Re: Endo questions and concerns
From: Kim (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Wed May 31 16:31:58 2006
Thanks Jennifer,
It's good to hear someone else had a good experience with the surgery.
I'm hoping mine goes well. It's just scary to think about what they
could find in there. I was hoping if I just ignored my endo or stayed
on birth control, it would eventually go away. Or at the very least I
wouldn't notice it anymore. But it's definitely become a constant,
nagging, debilitating part of my life in the last 9 months. I'm sure
I'll be on here as often as I can for the next few months. It's nice to
find a group of people who can offer advice and speak with experience on
the subject.
Thanks again for your help.
--
Kim
At Wed, 31 May 2006, Jennifer wrote:
>
>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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