I may have endo... but I don't know!

[hanhan92]

Hellooo! I'm a 25 year old with ongoing lady problems. I have not had children yet. Sorry if any of this it TMI.

I've always had weird periods, but since coming off yasmin in November 2014 I've been having weirder ones...

I was sent to see a gynae consultant in March 2015 after having more painful periods than usual. I was told that I MIGHT have endo and/or PCOS and was put on microgynon and discharged. Fat lot of help they were.

The microgynon lasted for about 2 months after sending me absolutely up the wall, and then ever since, I've been suffering with dizzy spells every month for 2 weeks of my cycle running up to my period (that has decreased to 2-3 days in recent months).

The periods themselves for the past 2 years have lasted for 10 days, which isn't normal :/ my cycle was about 30 days, but I was put on another pill to try and stop the dizzy spells in 2016 which led to me fainting at work, and ever since then my cycles have been approx. 35 days give or take.

I was diagnosed with PMDD in April 2017, after years of low moods in relation to my cycle, for which I take evening primrose (been on it for 6 months) and had psychotherapy. There has been some improvement in my moods, but not a lot.

I have pain in my right hip during ovulation as well as some mood changes, but a couple of days before my period starts, I have an intense pulling ache in my hips and back. On occasion I've had what I can only describe as rectal cramps, if that makes any sense....

I sometimes experience cramping and shooting pain during sex with my partner, depending on the position, and occasionally bleeding from an hour to a day after intercourse.

Before my period I also get mucus in my stools.

I eat well and exercise regularly. I am also a healthy weight.

It seems no matter what I try, I can't get my periods back to how they were before 2015. My cycles used to be every 30ish days and I bled for 6 days. Now my cycles are 35ish days and I bleed for 10 days. WHY?!?!

My periods right now are also prolonged; a couple of days before hand I get cramping and hip pain, day 1 is extremely light with hardly any pain, day 6/7 is when the river of death comes crashing out with the unbearable cramping which lasts a day or two, then it trails off and usually stops by day 10.

I've been sent to hospital twice by GPs with suspected appendicitis because of where the pains are. PCOS has been ruled out via ultrasound. I've had 2 smear tests, one in 2015 and one 9 months ago, both were clear.

So if it is endo, what do I do? :/ I feel like other than surgery there aren't any real options for me. That and I don't know if my GP will take me seriously.

From what I've read on here, it seems like women with endo suffer more intensely than I have been, so I really don't know if I really have it or not :/

[Starry]

I think your symptoms are a good match. Severity of symptoms can vary dramatically and not match severity of your condition if you do have endo. I would recommend discussing with a sympathetic GP and asking for a referral to a gynae, a bsge endo centre if possible, for a consultation

Ultrasound and Diagnostic lap is the standard diagnosis method. Lots of useful​ info here:

endometriosis.org/endometri...

endometriosis.org/treatments/

[Roslynkatie]

Just make sure you stand your ground because it can take a long time and you can get fobbed off a lot. The problem with ultrasound is that you don't always see it on there unless it's active, severe or there is a cyst at that time. Laparoscopy is the main method of diagnosis be sure it's accurate. But you don't always need the surgery for treatment either, there are other methods, like injections and pain relief.

Hope you get somewhere with it!