Bowel endometeriosis questions! - Endometriosis UK

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Bowel endometeriosis questions!

Jojo86 profile image
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Hi, I have been diagnosed with stage four endo with bowel involvement , I'm due for surgery within the next six weeks after a long and differcult road to being diagnosed. I first went to the doctors well over 18months ago due to chronic pain and constipation around the week befor and after my period, I also pass a lot of blood from my bowel during this time, the pain is horrendous and I no longer work. My question is that I went for a colonoscopy last spring and they could not see where the bleeding was coming from, I did not know for certain that I had endo at that time. The MRI scan later showed definite bowel involvement so I can't understand why they didn't see it during the colonoscopy. If anyone has had a similar prob I'd be grateful of some advise !

Thanks

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Jojo86
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NMcG profile image
NMcG

Hi

I would say that during the colonoscopy that is looking at the inside of the bowl only. The endo can have grown around and into the bowl but might not be visible from the inside. It could be that there is a big lump of it outside the bowl and only a few cells of it that has grown into the bowl to cause the bleeding. Kind of like an iceberg effect. Also if they didn't know they were looking for endometrial cells, or they weren't specialist in being able to identify endo in the bowl from a colonoscopy, they may have easily been missed. Also the endometriosis size/shape can change during your cycle so at some points it may be less visible than others.

The specialists always say the only true way to fully diagnose is the laparoscopy.

I wish you good luck with your surgery. And as I said to someone else recently, they use some gas during the surgery and these can get stuck inside you so if you wake up and have pain in your shoulders (which is totally unexpected!) then its the gas accumulating there while. It will eventually work its way out....

Jojo86 profile image
Jojo86 in reply to NMcG

Thanks, that's really helpful info! I can't wait to get it over and done with now and regain a normal life. X

nancynursez637 profile image
nancynursez637

Most endometriosis of the bowel is found on the outer layers of the bowel. It is made up of 4 layers and rarely goes full thickness thru the bowel wall. It can however cause bleeding from the bowel

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