Hi all 
I'd like to ask for your opinion. Given that a laparoscopy is quite invasive, how long would you wait before insisting with GP on getting one? I keep wondering, what if I undergo surgery and it turns out there's no endometriosis?
What's your experience with doubts on your way to get a diagnosis?
Many thanks
Thank you for sharing your experience, this is really helpful. I have other conditions too, autoimmune thyroid disease, PCOS, and tight pelvic floor, so it’s really hard to say if all these make me feel very bad as if I had endo or if endo is maybe behind all this.. but I’m already going through a lot, so I need consider very carefully whether going further laparoscopy is worth it..
I had all your doubts too but I went in on Saturday for a lap and had it confirmed that it was endo that had been causing my pain all this time. I must have had it years as there was a fair bit.
Not going to lie, because of the amount I had removed, I was in pain after and was in hospital for two more days. But the relief I've felt from knowing what I'm dealing with has been overwhelming and the pain is calming down. And I knew I had to get checked, endo or not, so I was able to get closure and take the next step regardless
My symptoms didn't present like endo (until the month before my lap during my period funnily enough). They presented like an intense IBS. Turns out that was due to where the endo was. But I had all those doubts of what if I'm doing all of this and there's nothing there
I'd recommend you need to get checked because otherwise how will you move on? Has any gyno examined you yet?
Hi Louise, thanks for sharing! As I mentioned to Littlemixer18 I have other conditions too, autoimmune thyroid disease, PCOS, tight pelvic floor, and I was told I have IBS too. Even though I live a very healthy life these conditions have been emerging literally one by one and they seem all related... After a lot of back and forth with the GP they referred me to a gyno and I had an ultrasound done too. Everything seems normal. Gyno was not helpful with pelvic floor issue. I'm now doing pelvic physiotherapy....but I keep wondering if there's endo behind all this...and I've been wondering if I have ot for years, even before I started having all these conditions.. my periods have always been just too horrible (I'm 29)
It does sound ominous to be honest. Especially with your periods. I never had any major complications with my periods other than on the last one before asking to go ahead with my lap so fully doubted any possibility. I was told I had functional vommiting syndrome and IBS but it was obviously endo. Has anyone potentially checked you for things like Crohn's and also Fibromyalgia? Not suggesting it could be that but everything is worth exploring. In an effort to diagnose me I also had an ultrasound very early days. Nothing came up. I also had an MRI, nothing came up. It was only the lap that actually called it out
I had these doubts as well was so scared they was going to tell me no it’s fine but I needed to no what was causing the pain and issues with my bowels. So I didn’t think twice when I was offered the appointment had it a week ago. And mine came back with sever endometriosis which is including my bowels so I’m now waiting on a specialist appointment to have it removed. Years ago I kept getting told my issues was IBS so Didn’t go back to the doctors pains got worse always a week before my period, during and a week after (3 weeks in total) I can’t poop without laxatives. I was sent to hospital a couple of years ago with suspected appendicitis which turned out my period was coming and a week later it did. I changed doctors so last year I went back with the same issues where she said she doesn’t think it’s IBS at all and that she thought it was endometriosis which finally after all this time I have got answers.
Wow you went through so much it sounds horrible! Thanks for sharing, and I'm happy to hear you got an answer! I'm still not sure, I had traumatic experiences with any part of te health system here in the UK from GPs to specialists, it scares me so much just the idea.. I always wonder how long will I keep going with this chronic pain before I decide it's too much?
Hi,I’m due for my lap surgery a week on Wednesday. I’m also very nervous as I feel I could live with my symptoms as an alternative to going through this major surgery.
I have an ovarian “chocolate” cyst that was found on ultrasound and mri scan (ironically they were checking lining of womb as my main symptom was heavy periods) that combined with a raised ca-125 level leads my consultant (private endo specialist) to believe I have endo.
Wonder if you could have some other tests that might shed some clues before you decide on surgery?
Also I meant to mention that over the last few months my symptoms have been worsening so don’t leave it till it’s too late and the waiting list is extensive.
Hi! Thanks for sharing, that's exactly my point, can I just live with symptoms? And I feel this doubt I have is because no one is suspecting endo, my gp, doc who did ultrasound and gyno they all dismissed my symptoms and sent me home with nothing but frustration. 10 years ago while I was living in another country I had an MRI for suspected endo because I tried several pills to deal with period pain and none of them helped. Of course nothing came up from the MRI. Best of luck with your lap! Hope you get answers, and let us know how it goes if you feel like
Thanks- I will. In all honesty were it not for the cyst, I’m not sure I’d have chosen to have a lap as I can manage my symptoms. But the cyst needs to come out! X
Laparoscopy yesterday! 
Laparoscopy 
Laparoscopy 
Self doubt 
1st Lap but husband has doubts 
