Endometriosis. Worried, relieved and emotional?

[ginnbee33]

Hello everyone,

My name is Mel, I started my cycle when I was 11. I was the first in my class at school and was so excited! That excitement soon turned to dread when my periods never 'settled'. It started with 2-4 week long periods, not spotting, light-meduim periods and horrific 'period pains' that even radiated down my legs. At the age of 15 my mother took me to my GP. They told me I was still young and my periods would likely settle down as I got older, which they didn't.

I spent the next 5 years struggling with pretty much every social situation in my life. I was in pain that no over the counter medicine seemed to relieve. I either bled so heavy I would have to change my sanitary products every 1-2 hours or light-spotting for weeks on end. This ruined my relationships as I entered my teens, and generally made me feel alone and let down.

At the age of 20 I saw my GP again (5 years was a long time to go without seeing a GP but I was and still am very anxious and frightened of doctors surgeries). The GP I saw finally sent me for abdominal ultrasound scans. The results showed I had an 8mm wide cyst on my left ovary and 7 smaller cysts in my womb. I was monitored with further scans to see if they decreased in size on their own before they would consider a laparoscopy to remove them. The 8mm cyst did decrease in size and I was told that 'cysts are normal in women, just come back if your in pain again'. I was devastated, no answers and I was still in pain.

Fast forward 2 years of back and forth to the GP, I moved county. My new GP ordered more ultrasounds and blood tests. Found more cysts, wasn't worried about their size, and simply told me "you have a hormone imbalance". I have Migraine with Aura so unfortunately I couldn't have the pill, and if I'm honest I don't know how I feel about taking hormones.

So present day, I've been back to the GP, I'm 26 years old and so exhausted and fed up. They have finally questioned Endometriosis, ordered blood tests and even more ultrasound tests. I have very mixed feelings. I'm relieved to finally be moving forward and getting closer to some answers, but I'm absolutely petrified they won't find anything. I'm worried about fertility and and how to approach the subject with my partner. The whole situation is making my so emotional and overwhelmed.

Any advice would be great, do you have to have a laparoscopy to confirm a diagnosis? I'm so scared of anaesthetic and surgery.

Trying to think happy thoughts.

[laurademi]

sounds like your having a rough time I'm going through the same back and forwards to go and gynaecologist. The only way to be diagnosed is to have a laparoscopy which is scary as I hate needles. Hopefully you find some answered good luck!!

[Hidden]

They diagnosed me with endo by doing a internal scan, a transvaginal scan and that's how they found out I had cysts on my ovaries and endo outside my womb lining.