Symptoms and Diagnostic Lap

[KarenJJ]

Hi everyone,

I joined to learn all I can about this condition which my GP suspects I may have. If anyone else can relate to my symptoms I'd love to hear from you.

I'm so sorry if this post goes on too long, I have tried not to write too much.

I'm 43. For a very long time I've had very heavy periods with large clots (getting worse) and problems with intense stabbing pain with a BM onset of periods (not as frequent as it was now). I've also had undiagnosed cause for dragging feeling / pressure on/in my uterus (felt like my insides were going to fall out whenever I walked), although GP at that time put it down to fibroids seen on scan during my second pregnancy and again on a transvaginal scan during investigations for my bowel problem.

Towards the end of 2016 I was offered an ultrasound and transvaginal ultrasound because my GP thought my uterus felt 'bulky' during an internal examination. She could see how bloated I was and was aware of my concerns regarding the heaviness and clotting with my periods, she suspected the fibroids I had for years before may have grown large enough to cause the problems. My scans all came back clear (ovaries and uterus) and no fibroids were seen either!

Around the same time I started to have intense pain in my bladder, pressure and urgency. It got so bad at one point that I went to A&E and another time to a walk-in clinic during the night as I couldn't cope with the pain. Each time my urine was tested and came back clear for infection but positive for blood. The samples were also grown and again no infection or bacteria the cause for the pain I felt. GPs at the time prescribed many different ABs which of course did nothing and I was pretty much left to get on with it with painkillers (which just about took the edge off the pain but didn't really keep it at bay). I started to notice a pattern with it starting just before or after a period so I visited my current GP a couple of months ago and spoke to him about it all. I'm also experiencing abdominal pain around ovulation, right side pelvic pain (can't lie on my right side in bed) and a burning and stabbing pain near the groin on my right side again, just below my bum cheek?! Deep pain during sex, shooting pain down my bum and leg which makes me cry out sometimes and stops me in my tracks (just thought I may have a dodgy back). He suspects I may have endo after listening to me and reading my notes regarding the UTI symptoms in relation to my cycle, also my mother had endo in her 30's which I didn't realise could be linked. My GP referred me to a gynaecologist at our local hospital, sadly my first appointment didn't really go well (another long story I won't bore you with) and I ended up seeking a second opinion privately. So, I'm at the stage now of having a diagnostic laparoscopy next week which I'm really nervous about. After reading so many of your stories I keep thinking I'm in no where near as much pain as a lot of you are, and feel like a bit of a fraud some days when I haven't experienced any pain for days/weeks on end, even questioning if I should go for the lap or not. I've decided to go ahead, because I need answers either way.

Thanks so much for reading, I've probably forgotten some things, sorry it's a long post.

xxx

[KarenJJ]

reallyfedup123 - Thank you for your reply. It appears I do have quite a few symptoms which could point to endo.

I'm sure I share the same view with many women going for a diagnostic lap - worring about endo being found or indeed missed altogether, and what could be wrong if endo isn't found :/

[chloe3011]

Hi Karen, good luck with the lap I'm sure it will provide answers and maybe put a stop to all of your pain and discomfort. I can totally relate to feeling like a fraud sometimes, especially having read posts on here but we're all different cases and each important. xx

[KarenJJ]

Hi Chloe3011, thank you for your reply and good wishes. Good to hear it's not just me who feels this way sometimes! xx

[Stellauk]

I was diagnosed with severe endometriosis and had to been treated by an endo specialist in London. I didn't experience nearby as much symptoms. So don't feel like a fraud, endo effecting everyone differently. Hope your operation goes well.

[KarenJJ in reply to Stellauk]

Thank you Stellauk, I hope you are as well as can be xx

[Pm2015]

What you have written could of been written by me virtually word for word before my diagnosis!!

I hope you get the answers you are looking for, regarding treatment, please search out a specialist endometriosis centre.

Good luck.

[KarenJJ in reply to Pm2015]

Thank you Pm2015, I should know more either way very soon. I hope you are feeling ok xx