Endometriosis

[dperkins64013]

Does anyone have Endometriosis? If so, what are your symptoms?

I have really heavy periods (have to change tampons every 2 hours) and have unbearable cramps. When I'm on I have terrible lower back pain and get a little constipated. I'm also tired literally allllll the time, it's even worse when I'm on my period. My cycles are also irregular.

After looking at all the symptoms I'm convinced I may have it but I'm not back st the gynaecologist until October.

For anyone that has Endometriosis, does it sound like I have? X

My oeriod flow wise is fine.
However I get strong cramps, almost contractions. I tend to vomit, faint and sweat. I sometimes get stuck on the loo where I feel I need to poo because of the pressure but at the same time can vomit or faint.
Relief is found in a warm bath or two hot water bottles. Accompanied by crying- this all lasts 6-12 hours and normally I loose it and end up crying. I cannot put a tampon it just cannot tolerate it- suprisingly took me years to figure that put as mum used tampons therefore so did I. Tried pads and although the first day still like I described I wasnt as bad for rest of cycle.

BUT endo can be so different. I have friends with it who have heavy flow like you, cramps but nothing like me. Or friends who are like me, I think it depends where the endometrosis deposits are.

There are loads of endometrosis groups out there. Changing diet can help, I am trying.
Go to the GP and be firm if you want to be checked by a gynae doc. Average length of diagnoses is 7years as GPs are crap a referring "bad periods".

Good luck x

I have to use tampons as I'm so heavy, if I used a pad I would leak within half an hour. But they do hurt but I don't really have any other choice. I get so upset when I'm on because I'm constantly worrying about whether I will leak or not and I just get unbelievably down for the whole week. The pains are terrible, I near on collapsed at work the other day. I get that feeling too, constantly feeling like I need a poo because of the pressure.

I'm under the gynaecologist at the minute, I've had an external and internal ultrasound which have been fine. Also had two day 21 progesterone tests. As far as I know the tests should be done around 7 days before your period is due. So I think my first test was 5 days out (progesterone level 12) and the second test was 2 days out (progesterone level 32). Haven't been back to the gynae yet as my next apt isn't until October so havent had the results discussed. Also waiting on HSG xray results when I go back on my fallopian tubes but I did ring the docs for the results and they said everything was fine.

What can you do about getting diagnosed? I don't want to just get fobbed off when I mention it to the gynaecologist as I know the only concrete way of a diagnosis is a laproscopy x

I had a laparoscopy and a dye test on my tube (only have one). Not had progesterone tests. Bur I have been told to go back to GP if not pregnant in 6 months of trying so maybe that will be a first step.

Sounds like your en route of diagnosis. So maybe a laparoscopy will be next step for you in October.

Hmm, maybe! The dye test on my fallopian tubes was awful. I honestly felt like they'd shoved a butcher's knife up there, I've never been in so much pain!

Good luck with TTC x

I have endo. Symptoms are:

Super heavy (but regular, thankfully!) periods. I started using a menstrual cup a couple of years ago and it's made things SO much easier. Somehow I have less pain, and also I'm able to keep track of how much uterine lining I'm shedding because the cups have measurement lines on them.

Debilitating cramps and pain during bowel motions. It literally feels like early labour when I need to have a poo during my period. Even if there's a bubble of wind moving around inside me the pain is so bad that I double over. It's like someone shoving a hot poker up my bum!

Easily fatigued. I don't have normal energy levels at all and even one or two activities in a day tire me out.

I have/had Endo. I had terribly heavy periods and pain that was bad enough for me to pass out on the loo a few times. I also had terrible diarrhoea for the first couple of days of my period. All now a distant memory after several operations to remove the offending tissue.

I would recommend going private if you can possibly afford it; IME the NHS were unable to diagnose what later proved to be stage 4 endometriosis. I also ended up in A&E twice with terrible pain NOT on my period, which it turned out was caused by a grapefruit-sized cyst on my ovary. When I was finally referred, the consultant suggested leaving it "to see if it resolved itself as they normally do".

When I went private because the pain was too bad for me to function at work, the private gynaecologist diagnosed endo immediately and rushed me into surgery because large cysts on ovaries can twist and cause the ovary to die. They never resolve themselves.

Not meant to frighten you, but important to push to get it resolved. My life is totally unrecognisable since I received successful treatment.

My symptoms are:
Terrible cramps (often starting 2 days before bleeding) to the point that I can't stand up and sometimes makes me vomit.
Lower back pain.
Diarrhoea.
Painful sex.
My cycles range from 28 - 35 days.
I also had a 10cm endometrioma cyst that could be seen clearly sticking out of my abdomen when I was lay down. I had this removed last month.

It's taken me 10 years to be diagnosed. You need to push for a referral to Gynae. I let too many GPs make me feel stupid.

I start taking painkillers -both paracetamol and ibuprofen 2 days before my periods due which helps a lot with pain. If I take the tablets once the pain has started they don't seem to work!
I take daily omega 3 capsules and try and eat a balanced and organic diet as much as I can and drink lots of water.