Newbie here, could I have endo?

[Em97]

Hi everyone, I'm new here and was wondering if anyone could advise if what I'm experiencing could possibly be endometriosis. Apologies in advance for the long post!

Recently I've been experiencing symptoms which I believe could be endo. I'm 20 and I started getting periods at age 14. I've always had very heavy periods with clots but didn't used to be very painful. But in the last year or so have been getting gradually more and more painful, and with the pain lasting longer, possibly a bit heavier too. It is fairly severe but not extreme pain - at its worst I can't sit up straight, will be very hunched over, and I lie down if possible. Have been regular for a while, always 28 days or a couple of days early, never late, but this year have become quite irregular (one month 5 days late, next 2 days early, then 10 days late, and this month on-time). These last few months I have gotten a brown discharge after my period has finished, a couple of months ago I got dark brown discharge mid-cycle, around 2 weeks before my period was due, and this month I've gotten a light brown discharge immediately before my period started for 2 and a bit days (sorry tmi!).

This year have also been getting period-like pain in the week or so before my period is due, generally getting worse in the couple of days before I come on. Usually not very severe but enough to bother. Sometimes get the same pain, though normally only minor, around mid-cycle. A few months ago I got an excruciating, sharp pain, lasting 30mins-1h, maybe a week before I was due but am not sure (definitely wasn't on period though). Haven't had pain this severe since. This month I also experienced some slight lower back pain during period, which I haven't had before (have been getting a lot of upper back pain recently but don't believe this is a symptom of endo?)

Sometimes I get pain during sex, in certain positions. It's not that severe, generally more of a discomfort - just slightly painful. Until now this has only been during, however last week I again had slight pain during, and then around half an hour later had minor abdominal pain low-down on the left side.

I've also been experiencing extreme fatigue recently, not every day but present throughout the month, and seems to be getting more frequent.

I also get chronic daily headaches (tension), and episodic migraines though I don't believe this has anything to do with menstrual-related symptoms (thought I'd mention it just in case!). It precedes these other symptoms, I've been getting daily headaches for the past year and a half.

Is it possible that I have endo?

Thank you in advance for your help!

[NW248]

It sounds like endo, all those symptoms could be endo. Lots of people on here have been fobbed off by doctors and even most gynaecologists miss the diagnosis. Ask (demand if necessary) that your GP refers you to one of the centres here bsge.org/centre the text list is under the map, any of the ones with NHS in the email address are obviously NHS, others are private. Some of the private ones will put you onto the NHS list after diagnosis. It means you pay around £200 for a consultation and skip the 3 month waiting for a diagnosis.

These days MRI is the best method of diagnosis. But I'm just trying to sort out a problem with mine (follow up to check its all gone after surgery) because the hospital only did a pelvic MRI and not the whole abdomen, so they missed most of the area previously affecte

[GrittyReads]

It could be Endo, but the best thing, I think, will be to go to your GP and describe it exactly as you have here. There are a lot of symptoms, and I think you should spell it all out, in detail.

Hope this helps.