Can endometriosis grow within a year?

[ChantalL]

Hello all,

I have been suffering from pelvic pain for the last 2 years and have been diagnosed with PCOS due to the amount of burst cysts I was experiencing. In March 2016 I had a laparoscopy which did not show endometriosis.

Since June this year my periods have become extremely bad (legs and feet swelling up, can’t move due to pain etc), so I was put on the mini pill but I was concerned that all of a sudden my periods had gotten this bad. The mini pill has not made a difference to this!

In October last month I ended up back in the hospital with extreme pelvic pain and bloating, which I thought was another burst cyst. The pain I experience is a dull ache which tends to be in my lower left abdomen that goes into my back as well as a shooting, stabbing pain which goes down my left leg. Whilst having an internal scan, the doctor couldn’t see evidence of a burst cyst but could see that my ovaries where sticking to my uterus and I was made aware that it probably is endometriosis.

This week I had an appointment with another gynaecologist who insisted I probably didn’t have endometriosis as I had a laparoscopy last year and it didn’t show up and it cannot grow within a year, and that it’s probably scar tissue from the cysts bursting. He mentioned having another internal scan (as they have lost my scan records, wonderful NHS!) and if they can’t see any trace of endometriosis then they won’t proceed with another laparoscopy.

My question is, can endometriosis grow in a year? Has anyone else been misdiagnosed and therefore haven’t received the correct treatment? And I know it’s sometimes difficult to see everything on a scan so should I push for a laparoscopy anyway?

I’m worried that when they do the scan, I don’t trust they will be thorough enough and I’ll be left in this continuous cycle of not knowing what’s wrong...

Thank you all (sorry for the long message!)

Chantal

[MichelleOlivia]

I don't know if you can develop endo in a year if you didn't have it in the first place, but it can certainly progress. I do know however that endo can progress in a year, I had a diagnostic lap and then a lap to excise the endo found 4 months apart and more endo was found and my ovary was adhered to my pelvic wall, which it wasn't during the diagnostic. The lap itself can cause adhesions.

[ChantalL in reply to MichelleOlivia]

Thanks, that’s really helpful! I’m hoping that if I do have Endo it will show up during the internal scan so I can qualify for a lap

[MichelleOlivia in reply to ChantalL]

Endo can only be diagnosed through a lap. A scan will only show if bits inside are not where they should be, so if adhesions are pulling them out of position, which isn't necessarily endo.