Seeing an endo specialist - what to expect?

[staceymacg]

Hi guys!

So yesterday I finally got the referral I've been pushing for for years! I'm getting to see an endo specialist at a BSGE centre in Edinburgh.

On 30th June I had a diagnostic laparoscopy performed by a general gynaecologist as I was told I needed to have that done before I could be referred to a specialist. I was under for 2 hours while he checked just my pelvis area and told me everything appeared normal.

Yesterday I went back to my GP as I was instructed after the surgery, I didn't even have a follow up with gynae.

After a little bit of a fight and ME educating my GP on endometriosis, he made the referral to Edinburgh Endo Centre.

My GP had no idea these centres existed and he was under the impression all gynaecologists are endometriosis specialists and I had to tell him no.

So anyway back to my question, what is likely to happen when I get to see a specialist for the first time?

My gynae / surgeon for the first lap told me he would have liked to done open exploratory surgery but wanted me to see a specialist first so will a specialist to a second lap?

Will it be decided at the first meeting to do another lap?

I just want the second surgery as quickly as possible.

I've suffered with every endo symptom in the book for 7 years and not having a diagnosis is incredibly hard to deal with.

I need answers.

I've had nausea, extreme fatigue, irregular / heavy bleeding, painful sex, pain after sex, painful bowel movements, main when emptying the bladder and the worst and most prominent symptom is excruciating pelvic / abdominal pain.

I'm on high doses of morphine every day to deal with the pain and I can't eat without anti sickness tablets.

I'm only 20 years old, I just want my life back to some sort of normal.