I have just been diagonosed with endometriosis, is it normal to feel so tired and drained during menstruation?

[kaz1604]

[cupcakegirl]

Unfortunately fatigue is a common symptom of endo - I used to get it during periods when I was younger but it became more frequent and severe and eventually I was diagnosed with ME as well as the endo.

My point is that it's very easy to assume everything is the endo so it can't hurt to get the doctor to take some blood tests - you might be anaemic or have thyroid issues.

Are you on the pill or anything similar to control the endo and make your periods easier to handle?

x

[kaz1604 in reply to cupcakegirl]

my mum has ME, not that I know whether or not that is hereditary... The doctor has changed me from a combined pill to the progesterone only pill and prescribed me mefenamic acid, but that just seems to have slowed down my periods but not actually dealt with the pain.. Have been tested several time for thyroid and anemia recently and various other things and have all been normal and with a worsening of symptoms is how I finally got my diagnosis of endo x

[cupcakegirl in reply to kaz1604]

Very little is actually known about ME - I've never read anything that suggests its hereditary but that doesn't mean it isn't. Having said that, if you had ME you would most likely be feeling severely fatigued all the time and not just during periods. If you are fatigued all the time, struggle with sleeping through the night and it takes you a lot longer to recover from any exertion then I would speak to your GP. You mention below that you're managing to exercise - if that's the case, it probably isn't ME, although it may be that you have a higher stamina because you're used to exercising. Normally though, it would take a long time for an ME sufferer to recover from exercise - sometimes days or weeks.

It's good that you've been tested for anaemia and thyroid problems. Is there any reason the doctor changed you from the combined pill to the progesterone only pill (aka mini pill)? If the pill you're on isn't working for you, ask to try another one - I would ask to try some different combined pills and once you've found one that works you can tricycle it so you only have a period every 10th week rather than after every 3rd week. This should make your life easier and stop the endo from bleeding as often. However, it won't make the endo go away - drugs like zoladex can shrink it but only surgery can remove it (of course it's likely to come back again afterwards but lots of ladies get several years of relief after a lap, especially if the surgeon used excision).

Mefanamic acid is an anti-inflammatory (painkiller) similar to ibuprofen but a little stronger - it this isn't controlling your pain you should ask your gp for stronger pain relief. You could take codeine and paracetamol with the MA, and possibly replace the MA with a stronger anti-inflammatory called Voltarol. If that's still not enough, the codeine can be replaced with stronger opioid drugs like tramadol or morphine but hopefully that won't be necessary.

Dont worry too much about your fertility at this stage - less than half of endo sufferers have impaired fertility (the last figure I saw was 40%). Unless your gynae has told you that your tubes appeared damaged during your lap or they've given you any other information to suggest its a problem, try not to panic about it. Having said that, it's a good idea to limit your periods as much as possible so the endo does as little bleeding as it can as this spreads the endo and can cause adhesions - tricycling the pill is a good way to do this without too many side effects.

X

[kaz1604 in reply to cupcakegirl]

The doctor advised me to go on the mini pill to have less oestrogen going into my body, but I hadn't thought about having less periods. I will discuss this with my doctor thanks for the advice x

[cupcakegirl in reply to kaz1604]

Less oestrogen isn't a bad idea at all, but I'm not sure you can tricycle the mini pill - if you can skip the break week and run three packs together, then it's a good idea. However, if you can't, you have to weigh up adding oestrogen (which can cause endo to grow) and more periods (which causes the endo to bleed and spread, and adhesions to form). If you take a pill like Loestrin 20 with a low dose of oestrogen it shouldn't be too much of an issue.

Good luck with it all

x

[EndofTether]

I know exactly what you are talking about. I just have no energy. You may have seen from my post that I am recovering from an operation and find it difficult to do the exercises I have been given by the Physio's because I feel so tired all the time. It's so frustrating. It's causing problems between myself and my husband.

[kaz1604 in reply to EndofTether]

no luckily at the moment I am able to keep up with my previous exercise regime but I literally work, exercise then sleep I have no energy for anything else. Not to mention my biggest fear is my fertility I am 26 and would like to start a family.

[mrsgoogle]

I've had more info from cupcake girl in a week that ten years of seeing doctors seriously! Try not to worry about your fertility now. When you do decide to start a family your anxiety will make you less likely to catch anyway. Worry about it when it happens, not before. If it's any consolation I have never had fertility issues. I'm a mum to three. Xx