Post by weezyg19 on May 31, 2013 18:29:23 GMT -5
My name is Lois. I am 38 years old.
As a teenager I had horrible cramps during my periods that would leave me curled up in a fetal position. Tylenol & ibuprofen did nothing for me but my mother said it was normal & wouldn't take me to see a gynecologist. The cramps went away when I got pregnant with my daugther only to return as soon as I went back to "normal" periods. (Every 21 days on the dot starting with that 1st cycle at 13 years old) I had an IUD put in when she was a year old and for some reason the cramps got lighter. I rarely needed ibuprofen. I had the IUD for 10 years. We made the decision to have another child at the same time the IUD was removed. 6 years later I finally got pregnant (Sept 2012) only to miscarry.
During all of this I had an appendectomy at 23. 2 years later I could feel a bulge in the incision site. I went to the doctor who thought it was a hernia. So did the surgeon. (Same surgeon who did the appendectomy) She went in to do the hernia repair & found a lump. After a week of sheer terror, she finally called with the lab results. She said it was an endometrial implant & that I should see a gynecologist asap. The one she referred me to did a transvaginal ultrasound & found several abnormal cysts on each ovary. She told me I needed to go on birth control pills. I explained to her that I can't because they make me throw up violently all day every day. She then told me there was nothing else she could do for me & sent me on my way. We didn't have health insurance & couldn't afford to send me to doctor after doctor. I was fortunate to not have a lot of pain. The IUD had the cramps under control & the only other pain I had was occasionally during sex.
I didn't consider the endo much of an issue until I was having trouble getting pregnant. But our insurance didn't cover fertility issues. The fact that I had no real symptoms from the endo kept me from seeing a doctor since I knew they would tell me I needed to see an RE & we couldn't afford it.
Fast forward to today. The last year has been the year of change for my endo. I'm still mostly pain free. I have cramps but 800mg of ibuprofen makes them managable (I do have a very high pain tolerance. Following my c-section I was only taking extra strength tylenol & after the appendectomy & lump removal I only took 800mg ibuprofen). The worst of my pain comes during the heaviest days of my period & I have pain in my lower back that is so bad I can barely move & walking is excruiating. I have recently started learning about endo & all the things it can do to your body. I have been plagued with chronic bladder infections since my early 20's & had a doctor mention possibly sending me to a specialist a couple years ago but he never made the referral that my insurance requires. I have also started having some pretty miserable bowel symptoms. They started out a year or so ago hitting me the day before my period started every couple months. They now hit me around the time I ovulate & again the day before my period starts every cycle. When I got pregnant last fall I found a new ob/gyn clinic to go to. One of the doctors there is absolutely wonderful. He is the one who broke the news to me about the missed miscarriage. He took the time at that appointment & at the follow up for the d&c to go over my health history in detail. He was the one who pointed out that my endo was likely creating problems for me. (I assumed if you didn't have horrific pain, you were ok). I have an appointment scheduled to see him about the endo. He told me when I saw him last that he would be sending me to an RE (insurance covers this now) who could help with the endo. My journey with endo has been pretty uneventful & I'm hoping it remains that way for a long time though I suspect I will be getting a surgery done before it's all over.
I am slowly making changes to my diet. I have started exercising & going for walks. Mostly right now I am learning & trying to make my health my top priority. My daughter is 17 & I worry about her ending up with endo. So my whole family is making the changes with me.
As a teenager I had horrible cramps during my periods that would leave me curled up in a fetal position. Tylenol & ibuprofen did nothing for me but my mother said it was normal & wouldn't take me to see a gynecologist. The cramps went away when I got pregnant with my daugther only to return as soon as I went back to "normal" periods. (Every 21 days on the dot starting with that 1st cycle at 13 years old) I had an IUD put in when she was a year old and for some reason the cramps got lighter. I rarely needed ibuprofen. I had the IUD for 10 years. We made the decision to have another child at the same time the IUD was removed. 6 years later I finally got pregnant (Sept 2012) only to miscarry.
During all of this I had an appendectomy at 23. 2 years later I could feel a bulge in the incision site. I went to the doctor who thought it was a hernia. So did the surgeon. (Same surgeon who did the appendectomy) She went in to do the hernia repair & found a lump. After a week of sheer terror, she finally called with the lab results. She said it was an endometrial implant & that I should see a gynecologist asap. The one she referred me to did a transvaginal ultrasound & found several abnormal cysts on each ovary. She told me I needed to go on birth control pills. I explained to her that I can't because they make me throw up violently all day every day. She then told me there was nothing else she could do for me & sent me on my way. We didn't have health insurance & couldn't afford to send me to doctor after doctor. I was fortunate to not have a lot of pain. The IUD had the cramps under control & the only other pain I had was occasionally during sex.
I didn't consider the endo much of an issue until I was having trouble getting pregnant. But our insurance didn't cover fertility issues. The fact that I had no real symptoms from the endo kept me from seeing a doctor since I knew they would tell me I needed to see an RE & we couldn't afford it.
Fast forward to today. The last year has been the year of change for my endo. I'm still mostly pain free. I have cramps but 800mg of ibuprofen makes them managable (I do have a very high pain tolerance. Following my c-section I was only taking extra strength tylenol & after the appendectomy & lump removal I only took 800mg ibuprofen). The worst of my pain comes during the heaviest days of my period & I have pain in my lower back that is so bad I can barely move & walking is excruiating. I have recently started learning about endo & all the things it can do to your body. I have been plagued with chronic bladder infections since my early 20's & had a doctor mention possibly sending me to a specialist a couple years ago but he never made the referral that my insurance requires. I have also started having some pretty miserable bowel symptoms. They started out a year or so ago hitting me the day before my period started every couple months. They now hit me around the time I ovulate & again the day before my period starts every cycle. When I got pregnant last fall I found a new ob/gyn clinic to go to. One of the doctors there is absolutely wonderful. He is the one who broke the news to me about the missed miscarriage. He took the time at that appointment & at the follow up for the d&c to go over my health history in detail. He was the one who pointed out that my endo was likely creating problems for me. (I assumed if you didn't have horrific pain, you were ok). I have an appointment scheduled to see him about the endo. He told me when I saw him last that he would be sending me to an RE (insurance covers this now) who could help with the endo. My journey with endo has been pretty uneventful & I'm hoping it remains that way for a long time though I suspect I will be getting a surgery done before it's all over.
I am slowly making changes to my diet. I have started exercising & going for walks. Mostly right now I am learning & trying to make my health my top priority. My daughter is 17 & I worry about her ending up with endo. So my whole family is making the changes with me.