In August 2012 I was in hospital with E-Coli, while in there I was given a d-dimer test (apologies for spelling) that shown positive for a blood clot, had a MRI with dye in my system it was located in my lung, I began injections to break it down the day later, I had another test, the blood clot could not be found. The medication was discontinued.
I was diagnosed with endometreosis in September 2012 after 6 months of excruciating pain, my GP put this pain down to a prolonged water infection therefore 'fed' me anti-biotics for 6 months, I took them at first in a hope that it did help with the pain after 4 months I took the prescriptions but never took them to the chemist. The main reason that I discontinued taking them was because I watched an episode of Embarrassing Bodies, a middle aged women had the exact symptoms I was enduring. I mentioned Endometreosis to my G.P in which I was told it wasn't as I was young & healthy (aged 21 at the time) I demanded a scan, the G.P agreed to scan but.... Scan my KIDNEYS!!!! I kicked off until she finally agreed to scan my ovaries.
My Gran phoned the appointments office countless times a day hoping for a cancellation at any hospital. 3 days later I was having my scan. The following day I was finishing my night shift at the care home and the G.P practice phoned and asked me to go down immediately. They explained a large mass was found the size of a grapefruit on my left ovary and the pain was the growth rubbing off the inside of my hip bone, hence the extreme pain no one believed! What a relief! Was referred to a hospital to a gynaecologist, she was lovely the tests on the other hand, how would I put it... Invading? Haha
A blood current was found in the growth so cancer was suspected (All my immediate family have suffered with cancer so it was a possibility) On Friday morning, I was opened up from my left hip to my right hip. When I woke up I was told some good news, it wasn't cancer!
*Biggest sigh of my life*
The growth was a large chocolate cyst, I was diagnosed with Endometreosis. Many large patches of my womb were cut out as there was a lot of scar tissue and adhesions, I was told dye was passed through my Fallopian tubes and they were clear. The Doctor explained how good this was due to the condition of my womb, it was explained that fertility is afftected and I needed to take action ASAP. I had been with my partner a year so children were not on the menu atal, that was too soon for me.
On discharge from the hospital (Monday)I could barely walk, but refused to stay in bed. Daytime TV is enough to make anyone want to get up. I cleaned my dressing and changed as told. Friday night 1 week to the day of my operation I got in bed. I felt warm all of a sudden when I looked my whole scar had popped open, my bed was covered in puss & blood, it was horrifying. That healed back up in a week more with stitches and dressings from the G.P an ambulance refused to pick me up as I could breath and wasn't life threatening- think I just over panicked and phoned them- Ooops!
I was prescribed a contraceptive pill to help with the pain, this helped a little but I was more pleased it was going to help possibly prolong my fertility time frame. I was managing the pain with Co-Codamol(30/500mg).
Within this time frame (Feb 2013-June 2014) I suffered with depression, I didn't want to go out much if atal, I went to work and went home, I began making excuses why not to see friends and family. After a million and one arguments with *boy and making his life a misery, because I was preventing him from doing things because he felt the need to sit in with me all the time, but he supported me. We went to the G.P and I was prescribed fluoxetine 20mg twice a day. I took theses and within 6 weeks I felt myself feeling better, wanting to take the dog out, little things that meant a lot to me. Me and *boy moved home, and we made it just how we wanted it I could feel myself improving I was going out for girls lunches, me and *boy went for a drink in the city centre and I didn't feel everyone staring at me.
Then......BOOM...... Endometreosis hit back with a massive Hello. I was crippled on the floor crying my eyes out. No position on this earth felt comfortable. I couldn't get into the doctors for 3 days so I was in and out of hot baths, water bottles, deep heat for the back pain. I was referred to a specialist for endometreosis, he performed an internal examination which hurt a lot mure that it should of, due to the pain. I went off for an MRI. The results came back. I now as it stands have a growth at the back of my womb, due to the position it has grown into my sigmoid colon and 'stuck' the sigmoid colon to the back of my womb. I was refered for a sigmoidoscopy last month, I was petrified, but it's not as bad as I thought it was going to be. The results of this, IBS. Fantastic, another one to add to the list! Haha. The following day I was penned into have my surgery (10 hour operation to removed the cyst, unstick and reconstruct the walls and remove all adhesions) but due to the results the previous day the doctor refused the surgery, instead I had key hole surgery a hole near my left hip where a probe was put in to move things around and a camera in my belly button. In recovery the Dr shown me the photos he took and told me what needs doing. He said I am stage 4 Endometreosis and the worse case he has seen but promised to do his best. My ovaries, Fallopian tubes and womb are all abnormally stuck to one another restricting movement and causing a lot of scaring. I asked him about fertility as me and *boy have been togethor a while now and I'm now his Fiancé we would like children, I always wanted to wait until I was married but we will not be getting married until 2018, I can't wait that long for children!
My surgeon has offered to do my operation in June, wait 2 months for recovery and depending on how things went then begin IVF, OR, don't have the operation and start IVF ASAP and have the operation after. I have decided to have the operation, because if I wait I will not be able to attend to a new born post op. I am worried about IVF as I do not know what is involved, I don't even know if there are many success stories of women with severe Endometreosis having children through IVF. It's just a lot to get my head round at 24.
While I wait for my operation I am on prostap to enduce menopause this has helped dramatically with the pain, although, occasionally I do spot and get a day or two of severe pain. Alongside this I take Kliovance HRT to help with the hot sweats (wow there bad) while talking to my surgeon I mentioned the PE(blood clot) I had had previously, he read the records and agreed that it was not a blood clot it was in fact the Endometreosis, my question finally answered after 3 years!
I do love *boy a lot but I think he finds it hard to get his head round my mood swings that the menopause and hormone imbalances, it's so frustrating as I can't control them either. I can be driving down the road and just burst into tears!! just feels like there isn't anyone I know who can talk to me about any of it, not a soul I know is in menopause or had IVF. It's frustrating to say the least haha 😂
Endo and IBS symtoms
Exercise and endo
Endo and confusion...
can endo return following a full hysterectomy, and has anyone had this happen.advice please.
People who have endometriosis in the bowel and had operation, did you have to have a temporary storma? How long do they mean "temporary"?
