Endo support

1) Diagnosis. How long did you have endo symptoms before you were diagnosed and did you have any negative responses from medical professionals?
- I still haven't been officially diagnosed with endo but I've not come accross anyone who just said get on with it. MY GP, Gnae, Naturopath and Accupuncturist (and yoga tutor! lol) have all been fantastic so far!

2) What treatments have you had/been offered and how did you find them?
- I've dove pretty much everything other than have the laparoscopy! I've been on the pill (made me go loopy), did Hathra (sp?) yoga (I personally feel this made my periods heavier, could also be coincidence tho), all sorts of concoctions from the Naturopath to ease clotting, cramping etc (Helped heaps with the clotting and cramps during AF but not with the cramps I get during the rest of my cycle), accupuncture was great and I felt like a million dollars for about a week after, but then the pain came back and again my periods were a lot heavier as she was increasing the energy and blood flow around my uterus, but I was pain free. I had to stop this treatment though because I don't have $75 a week!

3) Describe what it feels like when you are having an endo attack.
- It's different for each time in my cycle. When I get the pain around ovulation time, it feels like a red hot poker is being driven into my hip (front of pelvis) and is being twisting around. Pain comes in peaks then drops off again over about 48 hours. That's pretty full on and I get the cold sweats from that. Then I get pain leading up to AF which is like a really dull ache, but constant - same as the couple of days just after AF too. When I have AF I can only describe the pains as that of contractions (apparently your cervix dilates to pass the large clots, just like it does when in labour - so that explains that pain). That pain peaks from cycle day 1 through to cycle day 4 (I have 7-8 day AFs). I would say I'm in pain about 80% of the time over those few days. Just after I get a really bad cramp/contraction I also get really bad dioreha (sp?) sorry if TMI but it's like water when it happens.

4) What have you found can give you relief from an endo attack?
- Just breathing through it, just like I did when I was in labour. Panadol helps a bit too. I've taken Tramadol and Pethadiene but both made me feel really drugged up so I steer clear of those if I can

5) How has having endo impacted on your career/education?
- I have quite a bit of sick time off either with AF/Ov pains or I'm always getting any bug that goes around, which I thought had more to do with my asthma, but according to my Naturopath endo is an Auto-Immune illness that effects your immune system so it is expected that I would get everything going around and maybe a worse dose of it as my body has to work harder to get over it. Either that or I'm just a sickly specimen! lol Lucky for me I have a very understanding Boss and unlimited sick leave.

6) How has having endo affected your emotional health?
- Not good at all! I've been on the edge of depression since last August and it doesn't take much for me to blow my top when I'm mid or end cycle (My poor DH! )

7) Have you experienced fertility issues as a result of having endometriosis? (Please detail.)
- This is how all this investigative stuff started. I've had progressively worse AFs and Ovulations (pain wise) since I had Caitlin and when the Locum GP heard it took us 18 months of TTC to get Caitlin she classed me as "sub-fertile" and after hearing my symptoms she said I was a textbook endo case and advised me to see a specialist. I've been charting on and off since last July and recently I have had 3 cycles where I have not ovulated. I know I have always ovulated before as I can feel when it is about to happen.

8) Have you any comments to offer to a woman who suspects she may have endo and is trying to get a diagnosis?
- I advise anyone on here to see Anil Sharma! He's the Oh Baby Gnae advisor and came very highly recommended by Emma and Bombshell and a few others that know of him (as well as my GP). He has been fantastic throughout this whole ordeal! He isn't the kind of Gnae who wants to open you up "just in case" he wants to work with you to help you and doesn't have any problems with you seeking alternative medical help, he listens to your concerns and helps you through them the best he can. He knows I'm really scared about this op on Monday and has been very supportive!

9) Have you any comments to offer to a woman who has recently been diagnosed with endometriosis?
- not at the moment as I am still waiting to be officially diagnosed! Perhaps I'll come back here after Monday and let you know

1) Diagnosis. How long did you have endo symptoms before you were diagnosed and did you have any negative responses from medical professionals?

I had always had heavy periods, really bad period pain and severe PMS, and bowel trouble (I have IBS as well) but it was put down as I just was one of those people. Started getting a lot worse my 2nd year at Uni and I was in constant pain with contractions in my uterus at all times of the month. Finally had my lap in July that year (they did it at the same time as some other procedures) and was diagnosed.

2) What treatments have you had/been offered and how did you find them?

None so far, but I've had a huge amount of problems that had the potential to be significantly worse so they've been top of the priority list. I have been told that my best bet is to have any children I want children now, rather than waiting. I have had one lap so far, and no doubt will require another one at some stage because I can feel the attacks getting significantly worse again.

3) Describe what it feels like when you are having an endo attack.

Sore!! I get constant cramping/stretching sensations in my pelvis/abdomen, and frequently have the runs when I get the cramps.

4) What have you found can give you relief from an endo attack?

I used to take Naprogesic and Nurofen, the combination worked for me.

5) How has having endo impacted on your career/education?

I ended up getting a compassionate withdrawal from my second year at Uni as due to my health problems (endo, cysts, IBS, CIN 3 cells) I was under an immense amount of stress and I was missing too much Uni due to pain and depression.

6) How has having endo affected your emotional health?
I worry a lot about children, and having them, whether I can have them or not. I've had 3 pregnancies, all ending in m/c, and I wonder if endo has contributed. I have had bouts of depression as well.

7) Have you experienced fertility issues as a result of having endometriosis? (Please detail.)

Only recurrent m/c, but I'm not sure if that's a result of endo or not.

8) Have you any comments to offer to a woman who suspects she may have endo and is trying to get a diagnosis?

Don't stop until you have answers. Not knowing what is wrong with you, when you know it is something, drives you round the bend. I only got action as I refused to leave hospital (at the time I was having a m/c but they couldn't tell me if I was or wasn't, or what was going on, and I was being seen in the early pregnancy clinic) until something was done. And I mean I literally refused to leave - by the time we left, the clinic had been shut, it was deserted, all the lights were off etc. 2 weeks later I had my lap.

9) Have you any comments to offer to a woman who has recently been diagnosed with endometriosis?

Not really, as I have not long been diagnosed myself. I'm still on a fact-finding mission myself (I like your threads busymum, they're very very informative and help a lot).