How do you know if you have Endometriosis?

[aprilfl0wer85]

I am 23 years old and I have been in and out of the doctor for the past 2 years with severe pelvic pain always on my right side. For the longest time I have, as well as my doctor, assumed that it has been a cyst always on my right ovary. Every time I have had an ultra sound there was never a cyst, only a little to an excessive amount of fluid that could indicate that a cyst has ruptured or fluid from endometriosis. What steps did you take to confirm that you in fact have endometriosis because I'm not sure how much longer I can keep going to doctors with out finding concrete answers?

Thanks and good luck ladies with your endo, I hope that you find ways to help manage symptoms.

[rockstarcowgurl89]

i know exactly what you're going through. i have the exact same problems. should i get a lap done?

[10SurgeriesIsEnough]

I'm new here, so I'm not sure you will receive this, so I may send you a note.  I do have endo and have had it since 2001.  The ONLY way to find out if you have endo, is to have what is called a laparoscopy.  It is a simple outpatient procedure done at the hospital, where they will put you to sleep with IV meds.  They make 2 tiny incisions, one right below your belly button, and the other above your pubic bone.  They go in with a scope and look to see if you do have endo.  At that time, if you do, they will use a laser type instrument (dont quote me on the laser, but I think it is) and they will sort of scrape it all out.  For some women, that fixes it, and it never comes back.  Unfortunately for me, I have had 10 Laps and it keeps coming back worse.  It actually has spread to my bladder now, and caused other complications.  I usually go in for surgery around 6 am, and am home in bed no later than 11 am.  You will need to take off from work at LEAST 3 days, at most a week.  Tell your gyno that you want a laparoscopy done, to check for endo.  IF he refuses, you find another dr right away.  Since mine is so bad, I had to find a specialist down in GA at the center for endo care.  I'm actually working on getting accepted there now, and hope , with all my heart, to get better soon.  It just has caused so many problems in my life, that my boyfriend couldnt take my medical problems anymore, that we broke up, and I'm moving out now.  I understand what you are going through, completely, and I am here for you if you need to talk about anything, anytime.  No one in mylife understands what I'm going through, and really dont have anyone who cares, and wants to be there for me.  
Since your pain is also always on your right side (which mine is always on the same side, and the pictures from the Lap show that most of the endo IS on my right side ) I was wondering if you had any other problems that I have.  I have serious sciatic nerve pains starting in my lower right side of my back, shooting down the back of my leg, really hurting the back of my knee.  I have been told I have DDD degenerative disc disease, but I'm beginning to wonder if it is the endo.  Maybe it spread to my sciatic nerve, or its just the enod causing all the pain.  My pain is so horrible , I am on continuous birth control (nuva ring, use it for 30 days, take it out, and right away put a new one in, so I dont have a cycle, because that is when the endo flares up the most) and my gyno has to put me on the strongest form of Vicodin (hydrocodone, lortab etc..) and that stuff doesnt even work anymore.  

Well, its 4 am, and I just got off work, so I'm heading to bed, I could go on and on about endo all night, because I am just SO damn frustrated with it anymore!  Hope you get this, but in case you dont, I will copy it, and place it in a note too.  Take care !

Marlena