Hi all, am new here and posting because I am just generally upset. Have always had agonising periods (vomiting, passing out, having to miss school and now uni every month, the whole spiel), and it is practically impossible for me to be intimate or have a pelvic exam because the pain I feel is awful (like my spine is getting ripped out of my pelvis) and leaves me cramping for days. Recently I have been having pain with bowel movements during my period and rectal bleeding (yay!). My GP is taking my symptoms very seriously and has suggested that this might be endometriosis and wants me to have an MRI ASAP. However, my gyno at home (am a student studying in the UK) dismissed my concerns immediately because my yearly ultrasound was clear. She was even offended, acting as if I were suggesting that she may have missed something. Now, I might be wrong, but I thought endo could only be definitively diagnosed by laparoscopy?? have I just been acting dramatic all this time? I'm just so upset I makes me want to give up on the diagnostic process
Does a clear trans-vaginal ultrasound rul... - Endometriosis UK
Does a clear trans-vaginal ultrasound rule out endometriosis?
You are right. Clear imaging of any sort does not rule out endo.
And surgery is the best way to get confirmation. Some people's endo does show on scans, but this is down to a number of factors such as the severity and also probably most importantly the skill of the person reading the image. Because endo can present in such a variety of ways just because looks at scans all day doesn't mean they'll necessarily pick up endo if shown.
So I’ve had all clear scans, I’m the most annoying case for GPS. clear mri, clear trans vaginal x 2 clear everything for years I even paid and had a 3D trans vaginal scan all clear, cost me a fortune.
But the pain you describe is so familiar, I decided after the GP yet again dismissed me to go private and book myself wide excision surgery.
I went in not knowing from any scan I had endometriosis, but I did and I’m so grateful to the surgeon, it’s was pouch of Douglas which causes the pain you describe, pelvic wall and on my bladder which explains all my UTI symptoms that come back clear.
So I’m 4 weeks post op and still recovering but the validation along makes me feel amazing, finally I’m not mad.
But it took 5 years of wasted appointments and it took em finding my own surgeon and approx 6k to get to this point.
I’ve realised with endo you have to fight and fight to be heard and listened too and if that doesn’t happen you have to take matters into your own hands.
Big hugs and feel free to DM
Thank you so much for your reply! I am so sorry you go through so much pain :\ I was feeling really low about it all yesterday but all these comments make me feel really reassured and heard so thank you xx
Endo is usually seen in laparoscopy. MRI or ULTRASOUND doesnt really help to see what is going on in the pelvic area however will only discover cysts. I had 9 surgeries since 2014 and many surgeries were because of endometriosis and ovarian torsions and cysts. Its very upsetting but now i have learnt to live with it although sometimes i do feel like giving up..
As above scans, especially ultrasound unlikely to pick it up, MRI if deep. The consultant initially thought mine was superficial and only way to confirm was a lap. It is deep.
Go for the MRI your GP sounds better than the gynaecologist, maybe get a referral elsewhere.
You definitely aren’t being dramatic. 🙂
Hi i had lot of ultrasounds and they only picked up fibroids. When i had surgery i had stage 4 Endometriosis, cysts and a frozen pelvis! Looking back I found the dismissive treatment we receive on the strength of these scans disgusting. You symptoms sound exactly like endo, you should push for a lap as that is the only definite form of diagnosis. I hope you get the proper support you deserve it makes me so angry to hear your story of being palmed off and been given incorrect advice x
Like others have said, clear scans of any kind don't rule out endo, but what they can do is rule out anything else.. so cysts, polyps etc.
Your pain also isn’t reflective of how much endo tissue you have, you could have loads and minimal pain or a little and very bad pain.. all depends on your body and where you have it.
Push back to your gynae, laparoscopy is the only way to 100% confirm endo!
Mine came back clear at the beginning of the year - bar a few cysts on my ovaries due to the depo inj - and yet when they did the laparoscopy they did find endo here, there and everywhere. Even though I didn't have much endo, my pain was still hoffric. My surgeon said I'd had a bad inflammatory reaction to it and it was just bad luck really.
I suppose the scan is more to see if there's anything 'obvious' like fibroids or something. However endo is an unpredictable beast and more often than not it doesn't even show up on a scan.
Did you get anywhere? Any lap booked
Clear ultrasound and cervical screening
Endo found on vaginal ultrasound? 
Seeing a Chiropractor really helped my endometriosis
Only option is hysterectomy ( total pelvic clear out).... Help!!!
