Is it possible to have PCOS and Endometriosis?

[painpaingoaway]

So I already know that I have PCOS, but my mom and grandma both had severe endo! I have researched both conditions, but PCOS never talks about chronic pain before,during and after menstruating, and pain during and after intercourse. My bowels are very messed up and I get really bad pain in my rectum. That is where my mom had a lot of it. I have no idea. None of my docs will do laparascopy. I have only had one U/S and a very long sharp vaginal probe, I forget what that is called. My blood clots are gigantic and never ending. I need some input from you intelligent ladies!!! I have been on the pill for 8 days now and can feel my cysts filling and popping! So much relief afterwards though.



Bethany

[DebiR]

Boy it sure sounds like what I had when my endo was really bad.  I don't know much about the other condition though.

[Gatsby]

Perhaps you could give your dr a call and let her know what you are going through each day.  Keep a journal of every symptom and then go over it with her.  I know it can get crazy and you forget once you are in the office.  I really hope you get some relief soon, you have been in pain for too long.  Godbless

~Tascha

[painpaingoaway]

I only have about 5 or less and they last anywhere from 1-3 mo at a time w/ out treatment, during that time I usually lose so much blood I have to go to the ER and get an IV and 2 pain shots to even remotely help the pain. I have a ton of extra manly body hair, mustache, hair on cheeks, sideburns, and a thick happy trail.:( Before I went in for that U/S a year ago I thought it was endo so did my mom. When I got my results back, they were sent to me and right on the paper my doc said "You have PCOS unlike endometriosis like you thought" No kidding! That was a big slap in the face. He also gave me a packet of info. I gained 80 lbs and it has been hell ever since. So during the year since I was diagnosed no other docs have questioned it. I am making sure though that is why I asked the question. I am just waiting for results. I have about six days. She tested my thyroid,2 diff pcos hormones, diabetes, male hormone, woman hormone and I think that is it. So when I get my results I will know and keep everyone posted. I too doubt that it is namely PCOS, I have always thought it was severe endo.

[painpaingoaway]

What are you trying to say? I just have so much on my mind. Could it possibly be both? I have no idea!



Bethany

[PPhelps]

Right now I'm going back to a specialist to see I have endo again. In 2001 I had a lap for severe endo. It was between Uterus and bladder. I had severe pain when using the bathroom. I told my doctors it was like I was being ripped open. It was a tearing pain. And I had huge blood clots. The icing on the cake was I couldn't walk I was in so much pain while the circus is in town (as my DH says).

[painpaingoaway]

Yeah the pain in my rectum hurts so bad sometimes I can't walk. Good luck with the specialist. I hope and pray they don't find any more endo. So you had sugery in 01? And now the pain is recurring after about 5 years? You poor gal!!! I hope you are having a couple of good days among all the horrible. Your DH is hilarious!! haha



Bethany :)

[MickeyVicki]

Hmmm, I have never researched this one - a possible combination of endo and PCOS - but at the moment I cannot think of a reason why a woman could not have both conditions at once.  The diseases are the result of two different tissue functions.  The endometriosis is the result of endometrial tissue implants simply being located in the wrong place.  The PCOS is a different scenario altogether, involving "endocrine disorders" in a manner of speaking.    I am thinking this one "out loud" so here it goes --- the   primary problem with PCOS is that the ovaries experience "disfunction junction" of the normal cyst and ovulation process, with it basically going awry, what with the ovaries having improper cyst formation (often multiple cyst formations),  ovulation or  perhaps not having ovulation, and  then improper cyst resolutions.  I know for a fact that even if ovulation DOES NOT occur, then the woman will still experience menstruation at some point.  I  myself am currently  having cycles in which I do not ovulate.   Anyway, reduced ovulation, whether by PCOS or by BCPs or by pregnancies, reduces the chance of ovca.



So,perhaps it is rare or rather uncommon for women to have both conditions, but I am not at the moment seeing how the conditions can be mutually exclusive.  Maybe we need to do some internet research here.



Last but not least, start keeping a chart of your monthly cycles.  Note the date the period begins, how many days are in each cycle, and what problems you experience during ANY point in that cycle.

[MickeyVicki]

Check out this page, and page down to question number 73, and click on that:



http://www.inciid.org/faq.php?cat=infertility101&id=2#138



(Does this mean that I know more than your doctor??!!)

[JGMom]

Hi - It sure sound like you have more going on than PCOS. It really does sound like you could have endo too from your description of pain.  I don't think the 2 are mutually exclusive.  It is more like the Drs find one and then attribute everything to that.  If the Dr you have now won't listen to you - even w/ a family histor of endo - you may want to find a different Dr.  That snobby note he wrote to you on your results was uncalled for!  Here are a few published articles on the coexistence of PCOS and endo that I found.  I'm sure we could find more, but I just wanted to get something out to you so you know you're right.  Listen to your gut instinct on your health.  I think we are usually right if we remember to do that and don't let ourselves get intimidated.  Also, they can't tell everything from imaging.  I just had a lap and there was much more there than showed up on U/S, CT or MRI.  Hang in there!



Obstet Gynecol. 1989 Oct;74(4):650-2. Related Articles, Links  





Coexistence of polycystic ovary syndrome and pelvic endometriosis.



Singh KB, Patel YC, Wortsman J.



Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, Shreveport/New Orleans.



Pelvic endometriosis was observed in 15 of 91 women (16.5%) with laparoscopically confirmed polycystic ovary syndrome. There were no significant clinical differences among those with and those without endometriosis. The groups were of similar age, parity, and ponderal indices and had similar incidences of oligomenorrhea, hirsutism, and infertility; the serum concentrations of LH, FSH, LH/FSH, prolactin, testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were also similar in each group. However, women with polycystic ovaries and endometriosis presented more frequently with regular menses (40 versus 14.5%; P = .05) and less frequently with secondary amenorrhea (0 versus 38.2%; P = .05) and galactorrhea (0 versus 9.2%; P = .05) than the women with polycystic ovaries alone. Endometriosis appears to be a coincidental finding in polycystic ovary syndrome, and its development does not modify significantly the clinical picture or biochemical profiles of these patients. However, menstrual patterns seem to be affected.



PMID: 2797642 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]



Folia Med (Plovdiv). 1996;38(3-4):71-3. Related Articles, Links  





Polycystic ovaries in association with pelvic endometriosis in infertile women diagnosed by laparoscopy.



Kichukova D.



Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Medicine, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.



The author studied the combination of the polycystic ovary syndrome and endometriosis in 274 infertile women by laparoscopy. 106 patients were diagnosed on clinical criteria as having the polycystic ovary disease which was confirmed in 93 of them (87.74%) at the time of the procedure. Coexisting endometrial focuses were found in 11 patients (11.83%). The results show that laparoscopy should be the modality of choice in the diagnostic work-up in women with infertility and clinical symptoms of the polycystic ovary syndrome. Extensive scrutiny for endometriosis should be performed in all of these cases since the combination of the two conditions is not infrequent.



PMID: 9145594 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]



Akush Ginekol (Sofiia). 2000;39(3):25-6. Related Articles, Links  





[Endometriosis as an unexpected finding during laparoscopy on sterile women]



[Article in Bulgarian]



Kichukova D, Uchikova E, Velevski V.



Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, High Medical, Plovdiv.



OBJECTIVES: Assessment of the laparoscopy