What are the symptoms of endometriosis?
Patches of endometriosis can vary in size from the size of a pinhead to large clumps. Many women with endometriosis have no symptoms. If symptoms develop they can vary, and include those listed below. In general, the bigger the patches of endometriosis, the worse the symptoms. However, this is not always the case. Some women have large patches of endometriosis with no symptoms. Some women have just a few spots of endometriosis, but have bad symptoms.
- Painful periods. The pain typically begins a few days before the period and usually lasts the whole of the period. It is different to normal period pain which is usually not as severe, and doesn't last as long.
- Painful sex. The pain is typically felt deep inside, and may last a few hours after sex.
- Pain in the lower abdomen and pelvic area. Sometimes the pain is constant, but is usually worse on the days just before and during a period.
- Other menstrual symptoms may occur. For example, bleeding in between periods.
- Difficulty becoming pregnant (reduced fertility). This may be due to clumps of endometriosis blocking the passage of the egg from an ovary to the fallopian tube. Sometimes, the reason for reduced fertility is not clear.
- Uncommon symptoms include pain on passing faeces (motions), pain in the lower abdomen when you pass urine, and, very rarely, blood in the urine or faeces. Very rarely, patches of endometriosis occur in other sites of the body. This can cause unusual pains in parts of the body that occur at the same time as period pains.
The symptoms caused by endometriosis can be caused by other conditions. Therefore, if any of the above symptoms becomes persistent then tests are usually advised to find the cause of the symptoms. Endometriosis is usually confirmed by a laparoscopy. This involves making a small cut in the abdominal wall below the umbilicus (tummy button) under anaesthetic. A laparoscope (like a thin telescope) is pushed through the skin to look inside. Patches of endometriosis can be seen by the doctor.
How does endometriosis progress?
If endometriosis is left untreated, it becomes worse in about 4 in 10 cases. It gets better without treatment in about 3 in 10 cases. For the rest it stays about the same. Endometriosis is not a cancerous condition. Complications sometimes occur in women with severe untreated endometriosis. For example, large patches of endometriosis can sometimes cause an obstruction (blockage) of the bowel or of the ureter (the tube from the kidney to the bladder).
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maryann cornes, over 2 years
hi i have endometriosis on my lungs kidneys bladder blower i cough up blood and pass a lot of blood i enjoyed reading your acticle and thought it would help women who need help . i have been told three years ago that they cant do any thing to help me as i have it so bad at the moment i have a lot of pain in my lungs and kidneys and it really hurts when i breath can you tell me if they is any thing out there to help i did take a water sample to my dovtor and it had blood in it he give me some tabblets as i have an infection in my lungs kidneys bladder but i allways pass blood and have been in pain with my breathing for a year and a half if you know any thing that can help please email me thank you
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Julie Thomas, about 1 year
Hi all, I'm hoping someone out there is able to help me discover what it is I am actually suffering from. I'm 42 now and last June I was told by family planning that I am too old to continue taking the pill and they fitted me with a coil. I bled for about a month and then everymonth after that I started to suffer from lower abdomen pain and sickness. The symptons would last for about 2 days and then I'm fine again. Over the course of about 6 months the sickness and pain became worse and every month I felt like I was having contractions ( thats the only way I can describe it). In November I seriously thought I was in labour and that I didn't know I was pregnent, I was continually throwing up and the pain in my back and abdomen was excrutiating. I went back to the clinic the following day and made them remove the coil. This doctor put me back on the pill I was apparently too old for but since then the pain and sickness is continuing. I can't eat or even have a sip of water as anything that goes down causes severe pain and comes back up 10 fold. I have gone from a size 12 to a size 8, not a diet I would recommend, and althoudh most of the month I am okay I have a sort of continuous churning, pain like feeling. I went to A&E a couple of weeks ago as I couldn't take it anymore and they have arranged an ultrasound scan for this Monday but reading this page I am unsure that if i have got endometriosis will this show up on a scan, and the experience I have had with doctors so far is that I have a stomach bug, the coil didn't suit and I may be going through menopause. So If anyone out there has pain and symptons similar to mine I would love to hear from you and hopefully have some constructive information and advice. Many thanks Julie xx
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