Abdominal injections and physio for endometriosis and pcos

[Hannah_w1990]

I'm so pleased to have a plan in place! Wondered if anyone has had experience with this?

I had my laparoscopy in Jan 2019 and was diagnosed with stage 2 endometriosis. No treatment was done that day. I was also diagnosed with pcos in 2009 aged 19. The resolution they gave me was to take birth control and let them know if I have trouble getting pregnant when I want to try for kids.

I stopped taking the pill because I didn't like the way it made me feel. Took a lifestyle and diet approach which was very successful and allowed me to have a regular cycle for the first time in my life. However.... This made me see just how heavy and painful my periods were. And other unexplained pain and symptoms I couldn't attribute to pcos.

Flash forwards to my laparoscopy.. Gyno tells me she feels surgery is not a good option for me because it likely wouldn't make a big difference and is too big a risk for how little difference it would make as she believed my pain was largely in the muscles and nerves and would likely remain there even after removal of the endometriosis legions.

I took her advice and was referred to a pain management clinic which took 9 months on the waiting list.

Last week I went along to my appointment and met a neurologist and a psychologist who asked me a lot of questions, reviewed all my medical notes and did a quick physical exam of my pelvis.

My psychologist concluded that she was very happy with my mental well being and handling of both conditions and said it sounded like I had a great support system. Which was a huge affirmation of how far I've come from times crying hysterically with the worry I would never have my own children, to now total acceptance and a realistic outlook.

The neurologist explained that the pain was in fact in my pelvic /abdominal wall muscles and nerves. In other words the nerves have a memory, and surgery usually isn't a good long term solution as it is risky, can lead to growth of more legions than you started with and they know reoccurrence of legions are inevitable anyway. He also said that the muscles are in a constant spasm in order to protect my pelvis because everything is inflamed and sensitive due to having both conditions for so many years. It makes total sense.

2 weeks from now they will inject a strong local anesthetic and steroids into the muscle. Following that I will start physio to teach the muscles to calm down and unspasm. I feel so optimistic and happy after 15 years basically trying to get a resolution.

I do feel like this would be unsuitable for someone at stage 3 or 4 but for people like me I think this could be a great solution!!

Please let me know if you had it, what your opinion is?

[Kenko]

I have stage four so have had an injection, but after the side effects my consultant has said come off and go to the combined pill as a medium term strategy.

My endo has bowl involvement but it's surface from what they can see and not deeply penetrated into my organs yet. I Hated zoladex as it caused me really bad virginal itchiness and dryness, horrible naesea, bleeding, hot sweats and dry mouth - everyone reacts differently but at 31, I really didn't want the menapause effects this bad that I'll get in 20 years! Make sure you weight up the pros and cons .

Why are you having zoladex if you are only stage 2? Is it because the endo is deeply penetrated? If so it might be the only option. It's also a hormone like the contraceptive pill don't forget. You will have some side effects.

As I said, I've changed to the combined pill with my consultants agreement as my endometriosis is stage 4, but it hasn't deeply penetrated my organs. And as I said, I was having the worse side effects of the zoladex that are still ongoing until it leaves my system and I start this new combined pill.

But some people get on with it fine and you really need to push a meeting with your gynae consultant to discuss everything. Everyone is different as is their situation.

Good luck !

[Hannah_w1990 in reply to Kenko]

It's not zoladex. It's just going to be a local anesthesic and a steroid and I can only have it once. Its not a repeat procedure. The idea is that it will allow the muscles and nerves to calm down and then use phyio to help long term

[Kenko in reply to Hannah_w1990]

I had my first zoladex implant by.General anaesthetic after my local anaesthetic once I woke. That doesn't hurt btw. Are they giving you the hormone injection or implant then ?

[Hannah_w1990 in reply to Kenko]

Neither. That's what I'm trying to explain. It's not a hormone injection at all and I'm not on the pill. It's a procedure to numb my muscles and steroid to reduce inflammation. Following that I will see a physiotherapist who will treat me with exercises to relax the muscles in my pelvis because the pain is largely due to the muscles going into spasm in response to the endometriosis and the pcos.