Should i consider Laparoscopy?

Hello i am 19 years old (female).
I have been concerned about my abdominal problems for some time now.
I get random cramps and pains (ranging from dull to sharp) just about everyday, usually in my lower abdomen. The cramps are almost unbearable during my period. Along with that i often get random pains in my lower back and sides. These pains have been chronic for years. Other than the cramps and pains, i get frequent headaches, nausea and occasionally i will vomit. Ive been really fatigued for quite some time.. over a year. I also experiance pain during intercourse. I also find it difficult to fully empty my bladder, so i urinate frequently. I have had a bladder infection just about every month for the past year.. and some in the years before as well as a few kidney infections. I have also had a few kidney stones.
My gynocologyst mentioned endometriosis, but you cant be sure without a laparoscopy and he said that i should wait till i want to have children before i consider one. BUT, i want to know now, because what if its something other than endo? it could be a number of things. I have went to the same dr for all of my bladder infections, but he doesnt seem to realize how frequently i come. that isnt normal is it?
I know there are risks with a laparoscopy especially being that i am about 10 pounds underweight for my height and i am only 19, but i think it would be worth doing right? i was also considering a cystoscopy  at the same time.
Please let me know what you think?
Thank you

[freya25]

Hey sweetie,
Ive had endo now for 5 years! N it hurts that i know!
I feel for u hun, i know how hard it is before you get a diagnosis. Do you have a good support network around you? I would personally advise getting the lap done, there are risks involved with any procedure any meds etc so if u worry about the risks u will never be any further forward. Believe me its better to know then u can get treatment.
If you have endo it can be hard to conceive-if its left the endometriosis could grow possibly leaving you infertile (growing to the point where they are unable to laser it off) Please dont take that risk!
A laparoscopy is pretty straight forward-im from the uk so dont quote me but we are in n out in a day here. About a 2 week recovery.
Im on my 8th lap now n its getting to the point of a hysterectomy being my only option-being my age thats not something i want to do :(
Im in pain ALL the time n when it gets bad its off to a&e for an upper dose of morphine n that doesnt even get it!
My advise to you would be to get a great support network n go for it. You will feel so much better when you know for certain-it sounds like endo to me n if it is you need to know so you can get some decent meds.
If you want any more advice then i can message you my private e-mail & i will try to help you as much as possible-it helps to talk to people who know what your going through. People dont understand this disease-they think its just bad period pain! Are they serious?????
I hope this helps u a bit :)
Freya xx

[Erin0313]

I suffered from endometriosis for 11 years before finally having a hysterectomy. I had lots of laparoscopies because it always came back. But I think that you should have one for sure. First as you said at least you can confirm or rule out endo. Second if you do have it  and it goes untreated the longer you wait the more it may become difficult to get pregnant when your ready. Finally the symptoms sound just like mine and my endo was not contained in the uterus but also behind it on the wall of the bowel.
  Good luck with whatever you decide
  Erin

[katie-trina]

Thank you for your responses. I will make an appt. with my GYN tomorrow morning and talk to him about getting me schedualed for a lap.
Two of my aunts also have it, so it could very well be that.

[Faith690]

Hi There!
My name is Rachel I am also 19 years old.I was diagnosed with endometriosis about 2 mnths ago. The past year I aswell had quite a few problems with my abdominal area. and my pain increased considerably. I kept going back to the same doctor. and she kept saying it was infection & irritaion in my large Intestine. I then asked my doctor if I could please go for an Ultra-sound and I went. They discovered There was moistness in both my tubes. I went to see  the Gyneocologist and he booked me for a Laproscopy. It ended out that I did have Endo.
So i would say definately go to the gyne & laproscopy.You can't be too careful!
Rather be safe than sorry later on.
The Docter afterwards said that mine wasn't that bad and I wouldn't struggle to fall pregnant.

Good luck & please let us/me know what happens

[bonbon1981]

that's good to hear you are making an appt. with your dr. that should be done ASAP. Hopefully you can have a lap scheduled soon.  
If your aunts had endo, you might have it too.
the only real way to diagnose endo, is with a laparoscopy.

I think you should have a laparoscopy done, this way you'll know for sure. If you do have endo & don't have a laparoscopy; It may possibly cause problems later if you want to get pregnant. 19 is very young, but if you do have endometriosis at least you might still be able to have kids. with your lap, if there is endo your dr. might be able to remove the endo.

I had a laparoscopy done for a cyst, I never knew I had endometriosis until my laparoscopy. I probably have had endo since I was 14 yrs old. Now I'm 27 & having endo since I was 14 has caused problems.
I found out after I was married, when I was 24 yrs old that I had endometriosis.
It's very severe it causes me to get lots of cysts on my ovaries, I have had 2 laparoscopies & 1 laparotomy which has caused damage to the ovary. I needed to have half of my left ovary removed due to having endo.
With my left tube half of that was removed due to endo, the remaining part of my tube is dilated (filled with liquid). so I have a non-functional left tube.
Now it's harder for me to get pregnant, due to not getting it checked out when I was younger, possibly if it was done I maybe could have had a baby pretty easy.

[JimboTorrence]

I am also 19 and I have been what they call "clinically diagnosed" with Endometriosis. That is, since they can not actually tell me that I do or do not have Endometriosis until I go in for my Laparoscopy. I actually went to a doctor today to get a referal so they can do an ultrasound to check for any ovarian cysts, so on and so forth.


I've been suffering from the pain since I started my period at 12. I went to a lot of free clinics (which are the worst) because I never had health insurance, they all thought I was crazy and I was a drama queen because I would call EVERY month whenever I got my period and explain the pain to them. They claimed it was because of my slanted uterus...well if my uterus is slanted...I would believe my pain would have always been there, not just when I started my cycle.


Anyhow, I don't know much about any surgerys, but I've done a lot of reading and a lot of women often get the Endo removed and it actually (from what I've read) increases your chances of getting pregnant. That is, depending on what the Endo has attached itself to and if they could remove it.


I'm going through a lot emotionally with this because it's scary to think at almost 20 your body could be taking away your chances of having a child. I had always been scared that I couldn't have children because I always rememered my mother talking about the same stuff that I am going through. Something they found in common amongst people who do have Endo, it usually runs in they family. There is some statistic that shows women who have Endo in their family and so and so more likely to get Endo vs. women who has no family history.



I really feel you, I've lost 2 jobs because of the pain. It's either stay at home for a week with the pain and lose your job (since some jobs think that you're just "being a girl" and over reacting) or go to work doped up on pain killers. I personally can NOT function on the amount of Lortabs that I need to ease the pain.



I woulf def. look into the surgery, the Laparoscopy that is...not the Hyst.


=]