughter (24) has always hugged a hotwater bottle and had frequent, heavy periods. Just came out of hospital after laparoscopy after acute abdo pain. Appendix healthy, blood found in pelvis ? burst ovarian cyst. Looks to me like endometriosis. Waiting for analysis of pelvic blood but would value your comments.

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