I've been told I am 'too young' for surgery/diagnosis.

[jasminep]

Hi girls, I've got 'suspected endometriosis' and would like to clarify some things. I've always had severely painful, heavy, and irregular periods but in the last 2ish years it has got out of control. My 'periods' can last over 60 days (continuously bleeding) and I bleed a lot in between periods to the point that I have no idea when my cycle begins/ends. I've been to so many doctors and had ultrasounds and everyone has told me that from what they can see I am fine - which I am very much not. I recently forked out a large amount of money to go to a private doctor who told me it could potentially be endometriosis or just severe periods, however, he told me I was too young to have the surgery to clarify this. Instead, he suggested I take birth control to ease the pain but I believe the pill has caused a mass murder of millions of women and I refuse to put synthetic hormones in my body. Anyway, I'm 19 now and have been suffering with these problems for over 4 years now and I am fed up - I don't know whether to push for the surgery to finally get answers or take an alternative route and try to ease my symptoms until I am 'old enough'? I don't know I'm really confused, and angry, and always in pain and I just wanted to ask for some guidance from someone who understands because the endless doctors visits are making me feel so much worse.

[Bumblebee11]

This seems ridiculous- I was diagnosed with it when I was 15... I'm sorry you paid private and were told that! That seems like such a mistake..

[Lofty1589]

My first diagnostic lap was at 19. My best friend who has severe Endo has had surgeries since she was 12… You are NOT too young. Keep fighting for it because if you have Endo, it’ll only get worse as it is left

[PeriMenoEndo]

this advice is nonsense. Ask to see another consultant! Check out the Period Repair Manual and see if you can get some relief from the advice in this book while you’re waiting to get a proper response from the medics. Good luck!

[16yearsofpainsofar]

I was told it 'takes a few years for a girl's period to settle'... I was 25. I'm still waiting for a lap but I'm in two minds because I'm scared of surgery. It's the reason why I'm happy I gave birth vaginally than having a c section.

[Twin4Life]

You are not too young to have the surgery. That is a complete lie. I would push the doctor to do it, or see a new doctor. There is no "age limit" for endometriosis or surgeries. I have not had a laparoscopy, but I have had surgery for another issue and I was 11 at the time.

[Cocoacupid]

hun not to young at all when I had my first diagnostic lap there was a young teenager in the next bed to me she didn’t look very old at all whilst I was 37 and had severe problems since being ten years old but it took a while for me to be diagnosed due to never being looked into properly or if I did have severe pain in my early twenties was recommend the coil which has kinda helped a bit but this is my second coil and due for change soon I still get all the pain but not really any bleeding as such. Push for answers sweetie I always thought I would have issues like my mum or grandma but they both just had fibroids and not endo like I had removed recently from bowel pouch of Douglas etc. and a year before in my diagnostic lap had a cystectomy . Push for answers hun as will only get worse if not looked into. Plus since having my surgery I lost weight as well so I think it can effect weight etc if it’s stage four/ severe endo used to be really thin before growing up. So for me it was definitely weights and hormones intertwined. Also do your research see if you can get an mri just to make sure as with any surgery can cause more scar tissue but also pain doesn’t always correlate to the stage you are at. Like stage one you can get severe pain and stage four minimal pain. The only other time severe pain would be if you have a frozen pelvis and kissing ovaries both of which I had . If your unable to push yourself get a friend or family member to push for you and go to appointments as I was taken more seriously with my mum with me. Even at the age of 38 I have mum with me as I was diagnosed autistic take care xxx

[Faylen34]

Personally I would push or ask for a second opinion. I wish I had pushed for answers in my teens/early 20s and not just left it. Now I'm 32 and only got my diagnosis at 31. I remember getting fobbed off constantly. Noone deserves to be in pain or have all these symptoms no matter the age.