Endo or GI related?

have been experiencing lower left pain around my ovary area over the past few months.  But first a bit of my medical history...

I experienced this same type of lower left pelvis pain and was at first diagnosed with a 4.6cm complex hemorrhagic cyst in early 2007.  Then after 6 weeks of being diagnosed with the cyst it ruptured.  My doctor thought that the pain I experienced was from the cyst because it was on my left ovary, but after the cyst ruptured and my doctor referred me for all the tests in the world you can possibly think of, they all came back either negative or showed everything looking normal.  I still continued to have the pain. It wasn't until late August that I was referred to a gynaecologist and he recommended a laparoscopy to check for endometriosis that we found what we thought was/is the cause.

In mid October last year I had the laparoscopy and was diagnosed with stage 2 endometriosis and at the time of surgery there was another small ovarian cyst which my gynaecologist said was an endometrioma cyst starting to form.  The intense pain I experienced not only with my periods but throughout my entire cycle was gone basically right after my recovery from the surgery and I really started to feel better.  Before my surgery I also experienced pain with sex, pain with bowel movements, fatigue and severe lower back pain.  Then about 6 weeks following my surgery, I started having bowel problems - I had the worst constipation and was diagnosed by my regular doctor as having IBS and was told to up my fibre intake and was given some laxatives to start helping me out.

Things started to improve towards mid January 2008 as far as the bowel movements went, but then in February the lower left pelvic pain started flaring up again and a couple of days I had what felt exactly like period cramping, although I wasn't on my period.  I went back to my regular doctor and explained to him that it started to feel like it did before my endometriosis diagnoses, although not as bad and severe.  He sent me for an ultrasound and back to my gynaecologist and turned out I had another cyst, this time a 4.5cm simple ovarian cyst on my left ovary. My birth control pill was changed to a little higher dose pill and I was told by my gynaecologist that we would wait and see whether the cyst resolves on it's own. It didn't and ruptured 4 weeks ago!  The pain continued though and after seeing my gynaecologist for a follow up and after asking him whether it could be the endometriosis coming back again, he said that he didn't think it could or would be the endometriosis again yet, because I only had the surgery 7 months ago and it couldn't have come back that quick and he said that he thinks it might be my bowels/colon. My gynaecologist did however say that if the GI specialist can't find anything and that if the GI specialist doesn't think it's bowel related that I have to go back and see my gynaecologist and that he would do another laparoscopy to check for endometriosis or possible scar tissue that could have formed from my surgery.

I went to see my regular doctor and he has given me a referral to a GI specialist that I will be seeing on 6 June.  My regular doctor said that I might have to have an upper endoscopy and colonoscopy, however it would depend on what the GI specialist thinks/says I guess.  I have been having continuous nausea now for over 6 weeks and although some days it comes and goes, other days it's constant and killing me!!

Also, over the past 3 months I have been using birth control (as recommended by my gynaecologist) and started my first period after 3 months and it was intensely painful and the cramping was severe just like before my surgery.  Does this mean anything?

Has anyone experienced the same thing or similar symptoms and has anyone with endometriosis had their endometriosis come back after surgery?  If this is not a gynaecological issue, does it sound like it could be a GI issue?  Any experiences?

Thank you.

[bex83]

hi there i had a lap in feb this year for stage 3 endo and cysts and i went back for a follow up appointment and my gyno explained the endo can grow back within 6 months in the same place as well as the scar tissue is still there so im confused to!, its not cureable is it so never rule it out the only way you can be 100% is to have another lap if its causing you that much discomfort and as for the pain its just awful i know how you feel as for birth control i was fitted with the merina coil when i had the lap but it caused me so much pain i had it removed also i read that it can cause cysts to grow so i had it removed i still get all the endo symtoms (symptoms) back pain,sick throbbing pains the list goes on i hope you talk to your gyno and get this sorted hope you feel better soon hugs :-)