Endo questions re: symptoms for a newbie

[mooooommmmmy]

Only my second post ever!

I am scheduled for a sonogram and endometrial biopsy.  I am told the Doctor wants to check me for endometriosis and fibroids.  I'm assuming he'll be checking for cancer "while he's in there."  I went in complaining of:

Extremely heavy periods (although very regular, lasting right around 6/7 days, and not really all that painful.)
I also am terribly fatigued, have hair growing on my chin, have bouts of erythema nodosum (I usually get this when pregnant, so I associate it with hormonal type issues).   I am urinating very frequently, also.  Occasionally, I have swelling in my hands and I can feel my stomach bloated around my period. I frequently have headaches upon waking. NO infertility problems (I've had a number of children by c- section.)  I also find intercourse extremely painful.

Does any of this sound like endo?  I thought I'd have trouble having kids or be in a lot of pain all the time if it were endo.  

Oh....also, I had blood tests done.  One reading out of range was RDW - which was 15.5.  I'm told normal is up to 14, so it was high.  Is this from the heavy bleeding?

I am looking to you more experienced ladies for some comfort as I anxiously await my tests (not for two weeks!)  I really got the feeling the Doctor suspects endo, as he started talking about the ablation treatments available to deal with it.  Why would he tell me about treatments if he didn't suspect it?  I've been thinking one of my hormone levels was just off, and he'd tell me to see an endocrinologist or something.  Hmmm...any help out there? Thanks!

[mooooommmmmy]

Thank you so much.    I'm not agreeing to an ablation - or any other procedure other than tests- without a second opinion.  The doctor that I've seen about this is not my regular GYN  in the doctors' group (my regular has not been too available lately.)   I just don't get a good feeling from this new doctor I saw.  When I tried to tell him all of my other symptoms BESIDES heavy periods - he cut me off saying, "I can't really do anything to deal with that." (ie: headaches, etc.).  That kinda turns me off right there.  I wanted him to know the whole picture in case anything was related, but he didn't want to hear it.  Very frustrating, because I love my "real" doctor in this group - but I fear he's nearing retirement.  

My primary physicial (non-OB/GYN) DID mention PCOS as a possibility (saw him first) - that was the reason I went to see the OB/GYN next.  But, this new guy did a pelvic exam, said nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and then started talking about endo & fibroids as possibilities.  

I thank you ladies for your wonderful support and wisdom.  I think I'm going to try to get into an endocrinologist, too.  Why not explore all possibilities, right?

Thank you, again!

[lhughes]

I thought that, too... but I'm not an expert on PCOS or even one who's personnally experienced it.

Could be?

[Hayley723]

what about pcos? that makes facial hair grow...

[lhughes]

Sounds more like endocrine problems....before he goes to the ablation, I would just ask to be seen by an endocrinologist as a favor.  Perhaps another perspective of your issues might just see an answer that he cannot.  However, the sonogram might reveal something.  I would think that a laproscopy would be in order also.