Is it all in my head?: Hi All, My first... - Endometriosis UK

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Is it all in my head?

rsmith881 profile image
7 Replies

Hi All,

My first lap is in 3 weeks time. In a way I am am really pleased as it has come through so quickly, but also I am extremely worried! I am very concerned that all my pain is in my head and they will open me up and find nothing.

Is this normal? Did anyone else feel like this?

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rsmith881
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7 Replies
missteal profile image
missteal

yes, I think we have all felt like this. At least you'll know one way or another. They found mild endo in my first lap and no regrowth in my second but because of my symptoms they've now diagnosed me with adeno. Even if they find nothing it doesn't mean it's in your head, you know your body better than any dr xxx

Lillil profile image
Lillil

I feel exactly the same. Got my first lap a week today. I keep reliving all the possibilities they might say when I wake up from op and each one is scary.

The same as you, my lap came around really quickly. I think it's a shock after all the fighting, people doubting you then someone finally takes you seriously and you start to doubt yourself.

I tell all my patients the fear of the unknown is perfectly normal and it's such emotions that make us human.

I think the fact we are checking out with outselves is the pain in our heads, shows we are sane! and its not!

I hope you get answers you are looking for. Let me know how you get on. Good luckxxx

fatefulserendipity profile image
fatefulserendipity

It's not in your head. Although I worry about that too but you don't get pain all the time and other symptoms for no reason at all. I have had pain before first time in 2009 and went through route of doctors gynaes etc and they made me feel pain wasnt as bad as i made out even though i was walking 40 minutes and back to work everyday doing fulltime and it was lifting and on my feet the whole time, in the end they found i had a dermoid cyst had to have left ovary removed it was so badly damaged, i wonder to this day that if they had done something quicker it wouldn't have got so bad. Anyway had 12 week consultantation which was literally a 1 minute phone call and gynae asked how i was i said still have pain and was told probably adhesions then he hung up. Kept having pain went doctors and my mum came in with me she thought it was gallstones this time, we had to practically beg to be seen took 12 weeks did scan nothing found and i felt people thought i was making it up again! As if i wanted to be in pain! Anyway got really bad and was taken to hospital where other scans performed and low and behold i had gallstones (lots) but instead of taking them out there and then i had to wait 6 months for op all the while coping with work and life and i felt suicidal at some points thinking why me and not again. Now this. I am currently on Zoladex and am hoping that when this is finished i will get referred back to consultant and hopefully will just go in and have a look. It's ridiculous how people make you feel. But you are not alone. Best Wishes and take care x

cupcakegirl profile image
cupcakegirl

Everyone has felt this way - it took 9 years from when my symptoms started to when I was diagnosed and I was fobbed off so many times that I was convinced I was going crazy. Even worse, during one hospital admission they did an emergency lap and told me it was all clear and that I should see a psychiatrist!

I was only diagnosed 18 months after this when another hospital decided to do an emergency lap and found the endo. I only found out later that the first lap wasn't done properly - I was only in there for 10 minutes and they only made an incision for the camera so they didnt have any instruments in there to move organs around and have a proper look.

It's extremely unlikely that your pain has no physical cause - if you're experiencing severe pain, the likelihood is that there's a cause for it. I really hope they find the cause during this lap so that you can start to treat you. If they don't find the cause, that doesn't mean there's nothing wrong with you either - you may just have to fight a bit harder to get the answers you need. I hope this helps to calm you down about it - try to relax as much as you can, although I know it's very scary.

One more thing - has anyone given you any advice about the gas pain after the lap? Some of the gas that they fill your abdomen with usually gets trapped after the op and the pressure on your diaphragm can cause really horrid shoulder pain, especially if you're not expecting it. Get hold of some peppermint tea or cordial and drink that when it's bad - I've found that the wind-eze tablets you can get at the chemist also help a lot.

You'll be fine

Xxx

Tanners profile image
Tanners

I feel the same, can't help wondering if all the pain is in my head, but then why would I do that to myself?

I've been having pain for about three years now and we still have no answer, urine, bloods etc and ultrasound all came back clear. After reading stuff on here I am going back to the doctors to ask for a lap as I'm starting to think I have endo.

wdwfan1973 profile image
wdwfan1973

I have my first lap on 30 January and this is after 6 years of pain. I'm sure we've all felt like this at one stage, I know I did. I used to think I was going crazy. I'm lucky that my husband has been very understanding and supportive and he has never doubted me. I had a good GP too who was 100% convinced I had endo. It wasn't until an MRI scan showed I had adenomyosis in my uterus (it's stuck to the wall causing a blocked junction which irritates and causes the wall muscles to swell) that my family started taking me seriously and they are now more understanding. I gave up going to A&E in the end as they would only offer me paracetamol and send me home - the one time I was given a note to take the sexual clinic and that my pain was probably down to a sexual disease and to be more careful, in front f my husband?!? We told him what we thought of him! I know it's easier said than done but try not to worry, we don't have pain for no reason and you know your own body. I hope your lap goes well and you get some answers.

Annabel xx

rsmith881 profile image
rsmith881

Hi All,

Thanks for your replies. It is nice to know you are not on your own. I think it is hard as 80% of the time you look well on the outside so people really don't take you seriously.

Annabel can I ask what it was like? Were you in as a day patient? Painful?

xx

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