Low immunity caused by endo? Plus MRI this week!

[Lotsi]

Hi All,

I have been referred by my consultant for an MRI (this friday). Slightly worried as I suffer with claustrophobia and never had an MRI. (needs must though!).

He has said that I either have another course of zoladex (I've had 3 months and the pain is still here), go on the pill until I decide to have a hysterectomy or have my ovaries (plus more) removed soon.

I am 37 years old and due to PCOS and Endo not had a successful pregnancy (We have 3 beautiful adopted children).

I have asked what stage endo I have (I had a lap last year that diagnosed the endo) and where it is but not been given the answers. I was told I need an MRI.

What are your experiences? Do you have any advice on which path I should take?

Also I am constantly ill. I have put it down to adopting our 2 1/2 year old a year and a half ago and picking up lots of bugs but whereas everyone else has a cold and moves on I seem to get infections. I was very ill with a lung infection over Christmas. I've had labyrinthitis a month or so ago. I've had a cold for 3 weeks now and it's developed into sinusitis.

I've seen a nutritionist that's recommended I take lots of supplements and I try to eat healthily (albeit when I get down I turn to choc and bics). I also joined a gym (exercise classes) a couple of months ago and exercise 4-5 times a week (when well!) including once a week yoga.

Do you think the illness etc.. is linked to endo?

Any advice from your experiences would be gratefully received.

Thank you for reading. xox

[Mindstorm]

I am claustrophobic and had an MRI a few weeks ago - for my small bowel. The MRI was far wider than I thought it would be; I had my arms above my head with fingertips touching under my head and elbows pointed out to the side and there was still room either side of me. I went in feet first and for the most part my head did not go into the tunnel. It was so much better than I ever thought possible, and that is with a bad reaction to the bowel prep material I was given (gave me awful pain and diarrhea within 10 mins of drinking instead of sitting in my bowel nicely and bulking it out to make the pics better). My MRI was clear of any issues with my bowel which I already knew but as I was initially referred to that clinic not gynae the Dr has been thorough in his trying to prove I was not his problem!

I don't know about endo and illness but when I first started teaching it took me a couple of years to build up an immunity to most of the bugs out there and now I tend only to get the most virulent or a mild version of coughs and colds. You'll find your kids bring everything home with them and if you are run down generally from illness it does make it easier to get more on top.

[Lotsi in reply to Mindstorm]

Hi Mindstorm,

Thank you for your message. I think I am mainly anxious from the unknown. Getting some results far outweighs my claustrophobia, but I will be glad when it's done.

Good luck with your investigations.

xox

[Mindstorm in reply to Lotsi]

Thanks. I am waiting to be seen at the Birmingham Endo Centre as I have been very unhappy with the bowel Dr who is vile and the gynae was worse than useless! Once I get the appointments I am putting in a formal complaint with the local hospital.

[Heidi11 in reply to Mindstorm]

That's just what I'm doing, I ended up having a sub total hysterectomy last year at my local hospital and I had to be re referred 8 weeks later due to severe pain and bleeding but I got referred to a different hospital as the appointment came through quicker, they sent me for an MRI scan which shows a chronic legion on my cervix and extensive scarring around my ovaries with bowel tethering. They then referred me over to an endometriosis specialist team at stepping Hill for treatment and surgery. This has left me so angry as I have had a flexible sigmoidoscopy, hysteroscopy plus other tests at my local hospital and cried out to them how ill I felt even on the day of my hysterectomy. These general surgeons really haven't got a clue. Good luck with everything hun xx

[sophie89]

Hey! With regards to the MRI - best policy is honest with the team there. You wear headphones so they talk to you throughout - and just knowing you can talk to someone makes it go so much quicker. Sometimes they can/do play music for you so just see what the options are Good luck!!

[Tina32]

Hiya. I just wanted to add that quite possibly your initial 3 month course of zoladex might not have been long enough to have an effect. I found that I was much better on prostap after four months of injections, I had a big flare up which they normally advise you to expect when things feel like they have gotten worse and then things settled down and my periods finally stopped completely. I've been on it for almost a year now as I've been waiting for surgery and in terms of my endometriosis pain this has more or less gone. If your body tolerated the side effects well then perhaps another course of zoladex or another gnrh is not a bad idea.