Endo advice please...

[Mumof3babes]

Hello,

I have been suffering from pelvic pain for quite a few months now. It's predominantly left sided and j also have terrible back lower ache and sometimes what feels like sciatica. I am pretty much constantly bloated and get a feeling like I have cystitis quite regularly.

I saw my GP a month ago. She gave me cocodamol and sent me for blood tests and a scan. My ca125 blood result came back abnormal (70) and my scan was brought forward.

The scan appeared normal so OC has been ruled out however because of my ca125 and the pain I was refered to gyne and given naproxen and tramadol for the pain.

I saw the consultant 2 days ago. I didn't feel he took my symptoms very seriously. He did mention endo but said because I didn't have pain when he did an internal examination, because I have had 3 children and because my pain is pretty constant he thinks it's more likely to be bowel related.

I don't have and problems going to the toilet apart from a little constipation at times which I put down to my diet. My pain does worsten at the time of my period ( I had to take the day off work last month) and my bleeding is quite heavy. I also bleed after intercourse sometimes and it can be painful. I was on the pill for 14 years I stopped taking it about 8 months ago ( I read that this can mask the pain of endo? So j could have possibly had it longer??? )

Anyway he has given me some fybrogel and told me to come back in 6 weeks. I was just hoping for some advice really as the pain is depressing me. I'm exhausted and just want to know if my symptoms sound right for endo or am I just trying to diagnose myself to have some reason for the pain?

Sorry for the rant, I'd really appreciate any advice

[Brottonbabe]

Hi,

Endo can effect everyone differently so best to get checked out. My GP doesn't know much about it but listened to me when it was clear something was wrong with my ovaries. He still tried to tell me it was groin strain until we saw the cysts!

The only way to be diagnosed with endo is to have a laparoscopy. This is best done at a specialist centre, which you can look up. I think if I were you I'd make a note of your symptoms and the time of the month they occur and see if you can see a pattern.

Sometimes people with less serious endo have lots of pain and sometimes people with severe endo have no pain, so pain on its own isn't necessarily a good judge of the issue (although I have severe endo with tons of pain so I get pain is awful).

I was on the pill 16 years and when I stopped my periods got progressively heavier and increasingly painful. it depends where the endo is too as to where you may feel pain. I went to docs with ovary pain and during surgery they found all the other endometriosis (bladder, bowels and pouch of Douglas).

I say don't rule it out, don't be fobbed off and if you want someone to investigate further then push for more exploration. Just because you've had children doesn't mean it's not endo! After two years of trying and being told it's a no go I'm not expecting so it can happen. That may have been before it became too bad.

That said there are lots of other conditions that can have similar symptoms but separately (IBS, UTIs etc). Best to get checked x

[Duffy77]

It's sounds like you do have as I have all them symptoms they gave tryed to blame my bowel for years I'm on prostap jab at the minute for 6 months to try and stop the bleeding to see if my pain goes go back don't give in , it's made my life misrable and still is to be honest x

[Mumof3babes]

Thank you so much for your replies. I started keeping a diary of my symptoms after seeing the consultant so hopefully I will have a better picture when I go back.

[Samy]

Hi, I have pelvic pain too and a bloated left side. My endo is in my bladder and I don't feel they take my pain seriously either. I have had two children and I have severe endo this person doesn't know what he is talking about. I was on the pill for 20 years and it does mask it. I started having problems when I came off it. Go to another doctor please don't suffer because life is too short to be in pain all the time. Take care xxx

[Tracey4668]

Other than the fact you're a mother, this is like reading my life! I've been referred but not had an appt with gyne yet. I have 2 choc cysts on each ovary, so presumably there'll be more endo. I would keep asking your gp and if you don't get anywhere, maybe change gp's

[pinkfairydust10]

Hey Hun I get the exact same pain as you lower back pain and left sided pain. Had it for years. I was sent down bowel route etc and I wouldn't recommend it. I would see another gynaecologist a bsge accredited centre google it.they work closely with gyne and bowel and communicate. You can get endo near bowel which creates those symptoms not that I am a doctor so please don't take what I say as golden. Hope they sort you out soon Hun xxx