Just some thoughts on endometriosis...

[Zolta]

So, I have endometriosis and think I have had it since a teenager as got all the symptoms, but was only diagnosed properly at the age of 27... and am now 29.

I suppose I should have been happy at this diagnosis, that I finally had a diagnosis and that my condition is not life threatening, but needed to face my emotions about it and accept that what I have got is not very nice at all though it is difficult to accept it at times. When I saw friends the same age living life whilst I became a hermit old woman because I couldn't go out much it was hard and depressing.

I think there are good and bad days (mentally and physically) but by looking after myself and at times not just carrying on regardless and having the right treatment I managed to have this condition under control. I listened to my body - when it needed a rest it I rested it, despite feeling pathetic for a 27 year old to rest a lot - then realised it its not pathetic, I have a disease causing me to feel exhaustion and pain! I realised there is a fine line between being a wuss and giving excuses not to want to do something, and really not being able to do it... as endo can affect my mental motivation at times.

Whilst I tend to think positively and try and give my body as much TLC as possible, I am also realistic about this condition knowing that yes, I have not got something worse but at the same time accept that endo is horrible to have, and has quite often interfered with the quality of my life and there is not much understanding of this disease out there and that this disease is very unpredictable.

It robs some of us from our fertility from a very young age and that to a lot of women is very soul destroying. There there is no cure for endometriosis, just treatment. Anyway, I consider myself lucky I have not got other worse diseases, but at the same time do not neglect the fact that what I have got is a horrible disease and know that it is ok to feel shitty and angry about it.

By taking this attitude I think I have helped my body to heal and recover from endometriosis for now... I just hope there are not a lot more endometriosis battles to fight after having my 1st child in September....

[crystal_willow]

congrats on having a baby!!! its wierd dealing with the ambivalent feelings you get after diagnosis... the YES I know there was something and now i have a name for it and the NO i don;t want all these consequences... its difficult to move from those conflicting emotions to acceptance... xx

[ginger83]

I can relate to how you feel. I'm due to have my 3rd lap next week and part of me really hopes that my endo has got a lot worse just so I have 'proof' for all the pain and problems I've had. I was told after my 1st lap, I only had a little bit of endometriosis, almost as if to say I shouldn't be making such a fuss. I hope your endometriosis 'settles down' after having your baby x

[Zolta]

Thank you, I hope so too. If it doesn't I suppose I will go on Prostap again for 3 months to try and stop it's progress. Most of it was in the ovary which caused a cyst which was drained, so the surgeon was able to remove most of the endo. I hope it doesn't come back in the ovary as I only have one! My endo is not severe but caused me enough pain to need tramadol on my periods so in severe cases, I couldn't imagine how awful it would be! I am glad to have a diagnosis at last as suffered very painful periods since a teenager and always knew that there was something more than just period pain like the silly GP's making it out to be ''I highly believe it is not endometriosis as you are too young... here are the painkillers... you don't need a scan'' blah blah blah! My GP was rubbish! Good luck with your 3rd lap. x

[littlejo]

I had that a lot when I was younger, finally got diagnosed at 23. I was determined at the time that I was not going to let the condition control my life and carried on regardless. No matter how much pain I was in, I would still go to work every day and go out with my friends. Now I'm a lot older and wiser I know that my body needs to rest and I wish I had done it years ago because it's harder to cope with now and I'm currently being tried on Gabapentin to control the pain. Thankfully I have my daughter now but she is my miracle. After 6 years of trying we were told that I would never conceive naturally and was started on prostap, we discovered I was pregnant 3 months later.

[Imarevel]