anyone hear of pain management for endometriosis and

[hope08]

severe stomach problems?

I have both, and have tried many medications, diet changes, natural supp, etc....and nothing seems to help. I don't understand it but it is so frustrating. the last medication i was on for the pain was hydros, but didn't really want to be on pain meds for the rest of my life. I am running out of ideas and need some advice.


Thanks

[Toomanyadvil]

You defenitly need to get to a pain management doc, they can help possible help you alot better than a normal MD

I'm not really sure what birth control your talking about as Luopron is the only hormone to put the body into a menapause state, but Lupron isnt a Birth control and you can get pregs on it.
Endo is defenitly progressive and can end up anywhere if not look over once and a while.  it seems pointless of your DR going in there if she didnt take anything out. They couldnt take mine out because of where it was placed. But to go through a Lap and not take it out seems strange. Glad your seeing a different DR.
I hope they will do better at helping you out.  

[hope08]

I did have a lap however the doctor did not remove anything at that time...which is why I am going to a new doctor now. I had my lap August of 2007; and instead of taking Lupron I did the continuous birth control, which did put me in a medically induced menopause and reaked havoc on my body. That was helping awhile, and I was perscribed Darvocets, but my body built up tolerence so I quit taking them. My doctor wasn't very helpful on the pain management front. I changed my diet a lot, but here in the past couple of months the pain is started to get worse again...like it is growing more or something. I have pain as I speak and nothing to take for it! I hate it!

[Jaybay]

toomanyadvil - I so agree with you about the lupron.  That is some strong, nasty stuff!  I could only tolerate two injections and said, "Enough!"  I didn't gain weight, but it really messed with my short term memory.  Did you know that lupron was initially developed for men with prostate cancer?  Once the FDA approves a drug, it can be prescribed for any reason a doctor deems necessary - without any further studies.  No thanks.

hope - have you had surgery for the endo?  My sister and I both had endo, and surgery would get us about 6 months of pain-free existence before  symptoms returned.  Both of us had hysterectomies by the age of 40.  While hysterectomy is no guarantee of a cure, it does seem to calm down endo growth a great deal.  We still have our ovaries, so didn't need to go on hormone replacement, and all has been quiet on the endo front since the surgery.

One of the biggest problems for women with endo is that it so irritates the tissues that it grows on (like intestines and bladder) that scar tissue forms (adhesions) as the body tries to heal itself.  That scar tissue can wrap around loops of intestine and cause full or partial obstruction.  It's very painful, obviously, and causes all kinds of bowel problems from severe constipation to diarrhea.  Maintaining a low residue diet can help a bit.  

Your options are:
(1) surgery to excise the endo implants and adhesions
(2) the above surgery along with hysterectomy
(3) a course of lupron to shut down estrogen production and hopefully shrink the implants
(4) take meds until you go into menopause.

[Toomanyadvil]

i have painful endo plus a bladder condition.  But the endo pain is intolerable especially around my cycle. Really I feel like if I didnt have pain control I'd be in trouble. Sometimes it has taken numerous doses of IV meds to knock my pain down if I dont get on it fast enough.
But I do take oxycontin for both conditons. I was on something called Lupron which puts the body into temporary menapaouse, but it compleetely distroyed my body.
Gained 40 pound I cannot get rif of because it permanently changed my matabolism...if anyone ever suggests that hormone, think long and hard first about why woman only go through menapause once in a life time!
Have they tried to remove it with a laperscopy. Its a pretty simple same day procedure.  But I do agree that in some cases the only relief is a hystorectomy, unless you want to wait and go through menapause naturally
Maybe a pain specialist for timed release meds, I know you dont want to take pills for the rest of your life, but if your in so much pain and dont opt for a hystorectomy, timed release meds are ususally taken twice a day and you get used to them and dont have any side effects like groginess or foggy brain.

Thats just been my experience with endo

[envy]

I had endometriosis for 14 years.  I was on many different types of pain meds.  Tylonal 4s, toradol, on and on.

The one thing I wanted to say is the only way to truely get relief is a hysterectomy.  I waited for mine because they wanted to do the hyster. when I was 18years old.  But I wanted kids...so after my 2nd child I was ready and I am greatful I had it done.  My cousin wasnt so lucky and the emdo. spread and tied up her ovaries.  Please consider this because it is so painful.  I'm sorry for your pain./