Endometriosis info?

Question

Can endometriosis be painful when you do not have your period? Is it felt all month long? How can it be diagnosed?

Answer 1

Endometriosis causes different symptoms in young women. Pelvic pain and/or severe period cramps are definitely the most common symptoms. There can be pain before, during or after your period. The pain may occur at regular times in your cycle or the pain may occur at any time during the month. It is often referred to as "chronic" pelvic pain. Some teens may have pain with exercise, sex, and/or after a pelvic exam. Although not as common, some teens may have painful or frequent urination, diarrhea or constipation with pelvic pain. It's important to remember that some teens have a lot of endometriosis and have very little pain, while others who have a small amount of endometriosis have severe pain.


The ONLY way to be 100% certain of this diagnosis is to have a procedure called a laparoscopy. There is no blood test or radiology study that can diagnose endometriosis at this time. A laparoscopy is a surgical procedure (performed when you are asleep) that allows your doctor to look inside your belly at your pelvic organs with a special lens to identify the endometriosis (implants). Other tests that MAY be ordered by your health care provider BEFORE a laparoscopy might include blood tests, vaginal cultures to check for infection, ultrasound or an MRI (to make sure it's not something else). If you think you could have endometriosis, you will want be evaluated by a gynecologist who specializes in taking care of teens with endometriosis.

Answer 2

Yes, endometriosis can be felt all month, especially before your period. My girlfriend has it really bad, sometimes referred to stage four. It can have a variety of different pains associated with it as well as other ailments like headaches... and sometimes my girlfriend can't even stand up... literally... from the pain. You should make an appointment with your ob/gyn to see if your symptoms are in line with endometriosis, and to make sure the lining (if it is endometriosis) hasn't built up too much or allowed a cyst to form (which are also painful)... in most cases though they'll give you a pain medication (Rx strength ibuprofen) and the nice part... give you a form of birth control to decrease the pain and effects of endometriosis often times only making you have 4 periods a year which seems to be a hit... good luck

Answer 3

I have endometriosis and can hart all the time. Each person is different. You can be diagnosed with endometriosis through a pap screen.Or haveing surgery I would see your OBGYN. For my endometriosis has been found over my left hip. Two years ago it put me in a lot of pain all the time more so with my period. I

Answer 4

You really need to read "Endometriosis Bible & Violet Protocol" by Zoe Brown (also available in electronic format here: http://www.endometriosisbible.info ). It's about how to eradicate endometriosis disease forever. It worked for me, you will see results in only a matter of weeks. Good Luck!

Answer 5

yes it can be painful all the time, but generally gets worse close to and during your period, you gynecologist can diagnose it... the thing is that endometriosis spreads to other parts of your body, implants endometrial material there and causes adhesion's on and of organs while also bleeding every month - often with no where for the blood to go, there have been cases of the endometrial material traveling to the lungs and to the brain, though it is rare .. I'm not trying to scare you but I have had this most of my life,have had several operations to remove adhesion's, but of course they come back... it acts like cancer spreading in your body,though its not cancer, it is extremely painful..

Answer 6

endometriosis usually causes several periods a month...it is characterized by harsh cramps and it can be felt all month long...it is the swelling of the endometrial tissue in the uterus

Answer 7

Yes, typically it is painful all the time. It is diagnosed via ultrasound. You should go to your gyno typically it requires an operation to alleviate the pain and discomfort.

Answer 8

i have endometriosis and it only hurts with periods.

Answer 9

yes it is very painful on your period and ovulation. your gyno can do an ultrasound to see if you have it. check out the info on webmd.com it is great!

Answer 10

From the Endo Research Center (www.endocenter.org):

About Endometriosis

With Endometriosis, tissue like that which lines the uterus (the endometrium) is found outside the womb in other areas of the body. Normally, the endometrium is shed each month through menses; however, with Endometriosis, these implants have no way of leaving the body. The implants still break down and bleed, but result is far different than in women and girls without the disease: internal bleeding, degeneration of blood and tissue shed from the growths, inflammation of the surrounding areas, and formation of scar tissue result. In addition, depending on the location of the growths, interference with the normal function of the bowel, bladder, intestines and other areas of the pelvic cavity can occur. Endometriosis has also even been found in the lungs, lodged in the skin - and as far as the brain.

Symptoms include chronic or intermittent pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation is not normal!), infertility, miscarriage(s), ectopic (tubal) pregnancy, dyspareunia (pain associated with intercourse), nausea / vomiting / abdominal cramping, diarrhea / constipation (particularly with menses), painful bowel movements, painful or burning urination, urinary frequency, retention, or urgency; fatigue, chronic pain, allergies and immune system-related illnesses are also commonly reported complaints of women who have Endo. It is quite possible to have some, all, or none of these symptoms. Endo symptoms are varied and often nonspecific, so they can easily masquerade as several other conditions, including adenomyosis ("Endometriosis Interna"), appendicitis, ovarian cysts, bowel obstructions, colon cancer, diverticulitis, ectopic pregnancy, fibroid tumors, gonorrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, ovarian cancer, and PID.

Despite today's age of medical advances, researchers remain unsure as what causes of Endometriosis. There is NO CURE, despite the continued propagation of such myths by the uninformed who still mistakenly believe that hysterectomy, pregnancy and/or menopause can "cure" the disease. Invasive surgery is the gold standard of diagnosis, and current therapies continue to remain extremely limited, often carrying side effects.

Mistakenly minimized as "painful periods," Endometriosis is more than just "killer cramps." It is a leading cause of female infertility, chronic pelvic pain and gynecologic surgery, and accounts for more than half of the 500,000 hysterectomies performed in the US annually. Despite being more prevalent than breast cancer, Endometriosis continues to be treated as an insignificant ailment. Recent studies have even shown an elevated risk of certain cancers and other serious illnesses in those with the disease, as well as malignant changes within the disease itself.

Research has shown that genetics, immune system dysfunction, and exposure to environmental toxins like Dioxin may all be contributing factors to the development of the disease. Endometriosis knows no racial or socioeconomic barriers, and can affect women ranging from adolescence to post-menopause. The disease can be so painful as to render a woman or teen unable to care for herself or her family, attend work, school, or social functions, or go about her normal routine. It can negatively affect every aspect of a woman's life; from her self-esteem and relationships, to her capacity to bear children, to her ability to be a contributing member of society.

The disease can currently only be diagnosed through invasive surgery, and the average delay in diagnosis is a staggering 9 years. A patient may seek the counsel of 5 or more physicians before her pain is adequately addressed.

Once diagnosed, it is not unusual for a patient to undergo several pelvic surgeries and embark on many different hormonal and medical therapies in an attempt to treat her symptoms. None of the current treatments are entirely effective, and virtually all synthetic therapies carry significantly negative side effects; some lasting far beyond cessation of therapy. The exception to this is excision; see www.centerforendo.com to learn more about excision as the leading treatment.

Though Endometriosis is one of the most prevalent illnesses affecting society today, awareness is sorely lacking and disease research continues to remain significantly under funded. For instance, in fiscal year 2000, the National Institutes of Health planned to spend $16.5 billion on research. Of that funding, only $2.7 million was earmarked for Endometriosis - amounting to approximately $.40/patient. This is in stark contrast to other illnesses such as Alzheimer's and Lupus, which received approximately $105.00 and $30.00 per patient, respectively. American businesses lose millions of dollars each year in lost productivity and work time because of Endometriosis. The cost of surgery required to diagnose the disease in each patient alone adds greatly to the financial burden of both consumers and companies alike.

Once erroneously believed to be a disease of “Caucasian career women who have delayed childbearing,” we know that in fact, Endometriosis affects women of all ages, races and
socioeconomic status. Endometriosis also can and does exist in the adolescent female population. Far from the “rare” incidence once believed, studies have found that as many as 70% of teenagers with chronic pelvic pain had Endometriosis proven by laparoscopy. Other reports indicate that as many as 41% of patients experienced Endometriosis pain as an adolescent. The illness can be quite disruptive and cause significant dysfunction, especially at a time in life when self-esteem, school attendance and performance, and social involvement are all critical. Many adolescents with Endometriosis find themselves unable to attend or participate in classes, social functions, extracurricular activities, and sports due to significant pain and other symptoms of Endometriosis. Sometimes, teens and young women lack support and validation from both the home and the school; told the pain is “in their head,” that they are “faking it,” that their debilitating cramps are “normal” and “a part of womanhood,” that they are merely suffering from “the curse,” or that they should just “grin and bear it.” Their symptoms may also be dismissed as a sexually transmitted disease, which Endometriosis absolutely is not. Failure to acknowledge and address symptoms early in the disease process can lead to significant delays in diagnosis and necessary, subsequent treatments. Lack of support from family and loved ones can also add to the patient’s pain and fear - at any age.

Recent studies have also shown that Endometriosis may in fact have an even bigger impact on younger patients than older women. One such study discovered that in patients under 22 years of age, the rate of disease recurrence was double that of older women (35% versus 19%). The study also revealed that the disease behaves differently in younger women; leading some researchers to believe it is a different form of Endometriosis altogether. Surgery, considered necessary to accurately diagnose and effectively treat the disease, is often withheld from younger patients based on the injudicious belief that early surgery somehow negatively influences a young woman’s fertility. Extensive, cumulative research has shown this concern to be unfounded. What can impact fertility, however, is neglecting effective treatment of the disease. Some researchers also feel that symptomatic, adolescent-onset Endometriosis is most often a lifelong problem that will progress to severe fibrotic disease.

While it is possible to become pregnant with Endometriosis, the key is to obtain early, effective treatment such as that offered by specialty treatment centers like the Center for Endo Care (see www.centerforendo.com to learn about the success of excision as treatment). Hysterectomy is not a cure for Endometriosis. Any disease left behind by the surgeon (whether by design because he or she 'couldn't get it all' or accident because they don't recognize the disease in all manifestations) will continue to thrive and cause pain and symptoms. It does not matter if the ovaries are removed or if HRT is withheld; Endo produces its own estrogen-synthesizing enzyme known as aromatase. Thus, it enables it's own vicious life cycle and sustains the disease process. You would be better off getting all disease truly excised from all locations at a specialty center like the CEC (www.centerforendo.com).

Due in part to the efforts of foundations like the ERC, research is ongoing in some places as to the causes of Endometriosis and potential cures for the disease.

For more information:

http://www.endocenter.org
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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/erc
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