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Re: Endo questions and concerns
From: Jennifer (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Wed May 31 15:23:49 2006
Kim,
Welcome. I hope we can help with some of your concerns. I'm also 23
and was diagnosed about 8 months ago. Here's my concern with you, it
sounds like you've been diagnosed by ultrasound. But the only way to
truly get a diagnosis of endometriosis is through laporoscopy. That
also answers another question -- because through the lap, you will also
find out what stage of endometriosis you suffer from. Now it sounds
like you and the doctor have a pretty sure idea that it's endo -- and if
that's the case, my personal recommendation is surgery. I know it's
frightening, I had never even had my wisdom teeth out before this
surgery. But it's one of the best tools of treatment and the only true
diagnostic tool. I refused some of the medications I was offered, but
went through with the surgery and have no regrets.
Of couse, this is my opinion, but i've found many women here who agree
with that. I think you need to keep your July appt. and get some
support here and through family to get through the fear.
Please let me know if I can help you with anything else.
Jennifer A.
Another note -- your pain is not an accurate gauge of the stage of endo
you suffer from, again, the surgery is the only way to know for sure.
At Wed, 31 May 2006, Kim wrote:
>
>Hi,
>
>I joined this forum a couple weeks ago, and since then i've found a lot
>of helpful information from those of you on here. but this forum has
>also opened some new questions for me. i'm 23 years old, and i was
>diagnosed with endometriosis about 9 months ago. i'd been avoiding
>surgery because it's something i hoped i'd never have to do, but the
>pain is so bad and all encompassing at this point that i've finally
>scheduled my surgery for july. at first i was really scared, then i
>started to come to terms with it, but now i'm really scared again after
>reading about some of the really unfortunate things that have happened
>to people.
>
>My questions are, what is stage 4 endometriosis, and how do you know you
>have it? could someone have endometriosis for years and only "feel" it
>when it gets really bad? if my organs were somehow fused together from
>endo, would it have shown up on my ultrasound? also, has anyone
>experience significant and longterm pain relief from surgery and/or
>treatment? my mother had endo in her late 30s, and only had surgery once
>before going into menopause (around 39 i believe. i hope i'm as
>lucky/luckier). she didn't seem to suffer much at all from endo before
>or after her surgery though, but mine is very painful and affects my
>entire body. she had kids at my age though, and had 3 total so i'm
>thinking this was delaying her pain. i don't plan on ever having
>children, so is endo pain something i should resign myself to living
>with forever?
>
>Any helpful info/advice would be appreciated.
>
>Thanks.
>
>--
>Kim
>
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