Has anyone on here heard of Endometriosis?

Question

Okay, if there is a doctor on here and happens to read this. Please tell me if I should go get checked out for this. I just found out from my grandmother on my father's side that all the women on that side of my family has had this and do have this. which means my grandmother and my aunts all had this, and got it removed. well got something that removed their uterus. and both my cousins on my fathers side have this. and I am just now finding out about this and am curious if I may too have this? Should I go get checked out to make sure? what are some symptoms of this? what does it look like? How would I know if I do have it or if I should go to the doctor? Please help me as it is not worrying me too much. I am just curious.

Answer 1

I am well aware of what this is, as my mom, grandmother and myself all had to have hysterectomies because of this. It does tend to run in families, as you have learned from your grandmother, so you will have to keep a check on yourself.

In simplistic language, endometriosis is a thickening of the walls of the uterus that causes excessive bleeding and clotting when you have your period. My poor mom had such bad bleeding, she became anemic.

Symptoms are excessive bleeding during your period, heavy clotting, periods that seem to last forever-longer than what is normal for you, pain in your pelvic area and lower back and constipation or diarrhea problems.

It is NOT cancer, so don't worry about that. It is just your body not getting rid of the lining of the uterus each month after ovulation and it builds up and causes the excessive bleeding and clotting.

There are new treatments for endometriosis now days, so don't worry that you will have to have a hysterectomy if you find that you are afflicted with this. But if the treatments don't work, the easiest thing to do is to have the uterus removed.

Make sure that you have a good gynecologist that is well versed in this problem and you will be taken good care of.

Answer 2

I am not a doctor , just a woman. Endometriosis is when your body produces the blood and (nesting material)outside your womb rather than inside. IT IS PAINFUL, your periods are bloody, to the point no pad and tampon combined will control the clots falling out of your body. SORRY, gross but true.Again the pain and bleeding are awful. Sometimes for some reason not known to me. Pregnancy will put this problem into remission for quite a while.
Because one of the other choices besides pregnancy is a total hysterectomy

Answer 3

You should have a yearly pap smear to make sure you are fine especially with that family history...

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis is the growth of cells similar to those that form the inside of the uterus (endometrial cells), but in a location outside of the uterus. Endometrial cells are the same cells that are shed each month during menstruation. The cells of endometriosis attach themselves to tissue outside the uterus and are called endometriosis implants. The implants are most commonly found on the ovaries, the Fallopian tubes, outer surfaces of the uterus or intestines, and on the surface lining of the pelvic cavity. They can also be found in the vagina, cervix, and bladder, although less commonly than other locations in the pelvis. Rarely, endometriosis implants can occur outside the pelvis, on the liver, in old surgery scars, and even in or around the lung or brain. Endometrial implants are generally benign (not cancerous).

What are endometriosis symptoms?

Most women who have endometriosis, in fact, do not have symptoms. Of those who do experience symptoms, the common symptoms are pain (usually pelvic) and infertility. Pelvic pain usually occurs during or just before menstruation and lessens after menstruation. Some women experience pain or cramping with intercourse, bowel movements and/or urination. Even pelvic examination by a doctor can be painful. The pain intensity can change from month to month, and vary greatly among women. Some women experience progressive worsening of symptoms, while others can have resolution of pain without treatment.

Pelvic pain in women with endometriosis depends partly on where the implants of endometriosis are located. Deeper implants and implants in areas with many pain-sensing nerves may be more likely to produce pain. The implants may produce substances that circulate in the bloodstream and cause pain. Lastly, pain can result when endometriosis implants form scars. There is no relationship between severity of pain and how widespread the endometriosis is (the "stage" of endometriosis).

Endometriosis can be one of the reasons for infertility in otherwise healthy couples. When laparoscopic examinations are performed for infertility evaluations, endometrial implants can be found in some of these patients, many of whom may not have painful symptoms of endometriosis. The reasons for a decrease in fertility are not completely understood, but might be due to both anatomic and hormonal factors. The presence of endometriosis may involve masses of tissue or scarring (adhesions) within the pelvis that may distort normal anatomical structures, such as Fallopian tubes, which transport the eggs from the ovaries. Alternatively, endometriosis may affect fertility through the production of hormones and other substances that have a negative effect on ovulation, fertilization of the egg, and/or implantation of the embryo.

Other symptoms related to endometriosis include lower abdominal pain, diarrhea and/or constipation, low back pain, irregular or heavy menstrual bleeding, or even blood in the urine. Rare symptoms of endometriosis include chest pain or coughing blood due to endometriosis in the lungs, headache and/or seizures due to endometriosis in the brain.

Answer 4

Endomitriosis is when part of your endomitium (the lining in your uterus that gets sluffed off during your period) gets into your body cavity. It can cause problems with fertility and really painful cramps. Here's a link that will tell you all about symptoms and treatments

http://www.webmd.com/infertility-and-reproduction/guide/endometriosis

Good luck!