"What is endometriosis?". Well, let me enlighten you about this disease.....
endometriosis occurs when endometrial tissue, the tissue that lines the uterus and is shed during menstruation, grows outside of the uterus--on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, the ligaments that support the uterus and other organs in the pelvis cavity. Other possible sights of endometriosis include the bladder, bowel, and the vagina; however, endometriosis can appear almost anywhere in the body.
In some instances, scar tissue may form on the fallopian tubes and ovaries, blocking the releases of the egg and its passage through the tube towards the uterus. This, in turn, may prevent a woman fron being able to become pregnant.
Like the lining of the uterus, areas of endometriosis respond to the hormones of the menstrual cycle. The endometrial areas build up tissue each month, then break down and bleed during menstruation. However, when the endometrial growths outside the uterus bleed, they can irritate the body. The bleeding produced by the endometrial growth is the same blood and tissue that is produced during a normal menstrual flow. Your body reacts to this bleeding by surrounding the blood and tissue with scar tissue.
The build-up of scar tissue is what causes many women with endometriosis t experience chronic pelvic pain. However, the amount of pain a woman may experience is not related to the extent of her endometrial growths. Some women with moderate to severe endometriosis have no pain while others with minimal endometriosis experience severe pain. That is why an accurate diagnosis of the disease is so critical.
What causes endometriosis? The exact cause of endometriosis remains unclear, but medical researchers continue to investigate the cause of the disease and hope such research will eventually lead to a cure. What is known for certain about endometriosis is that it can lead to problems such as infertility, chronic pelvic pain, pain during intercourse, and increasingly painful menstrual discomfort.
How is endometriosis diagnosed? Endometriosis is often diagnosed through a procedure called a laparoscopy. During this minor surgical procedure, a slender light transmitting tube is inserted into your abdomen. This procedure enables your physician to examine the condition of your abdominal organs and check the size and the extent of endometrial growths. If your physician sees any lesions, he or she may treat them surgically. Physicians may follow their surgery with a course of GnRHa (gonadtropin-releasing hormone analogs) therapy to treat any reamaining lesions.
A growing number of physicians rely on the patient's symtoms, history, and clinical workup to diagnose suspected endometriosis.
What I found interesting is that according to the Endometriosis Association ,
"Marilyn Monroe was a victim of endometriosis, putting her in the hospital
repeatedly, contributing to her use of pain-deadening narcotics and
aggravating her psychological problems. Unfortunately, we don't know much
more about the disease now than we did when Marilyn had it."
Here's My Story...
I was diagnosed with endometriosis this
past December. It was quite a relief to be
finally diagnosed with something.
I had my first period at the age of 9. Pretty much from that point on I experienced bad cramps.I was privileged enough to have a period once every 28 days for 5 days. My mother was forever picking me up from school early. I was active in all sports and at 'that time of the month' it hindered me.
My first excrutiating pain was when I was about 18. I remember this sharp, stabbing pain in my left kidney area. Everytime it hit, it about knocked me to my knees.
I went to the doctor and they misdiagnosed it as a UTI(Urianry Track Infection). This was diagnosed at least 4 times on 4 seperate occasions. I was confused and I didn't understand what was happening with my body. I just wanted some answers. Well, I visited my present OB/GYN, and he shed some light on my situation. He put me on continuous birth control pills. That helped for a litle while. When the pains started reoccuring, he ordered a laparoscopy. I had my surgery on August 3, 1998.
The results came back that there was definitely endometriosis. I have a mild case and he removed all that he saw. I also have a pea-size fibroid tumor on my right ovary. He did not removed that however. The doctor says that my fertility is fine.
20 days following my surgery, I got married and felt fine and was able to return to 'normal' activities. :0) My wonderful husband (whom I met on the internet) has been nothing but supportive and understanding through all this. And I love him dearly for it!
Everything was hunky-dory for about a month and then the shooting, stabbing pains started hitting me again. It comes and goes. I have found that when I get stressed out, the pain sets in. I work hard to keep calm.
Today, I started on Depo Lupron injections. I have to admit that after reading some of your stories, I am frightened. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what the future holds for me.....
Well, I finished my Depo Lupron injections in February. All the literature and word of mouth I heard was true! I was cranky, irritable, had hot flashes like you wouldn't believe. I think I got all the side effects. It wasn't unbearable, but it wasn't fun either. I am not NOT looking forward to menopause. But the reason for this update is that my doctor informed me that he wouldn't consider me fertile until I had my first peroid. Well, 3 months went by and I never had one. I was pregnant. I was so excited. The whole thing was such a big suprise to my husband and I. But unfortunately, a few mornings after I found out that I was pregnant, I started to experience an excrutiating pain on my left side. I called my doctor and he advised me to come in. A series of blood tests were run as well as an ultraound, and the diagnosis was that I had a ectopic (tubal) pregnancy. My options at that point were to either have the surgery and have it removed and risk the fact of having permanent scar tissue on my fallopian tubes, have an injection of methotrexate, which is a chemotherapy drug that is very mild and basically poisons the fetal tissue and aborts it, or die. I felt like I wanted to die. The very thought of having to rid of something, someone, that I had already loved and wanted so much hurt more than anything. My husband felt the same sympathies, but wanted me to be okay and alive. So I decided that the injections would be my best chance of being able to still have a family to look forward to. The pain was tolereable, the doctor gave me some mild pain killers, and I went on about my life. The chances of another ectopic are at 25% and go up each time. The way we are looking at it is that for some unknown reason we weren't supposed to have that child at that time. No man has a right to take a child away; that's stepping into God's shoes. Meanwhile, I am carrying on with my life and planning for the future.
I signed the Endometriosis Quilt.
The Endometriosis Quilt has been signed by over 650 women, each telling their story, struggles and how long they suffered before being diagnosed.
I conceived again after 6 months of trying in February. I was just 4 days short of going to have my second laparoscopy to find out why I wasn't getting pregnant. We found out and were over- joyed. Unfortunately, it once again was short-lived. At 10 weeks I went in to have an ultrasound and there was no fetal heartbeat. I didn't really have my hopes up like I did last time; just for this reason. It hurt like hell, but when the time is right....
