My Gyno Thinks I Have Endometriosis

[Teef18]

After years of being in pain from the time I started my period at 11 years old to being 19 almost 20 years old now, I went to the gynecologist for the first time today. He thinks I have Endometriosis based only my symptoms of severe cramping (800 mg of ibuprofen does nothing), pain mostly on the left side when not on my period, painful bowel movements, irregular periods, pressure/tightening feeling in abdomen when laying down, and so on (I also have 2 aunts who had endometriosis and ended up getting hysterectomies). He said based on my age he doesn't want to risk doing a laparoscopy right now and said even it they do the laparoscopy and it comes back that it is 100% surgically diagnosed endo that all he would do is put me on birth control anyways to stop my periods. So he suggested going straight on the birth control. He started me on Ortho-Novum 1/35-28 and wants me to take the first 3 weeks of the pack and skip the sugar pills and start right on the next pack and only take the sugar pills every three months to have a period 4 times a year only.

Being new to all of this I am just looking for other woman out there who have been through similar situations as well as looking into getting some advice on what has worked for you to control symptoms besides the birth control. Thanks in advance.

[ticked]

good luck :)

[Teef18]

Thanks for the advice ticked. I actually work for the largest healthcare provider in my state so I can get a referral at work tomorrow from our referrals specialist. Thanks for all your advice!

[ticked]

Personally I am going to say I don't agree with what he said. I know I am not allowed to say certain things on here but how can you be diagnosed with something and take medication for it if it hasn't been surgically diagnosed (As that is the only way Endo can be diagnosed) You can take pills to stop your periods ya, but that doesn't stop the growth of the disease.

If he is saying he "doesn't want to risk laparoscopy right now" Then to me that says he doesn't know how to surgically remove the disease with confidence.

From my experience it took 14 yrs to diagnose and I was told that surgery would do nothing for me and to take lupron. I refused because I wasn't going to do something so drastic without knowing I had Endo or not. I pushed for surgery but I also pushed for an Endo specialist and I am glad I did.

If you want to let me know where abouts you are I can guide you to good Endo surgeons. A skilled surgeon does these surgeries daily so there is nothing complicated about them that is why its called minimally invasive. If a surgeon doesn't feel confident removing the Endometriosis I wouldn't stay with him but that is me and I can't tell you what to do as I am only an advocate and sufferer myself. I am not allowed to give medical advice but just pretty much tell you my experiences.

If you want to look at my profile, journals as well as my blogs there are free for you to read.

I should also say yes the continous BCP helped me AFTER my first surgery before I would not stop bleeding no matter how many I tried. I was on the BCP for 8 yrs.