I have so much empathy for you. I also suffered with endometriosis. I probably had it for about 20 years but the last 10 years were the most troublesome, since it tends to get worse before it gets better.
Were you ever on birth control pills? My endometriosis was controlled pretty well during the years that I was on the pill. I know that you have had a tubal ligation and that your family is finished, but I wonder if asking your doctor about going on birth control bills would be any help to you. Since they stop ovulation, they also stop the buildup of much of the endometrium.
Has your doctor ever suggested a laparoscopy to basically "clean out" all the old tissue lesions? I had two, two years apart. The tissue does build up again, of course, but I had so much that there had been scarring from the adhesions. Surgery, even laparoscopic surgery, is never something to be taken lightly, I know. But I got quite a bit of relief after the procedures.
I also hope that your doctor prescribes good pain medication for the intense days. You should not have rely on over-the-counter medication, because chances are you have to take too much of it to even get much help. My original GP was not well-versed in endometriosis, but when I found a gynecologist who was, one of the first things he said was that the amount of pain I was having was much higher than I should have to endure. Pain management is important here.
Perimenopause DOES actually bring some relief, as your cycles slowly move farther apart and your hormone levels decrease. But at 32, you may be many years away from perimenopause, so you are right to tackle this problem -- and its pain -- assertively.
Do you have enough solid information about endometriosis? I want to refer you to endometriosis.org, a site full of info, research, FAQs and links. This page lists books about endometriosis from different points of view. One of them may be perfect for you:
http://www.endometriosis.org/books.html
The most important thing I can tell you is that you need a doctor who is very familiar with endometriosis. Does yours fit that bill?
Comment Reply
Nubianqueen,
I have so much empathy for you. I also suffered with endometriosis. I probably had it for about 20 years but the last 10 years were the most troublesome, since it tends to get worse before it gets better.
Were you ever on birth control pills? My endometriosis was controlled pretty well during the years that I was on the pill. I know that you have had a tubal ligation and that your family is finished, but I wonder if asking your doctor about going on birth control bills would be any help to you. Since they stop ovulation, they also stop the buildup of much of the endometrium.
Has your doctor ever suggested a laparoscopy to basically "clean out" all the old tissue lesions? I had two, two years apart. The tissue does build up again, of course, but I had so much that there had been scarring from the adhesions. Surgery, even laparoscopic surgery, is never something to be taken lightly, I know. But I got quite a bit of relief after the procedures.
I also hope that your doctor prescribes good pain medication for the intense days. You should not have rely on over-the-counter medication, because chances are you have to take too much of it to even get much help. My original GP was not well-versed in endometriosis, but when I found a gynecologist who was, one of the first things he said was that the amount of pain I was having was much higher than I should have to endure. Pain management is important here.
Perimenopause DOES actually bring some relief, as your cycles slowly move farther apart and your hormone levels decrease. But at 32, you may be many years away from perimenopause, so you are right to tackle this problem -- and its pain -- assertively.
Do you have enough solid information about endometriosis? I want to refer you to endometriosis.org, a site full of info, research, FAQs and links. This page lists books about endometriosis from different points of view. One of them may be perfect for you:
http://www.endometriosis.org/books.html
The most important thing I can tell you is that you need a doctor who is very familiar with endometriosis. Does yours fit that bill?
November 20, 2009 - 9:23amThis Comment
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