Is Endometriosis an Auto immune disease?

[june_jdr]

I have read and spoken to some Endometriosis suffers who not only have or had suffered with Endometriosis but also either SLE, Sjogren's, SIRS or Fibro. Anyone experienced the same or have more information on this topic?

[84Rach]

Not to my knowledge (have I experienced it), but there is a big overlap where people with Endo also suffer autoimmune illnesses, I've heard of Crohn's or colitis and rheumatoid arthritis sufferers who have Endo too to add to your list.

Recently, I've looked into Sjogren's, but I'm not sure enough to mention it to the doctor, but I keep finding my eyes are very dry and bloodshot and feel gritty, which is how I stumbled upon Sjogren's, but I may have a few symptoms, just don't want the doctor to think I'm a hypochondriac!

I have had a test for antinuclear antibody (I think it's called) which is used to test for lupus (SLE) and maybe some other autoimmune problems etc but that was negative, which is another thing that I guess would discount Sjogren's.

Another thing I feel I should mention is that my mother had Endometriosis before her hysterectomy, and in her family history there is pernicious anaemia and thyroid problems which I think also have an autoimmune connection.

Looks quite likely that Endometriosis has an autoimmune link, or at least if it is hereditary, it is carried on similar genes to autoimmune problems.

[Hidden in reply to 84Rach]

hi there u say that this endo is hereditary.i also have endo very severe ive also had a hysterectomy because of endometriosis and it isnt no where to be seen in my family.how do we work this one out then.hunnie.x

[84Rach in reply to Hidden]

I didn't say it is hereditary, I said IF it is, but I think there is strong evidence that it can be (I think it was in my case). I guess you can probably inherit it from your father's side too, who wouldn't have any symptoms and even his female relatives might not have symptoms because genes work in strange ways!!!

There is also evidence that other things might cause it, and it might even be a mixture of both... you inherit genes that make you more likely to get endometriosis and if you are exposed to some kind of trigger (I don't know what, maybe the scientists don't even know what!) you might get it.

Unfortunately, I don't think enough research has been done, so the doctors and scientists don't even know enough about it to say for sure whether it is inherited or if it is an autoimmune disease. But a lot of evidence does suggest that these things might be the case.

[Ekmamtae]

Apparently if you have endo you are more likely to have allergies - I know this is true for me - also I am Coeliac which is an auto immune disease - so there could be a connection x