Endometriosis

Question: What is the connection between endometriosis and hair loss? Is there a possible connection between endometriosis and hair loss? What's the solution to these problems? The doctor prescribed birth control pills, but it made me feel depressed. Now what?

Answer: As far as I know there is no link between endo and hair loss, except that both involve hormones and hormone problems, albeit different kinds of hormones. I'm definitely not an expert, though. Have you looked into or heard of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome)? That DOES cause hair loss. See http://www.pcosupport.org/medical/whatis.php If you've been diagnosed with endo I highly recommend doing a ton of research to learn as much about it as you can. The Endometriosis Association, at http://www.endometriosisassn.org/, is an excellent place to start.

Question: What are options for treatment of endometriosis other than birth control or surgery? I have already been on birth control for 9 years, and I can't afford a laparoscopy because I have crappy insurance. Are there any other treatment methods for endometriosis?

Answer: This is an option I am considering for myself, and most insurances are covering it since it's non-invasive and non-surgical. Check out www.daretowearwhite.com

Question: How long can a woman have endometriosis before she gets diagnosed? Is it possible for a woman to have endometriosis for a number of years before having it diagnosed? If so, will that interfer with child birth ( premature birth and miscarriages) and does it cause discharge and excessive clotting while having your cycle?

Answer: Not only is it possible, it's the standard for women and girls with the disease, unfortunately. The average overall delay in diagnosis is a staggering NINE years, throughout the course of seeing FIVE different doctors before someone takes her pain seriously. It's a tragedy the way this disease is minimized and ignored overall. Undiagnosed/untreated Endo is a leading cause of female infertility and if left alone, can definitely cause the inability to conceive and/or miscarry. It's important to get early and EFFECTIVE treatment, early on...most women with Endo have pelvic pain and other signs of Endo during their teen years, but this often goes unaddressed. With proper treatment (see www.centerforendo.com for superior care), resolve of infertility and long-term symptom relief is totally possible. There are no long-terms studies addressing premature birth and Endo, but the ERC (www.endocenter.org) has anecdotal data showing complicated pregancies in a high number of their members with Endo. The discharge and clotting may be due in part to Endo but sounds more like adenomyosis, which is Endometriosis of the muscular lining of the uterus (myometrium). It is very common in women with pelvic and abdominal Endo. Good luck to you and remember you're not alone - help is out there. Check the sites I gave you.

Question: What is the difference between adnometriosis and endometriosis? I just had a laparoscopic done yesterday. I thought the symtoms I had were endometriosis, but turns out it's some adnometriosis. Whats's the difference? Thanks for your input :)

Answer: Endometriosis occurs when the tissue that normally lines the uterus (the endometrium) is found in sites outside the uterus. The misplaced tissue implants itself onto the surface of the tissue or organ where it has been deposited and begins to grow and function. Symptoms can include: - Period pain - Abdominal, back and/or pelvic pain - Heavy or irregular bleeding - Bowel or bladder symptoms - Infertility - Premenstrual symptoms - Tiredness - Mood changes - Bloating Adenomyosis is a condition in which tissue that normally lines the uterus (endometrium) also grows within the muscular walls of the uterus. This is most likely to happen late in your childbearing years and after you've had children. Adenomyosis isn't the same as endometriosis, although women with adenomyosis often also have endometriosis. The cause of adenomyosis remains unknown, but the disease typically disappears after menopause. For women who experience severe discomfort from adenomyosis, there are treatments that can help, but hysterectomy is the only cure. Although adenomyosis can be quite painful, the condition is generally harmless. In some women, adenomyosis is "silent" causing no signs or symptoms or only mildly uncomfortable. But other women with adenomyosis may experience: - Heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding - Severe cramping or sharp, knife-like pelvic pain during menstruation (dysmenorrhea) - Menstrual cramps that last throughout your period and worsen as you get older - Pain during intercourse - Bleeding between periods - Passing blood clots during your period - Your uterus may increase to double or triple its normal size. Although you might not know if your uterus is enlarged, you may notice that your lower abdomen seems bigger or feels tender. I would recommend that you discuss your treatment options with your gynaecologist. Good luck :)

Question: What are the diferences between dysmenorrhea and endometriosis? how can i defferentiate the symptoms of these illness? my mom use to have dysmenorrhea then when she got old, she now has endometriosis. Am I capable of having one too cuz its starting to freak me out! like, how do i know if i have one w/o even going to the doctor and have it checked?

Answer: Dysmenorrhea is a menstrual condition characterized by severe and frequent menstrual cramps and pain associated with menstruation. The following are the most common symptoms ofdysmenorrhea. However, each adolescent may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include: cramping in the lower abdomen pain in the lower abdomen low back pain pain radiating down the legs nausea vomiting diarrhea fatigue weakness fainting headaches The symptoms of dysmenorrhea may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis. Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (the endometrial stroma and glands, which should only be located inside the uterus) is found elsewhere in the body. Endometriosis lesions can be found anywhere in the pelvic cavity: on the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, and on the pelvic sidewall. Other common sites include the uterosacral ligaments, the cul-de-sac, the Pouch of Douglas, and in the rectal-vaginal septum. The most common symptom of endometriosis is pelvic pain. The pain often correlates to the menstrual cycle, but a woman with endometriosis may also experience pain that doesn’t correlate to her cycle. For many women, the pain of endometriosis is so severe and debilitating that it impacts their lives in significant ways.

Question: What are the chances of miscarriage for someone with endometriosis? And what are the chances of miscarriage for someone with no endometriosis? Please give me some percentages. If you have a link to your source, I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

Answer: Some physicians in the infertility field do feel there is an increase in the risk of miscarriage with endometriosis. Some feel there is no increase in the miscarriage rate

Question: Can endometriosis cause superficial pain instead of deep pain? I have many symptoms of endometriosis but my pain during intercourse has only been deep a few times and is mostely near the outside of the vagina. (About 1 inch in is when I feel the pain). Is this possible with endometriosis?

Answer: Yes, it can be possible for endometriosis to cause superficial pain instead of deep pain. Based on your symptoms it could also be an indication of a condition called vulvodynia (a painful condition of the external genital area called the vulva), but this is an example only. One of the classic symptoms of this condition like with endometriosis is painful intercourse. However, I would recommend checking with your doctor as well to see what they say.

Question: How long does it take a woman to become infertile when having endometriosis? I have endometriosis, and i need to know how long i can go without treatment before i become infertile. I also need to know that if i was to get either procedure done for "curing" endometriosis, as i'm sure it won't be, but would i still be able to get pregnant a few years later after receiving one or both of the treatments?

Answer: Two part answer... 1) There is no definitive answer as to how long any patient has before the disease renders her infertile. Indeed, the disease is the leading cause of primary and secondary infertility, and stages 3 + 4 are associated with higher rates of infertility, BUT, having said that, there are plenty of Endo patients who go on to have healthy children. Surgical and perhaps even IVF treatment/intervention may be needed in some cases, and infertility often resolves if the disease is properly treated, but overall, by and large - if a woman with Endo wants a baby, chances are very good that she will have a baby. If you are asymptomatic, there is no reason to assume at the outset that you have the more severe form of disease that requires treatment sooner rather than later. If you find after 6 mos. to a year of trying to conceive that you are unable, and/or begin experiencing pain and other symptoms, then treatment should be performed. See www.centerforendo.com for info on excision as the superior method of treatment. 2.) There is no cure for Endometriosis. There are different treatment options, up to and including the meticulous excision procedure outlined at the URL provided above, but there is no absolute cure. Excision surgeries, as well as the less thorough vaporization surgical methods, do not cause infertility; on the contrary, they help by removing or at least reducing disease. You would absolutely be able to get pregnant down the road, unless of course, you decided on a hysterectomy (which is also not curative and should not be chosen lightly). No matter what you choose, I do hope you feel better soon.

Question: What are the symptoms of severe endometriosis? My doctor thinks I have endometriosis because my period is irregular, painful, and I have been trying to get pregnant for 4 years and no luck. I had a pelvic exam done on Jan. 19th, and i was very tender up in there, and my period came on Feb 7th and it hurt so bad, nothing would stop the pain. I have never hurt that bad in my life. My back and pelvis was hurting terrible too. Do you think I have stage 4 endometriosis?

Answer: I was diagnosed with endrometriosis 4 or 5 years ago. I had to go through about 2 years of testing before they determined what it was. Several times they thought I had a tubal pregnancy the pain was so severe. They also though I had ovarian cysts. Ultra sounds, vaginal probes, blood work, none of it showed any signs of what my issue was. I finally opted for explorative surgery (which is the only way they can determine endrometriosis for sure.) The scar tissue was so severe, they told me I would never have kids, one laser scraping would not be enough, I needed to have my parts removed. I refused. So I was prescribed birht control to help ease the pain (it helped, a little.) Let me tell you, my back would hurt, my left leg would go numb, cramps so severe I actually passed out, and if anyone touched my left side, I was crying for hours. Do I think you have it? Sounds like. But only way to know is surgery. And do NOT listen to a doctor if they say you can not get pregnant. Took a LOT to get here, but I am expecting a little girl in April. :) Good luck

Question: Why does endometriosis make it difficult to conceive? Although my cycles are regular, every 28 days, I have painful cramps during my period which make me think I might have endometriosis. I've also been trying to conceive for 8 months with no luck. So just wondering, why is it that women who have endometriosis have a more difficult time conceiving?

Answer: My mother and her mother and her sisters and myself all of endometriosis. My mother was able to have my brother and i after having numerous doctors tell her she couldn't. And her mother had three daughters herself. I honestly don't know much about it, except that it tears apart and scars your ovaries and other internal organs, making it hard to have children. I'm not quite at the age where i want kids, so i haven't researched it too much yet, but here's a site that could have some good information. I'm so sorry you have endometriosis, i know how terrible it is. http://www.endo-resolved.com/infertility.html

Question: Endometriosis? I have asked a few questions already concerneing endometriosis. I am currently on Neproxin for pain. I was wondering if anyone knew of good pain relieve. I am interested in any thoughts. Also if there are herbal remedies that help?

Answer: I have suffered with endo for years. I have found no pain reliever to eleviate the pain. I also tried acupunture which didn't help. Motrin can help a little but not enough. If your pain is that severe, then consider the surgery. I had the surgery but I only had one month of relief before it came back. After I have my baby, I plan on having both of my ovaries removed to help with the pain as my doctor recommends. Good Luck with your pain management.

Question: What is the chance that endometriosis will show up somewhere else in my body? An endometrial cyst developed in my left ovary when I was 17 or so. Now I have a second one. I'm 21 now. What's the chance that endometriosis will show up in another ovary or somewhere else in my pelvic region?

Answer: I can't give you exactly answer because i did not take your case report and did not know your examination findings, but there is study suggest that there is 10% chance per year (for every year) after conservative treatment of Endometriosis. However there is great individual varieties here. Best wishes.

Question: What is early pregnancy like for someone with endometriosis? I have had endometriosis for the last few years and was on birth control to help to keep it from speading. The doctor told me when I wanted to get pregnant just to stop the birth control right before so I went off of birth control about a month and a half ago hoping to get pregnant while I can. During the last few weeks I have had a lot of stomach cramping and nausea and sharp pains in my abdomen area, especially slightly on the right side. I seem to have some early pregnancy symptoms, nausea, swollen breasts, and cramping, but my period is not for about a week, and I did try a pregnancy test but of course I got a negative because it's too soon anyway. Does it sound like I could be pregnant? What are early pregnancy symptoms like for someone who has endometriosis? Is it just a little more painful than a regular pregnancy?

Answer: It does sound like you could possible be pregnant. Early pregnancy Signs: • 10. Tender, swollen breasts • 9. Fatigue • 8. Implantation bleeding • 7. Nausea or vomiting • 6. Increased sensitivity to odors • 5. Abdominal bloating • 4. Frequent urination • 3. A missed period • 2. Your basal body temperature stays high • 1. The proof: A positive home pregnancy test This is how it was for my sister. She was diagnosed when she was 19, had troubles all her life, with pain, also with ovarian cysts, with her sex life, etc….you name it, she had it. She was put on bc pills before she decided to get pregnant. She herself didn’t have problems becoming pregnant and everything was great in pregnancy….i remember she told me she couldn’t believe that there was no pain. It was the same during breastfeeding but once she finished with the breastfeeding, the pain was gone. You may decide to start using bc pills after your pregnancy, without the sugar pills in order to prevent ovulation. Acetaminophen can help you and it is safe during pregnancy! http://www.americanpregnancy.org/womensh… http://www.endometriosisassn.org.

Question: Is there any cure for endometriosis without getting an operation? Young girl of 19 years suffer from endometriosis and want to know if there is anything she can do to be healed without an operation?

Answer: There are medications that can help, but surgery is the best long term prognosis. Oral contraceptives or GnRH agonists would be the possible medications. Frequently all three are used at different times. First surgery (laproscopy) is performed to confirm diagnosis, and remove whatever scarring and endometrial implants present. Followed by a course of GnRH agonists to further regress any implants not seen or removed by surgery. This if frequently followed by Oral contraceptives indefinitely to keep menstrual periods lite to lessen the likelihood of retrograde bleeding and new implants. Most doctors would agree, this is the most successful course of treatment and is more likely to preserve fertility. When and if she wishes to become pregnant she would stop the O.C.'s I was diagnosed with endometriosis 17yrs ago. My treatment was very successful. I would not say I am cured but I am much, much better. She is a young women and should seek aggressive treatment, waiting increases her chances of infertility and chronic pelvic pain.

Question: Is it possible to have endometriosis without having had a child? Someone told me that you have to have had a child before you can get endometriosis.

Answer: They were wrong. Actually, it is a main cause of infertility. You can have endometriosis without having had a child.

Question: how long is it until endometriosis stops the ability to be pregnant? I have endometriosis, I didn't find out till a few days ago. And I would like to know how long it would take for it to process before it stops the possibility to be pregnant?

Answer: That's a false misconception. My OBGYN told me 42 yrs ago that I had endometriosis and the best way to make it better (for lack of a better word) was pregnancy. There's something about the hormones and pregnancy that helps the endometriosis. I had 4 children without incident. I felt so much better during pregnancy, no pain or anything. It was when I decided not to have any more children that the endometriosis really came back with a vengeance. I ended up have a complete hysterectomy at 35 because of it. So don't worry about having a baby, it will not affect it any way. I know there will be a lot of women out there saying I'm wrong, but I am living proof you can get pregnant with endometriosis.