A few questions about endometriosis

[Amyflood246]

So a bit of background I had a dull ache in my pelvic area for a couple of years but life got in the way and I didn’t go to the GP then I had a colposcopy and after that the pain worsened they initially thought it was an infection so they kept giving antibiotics but the pain didn’t stop it just became less frequent like intermittent throughout the month, because my periods are irregular too they tested me for polycystic ovaries but bloods and ultrasounds ruled that out. They finally referred me to gynea who did an ultrasound then dismissed me saying it was bowel related so the following year (this year) I was referred again the gynea who said I’m too overweight for a lap but diagnosed me with endo based on my symptoms and told me my 2 choices are to either go on the pill or have the coil fitted so my questions are -

1 which method of birth control have you found best and did it relieve your pain

2 is there anybody here who only sometimes has painful and heavy periods but not all the time?

3 can endo stay at stage one for the entirety of the disease or does it always progress to stage 4

4 what pain relief have you found effective and who prescribed it gynea or GP?

5 is your pain just when your in your period or do you get it throughout the month too?

6 can endo cause irregular periods?

7 does anybody know what a uterus which is heterogeneous in echo texture means? I read possible adenomyosis?

8 does birth control help even the most advanced endo or is it only when you are in your early stages

9 does endo progress at different rates in different people?

I have an appt with my GP on Thursday so I’m going to ask some of these questions then (gynea wasn’t very helpful) thank you so much for reading and taking the time to answer even if it is only question! Xx

[Avourneen]

If I were you I would try to see a different gynae and see if they give you same opinion. If the endo is affecting your bowel it is porbaby quite serious. Have you been given a proper sacn by an expert? This should be ther first step by any goog gynae. iF your gynae is suggesting things like a lap without having done scans then he/she probably isn't very good.

I'll try to answer the questions of yours that i can but I'm not a doctor so I can only answer on my own experience:

1 I am on cerazette which is a progesterone only pill. It stops my periods so it does make life more bearable but it does not stop the endo spreading so it can mask the worsening of the disease. You should only go on a prosgestone only pill.

2 I had painful but never heavy periods for years and years, I think from the start of my periods.

3 I think this question is for a medial specialist but it is aprogressive disease. I have never really heard of someone having it and it not getting worse. But I think mine was manageable for years before it got really bad.

4When it was really bad and I couldn't walk or drive (for a year before op) I had naproxen which helped but it has lots of long term side effects. You sould only take it for a short time.

5When the disease was not to bad the pain was just at my period now it is all the time period or not but much much worse when I have a period.

6 I have no idea not for me anyway.

7I think adenomysiosis.

8 Birth control just stops you bleeding so it makes life easier but it doesnt stop the endo growing.

9 I think so, there are women on here whose endo is stage 4 and they are really young. It also seems to grow back after excision at different rates. Apparently there are different types of endo which I don't know anything about. The most knowlegeable commenter on here is LIndle she might be able to explain this.

[Amethysast]

hey , I'm so sorry to hear that,if you find the antibotic medicine is not very effective, you cna take a try for the herb medicine, it hasn't the side efefct.

[Periodical]

Re point 2 - I have had 2 lots of 30 minute pain with my periods in the last 2 years. My surgery last month confirmed endo in my ovary, pelvis & pouch of Douglas. And so just chipping in to say there isn’t always a correlation between pain & the disease. Good luck with your appointments!