I sent your question to Dr. Philip Sarrel, Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at
Yale University School of Medicine. Here is his reply:
------
MDR,
You certainly have a complicated gyn history: hysterectomy for adenomyosis when you were 34 and then removal of your Fallopian tubes two years later and now a combination of symptoms including pain with intercourse, abdominal pain and chest pain severe enough to warrant a medical work-up.
An ultrasound found your ovaries looking normal. A laparoscopy (a look inside your abdomen) was suggested.
Could all this be due to endometriosis ? Sure. Endometriosis is when tissue that normally lines the cavity inside the uterus grows outside of it-on the ovaries, throughout the abdominal cavity and in the spaces around your vagina affecting the bladder and the rectum. When that happens, intercourse is usually painful. The presence of endometriosis would be diagnosed by a laparoscope and I vote in favor of your having that procedure.
What about the chest pain ? There is a real possibility that fluctuation in your ovaries' estrogen production could trigger the chest pain. That occurs most often with onset of menstruation but also can occur with ovulation. In our studies we have seen the chest pain that relates to the menstrual cycle is also associated with feeling very anxious and with sleep disturbance. And also, with periods of feeling hot and cold.
When you don't have any menstrual flow, it's harder to figure out if the chest pain would've been associated with a period. The idea of an oral contraceptive pill is a good one. The idea of the once a month injection, in my opinion, is not a good idea. I'd be
concerned it could aggravate the chest pain and the pain with intercourse. But first, go ahead with the laparoscopy so that your
doctor has a clear idea of what you're dealing with.
Dr. Sarrel
-------
MDR.
Dpes that help you? Please come back and update us on what you decide to do and what you find out.
Comment Reply
MDR1963,
I sent your question to Dr. Philip Sarrel, Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at
Yale University School of Medicine. Here is his reply:
------
MDR,
You certainly have a complicated gyn history: hysterectomy for adenomyosis when you were 34 and then removal of your Fallopian tubes two years later and now a combination of symptoms including pain with intercourse, abdominal pain and chest pain severe enough to warrant a medical work-up.
An ultrasound found your ovaries looking normal. A laparoscopy (a look inside your abdomen) was suggested.
Could all this be due to endometriosis ? Sure. Endometriosis is when tissue that normally lines the cavity inside the uterus grows outside of it-on the ovaries, throughout the abdominal cavity and in the spaces around your vagina affecting the bladder and the rectum. When that happens, intercourse is usually painful. The presence of endometriosis would be diagnosed by a laparoscope and I vote in favor of your having that procedure.
What about the chest pain ? There is a real possibility that fluctuation in your ovaries' estrogen production could trigger the chest pain. That occurs most often with onset of menstruation but also can occur with ovulation. In our studies we have seen the chest pain that relates to the menstrual cycle is also associated with feeling very anxious and with sleep disturbance. And also, with periods of feeling hot and cold.
When you don't have any menstrual flow, it's harder to figure out if the chest pain would've been associated with a period. The idea of an oral contraceptive pill is a good one. The idea of the once a month injection, in my opinion, is not a good idea. I'd be
concerned it could aggravate the chest pain and the pain with intercourse. But first, go ahead with the laparoscopy so that your
doctor has a clear idea of what you're dealing with.
Dr. Sarrel
-------
MDR.
Dpes that help you? Please come back and update us on what you decide to do and what you find out.
March 3, 2010 - 10:45amThis Comment
Reply