Endometriosis

[iwantanewlife]

I am 40, no children and I have just been diagnosed with endometriosis. I am so relieved that I have a diagnosis as the pain, fatigue, anxiety and late diagnosis has pretty much ruined my life.

The dr has put me on a progesterone pill -Dienogest.

I maybe being a bit silly but I googled it and have read other women's experience of this medication and many of them expressed feeling depressed and suicidal after a couple of months and therefore stopped taking it.

I experience very severe anxiety and have very low moods. I am so worried that this medication may exacerbate the depression and anxiety. I don't know how I would cope and I'm just really scared. I can't live with the physical pain either - which also impacts my mental health profoundly.

Has anyone tried this medication or anything else that has worked for them?

The only thing that worked of me was a total hysterectomy.

I was lucky that I had an understanding female GP and was referred for surgery.
3years of severe pain that became constant caused depression and anxiety. I refused antidepressants.
turned me into a new woman but this was a number of years ago.
Best thing I ever did and got my life back at the time!

Did you have a surgical diagnosis? If so did the surgeon remove the endo? This is the best treatment. Sometimes it will come back but something's it won't.

I had two surgeries and was taking the normal pill to keep it under control but it wasn't really working. My specialist put me on GnRH treatment which has worked so well for me. You can have it as a monthly injection or twice daily nasal spray. It puts your body into a false menopause. The first couple of months were awful - exhaustion, no pain relief, hot flushes etc then miraculously everything calmed down and I was left with no periods and very minor side effects. Normally the NHS offers 6 months of treatment but I'm allowed to stay on it till I'm hopefully past the menopause, as I started it relatively late in life (44).

I meant to say, try the treatment you've been offered but don't be afraid to ask for something else if it's not working, or the side effects are troubling. But they really should remove the endo first.