Video
Dr Pixie:
There’s been a big interest on the site in endometriosis, and it’s very clear that a lot of you don’t actually know what it is or you’re curious about what causes it. Endometriosis occurs when womb tissue is actually found outside of the womb and there are many theories about what causes it. The actual fact is, we don’t really know for sure, but there is one thing—it tends to occur in families.
Now, what kind of symptoms do you get with endometriosis? Endometriosis results in heavy periods, painful periods, and often this can be associated with symptoms like diarrhoea or fainting.
A lot of you have asked how to be referred to a specialist. My advice would be, go and see your GP, because they can do a lot of preliminary tests and investigations, and make the diagnosis for you. If you do see a specialist, they are likely to advise a laparoscopy, which is a telescope test which looks inside your pelvis and can diagnose endometriosis.
Doctor Responses: Endometriosis
Dr Pixie answers your most frequently asked questions about endometriosis such as: What is it? What kind of symptoms do you get with endometriosis? How can you treat it?
With thanks to the Baker Street Medical Centre
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I am a 19 year old and I have had my periods fairly regularly throughout my teenage years, and have been on the pill since I was 16. For the past year I have been experiencing a lot of blood clots in my discharge during periods and my periods have been very irregular despite the fact that I take the pill as instructed. Sometimes they last for up to a couple of weeks, and I bleed way more often than I should. Sometimes i have my pill free week and then get back on the pill, but then my period returns after only a week or so. Even though I am not an anatomy specialist I know that I am not supposed to be bleeding when I am on the pill, so I was wondering if anybody has been experiencing similar irregularities, and can give me any advice?
I am 30 yrs old & had a laprotomy done in April of this year 2011. Doctor advised me to go on Prostap to help me with symptons of endo.I recieved a 6 month course, I had my last injection 5wks ago & still no sign of my period. Also, I have huge worries,I'll never be able to concieve due to my endo. Any advice / stories would be much appreciated. Thanks
if l have sex if my partner lm always bleeding and l have got marina coil what is the cause of that
hi, am 25, and always had bad period pains, at 23 i started having realy bad pains after sex and some times couldnt move, then found i was pregnant so thedocs put it down to that,after having my daughter the pains fadded to a light constant tummy ache and at this time i was feeling faint and sick constantly i had a lot of tests and nothing was found so they put it down t anixity. begging of this yer the pains have started again and some times realy bad i cant move along with long with lower back pain feeling sick and missing peorids, iv had more test for being pregnant and everything else and its all normal. i have been trying for a baby for nearly a year and not had periods for 4 month.endo is the only thing i havent been chacked for but every time a visit the docs they tell me its nothing! do u have any suggestions or advice that would help? thanx
Hi, I am 34 and have been trying to concieve for a year, I have regular periods since having the marina coil removed. I have 2 kids who are 8 and 12 years old, which I concieved after only trying for a couple of months, Could anyone tell me if they have had problems concieving after the merina coil and if they did concieve after the coil did they do anything to help? Thank~you
hi my name is kylie i am 22 during the year of 2009 i had cervical cancer and had to have an op which resulted in alot of my cervix being removed, a few weeks later i found out that i was pregnant with my 3rd child and i was 5 weeks pregnant when i had the op thankfully my little boy is fine and the op didnt affect him in anyway, during my pregnancy i had alot of bleeding,... but after 15 hours in labour the midwife decided that i should have an emergancy c-section because i wasn't dilating past 3cm, since then my belly is constantly swollen to the point that practicly every day someone will ask when my baby is due and my belly is numb all the time, but also i have had my peroid constantly since the c-section, i had the coil fitted to try and make it lighter and hopefuly stop it but it hasn't worked in anyway shape or form, my doctor does not seem at all bothered by the fact that my belly is swollen and numb all the time and dont care that i am on my peroid all day, every day of the week and every week of the year, and he wont bother to do any test to try find out what is wrong either, i have always had irregualar peroids but never constant and i dont know anyone who has had their peroid constant for as long as i have, also i dont know if this is anything to do with it but since this all started i have put on alot of weight for me befor i was size 6 now i am a 14. please please please can you help me find an answer for this it is affecting my whole life now and i am starting to get depressed because of it. thanks
i often get a pain in my left hip which travels to the left side of my lower back and also down and underneath.I some times get it on the right side to. It doesnt happen at specific times e.g. when im on or due for my period. it will just happen at any time. I have been to the doctor and was told its probably nothing they also just tried to say it could be chlymidia because i was awaiting results from a test and where going to give me anitbiotics for it. It was not chlymidia, they sent me for a scan and nothing has come of it. ANY IDEAS ?
im 21 year old i have 2 black moul on my face i want to rome how can i romove plz tell me
hi,i am 14years old and i don't have a periods every month i could hae one,in feburay and then not come on till april is this a problem??, i also have very heacy periods where i have to put on 2-3thick towels on and sometimes i still go threw my underwear and trousers,i get all the time i feel ache around my groin i would like to know is there anytreatment's for my heavness and if so what?? this is very embarrssing for me as when i go over someones house i have to go to the toliet all the time and change,also when i am in public i have to make sure that i have not gone threw is there anyone that could help me.!
There could be so many reasons for this. I'm 21 and I've had a condition called poly cystic ovary syndrome since I was 13/14. I also have heavy periods although yours sound much worse than mine. You're very young so I know it must difficult for you. The best possible advice I can give you is you need to see a doctor. It may be difficult and/or embarrassing but you need to know what's going on and the sooner the better. Try and see a female doctor, But please make sure you go. Maybe take a friend or your Mum, Aunty etc. Someone you trust. Good Luck! Marie.
Hi all, I am really fed up with not getting anywhere. I have been suffering with problem periods for at least 2 years now. I suffer with the most horrendous pain to the point that it has put me in hospital. I did suffer with very heavy bleeding too. This has calmed down since having the coil fitted but the pain hasnt lessened. The pain is left hand side at the pit of my stomach. When I get the pain I cannot do anything. I cant straighten up, walk nothing. Even going for a wee I have to breath through this. I was admitted to hospital after collapsing and was kept in for 4 days on antibiotics (drip) etc. My bloods were all over the place. I have not had a proper scan, but when I was fitted with the coil I had a biopsy taken from my womb. no problems were found. This Pain I cant handle, I have had 6 children all completely natural, no pain relief just through breathing technique. So clearly I am not just being a wimp. I am truely in such pain I live in fear of my next period. Can I get a scan or laporoscopy to see what is wrong with me. The only options I have now been told I can have injections to fake menopause or full Hysterectomy. Please someone help me
hi,i had the same problem with the pains and i could not stand up straight i went to the doctors about it and they gave me these tablet's for the pain now and time i get the pain it goe's i would recommend you ask your g.p for these tablet's they are called mefenamic acid tabelt's they help with mine.
Hi, I have been on these tablets for 2 years now with very little benefit. I have now got to take them and some other tablets too
Hi, i am 21 years old and from the age of 12 have had very irregular periods. My doctor put me on the pill, which didnt resolve and in total i was given three different types of contraceptive pill over a total of 3 years. When i was 18 i decided to try the DEPO injection, which stopped my bleeding for about 3 months, after this i had a period constantly- every single day for about 18 months, it wasnt very heavy just VERY uncomfortable to deal with for this amount of time especially as i couldnt use tampons because the flow wasnt heavy enough! After about a year of me having the period i started having pain; during, and after sex mainly but most of the time it just appeared out of the blue and strong painillers like co-codamol would not get rid, i just had to sit it out! After months of pestering my G.P and family planning clinic they finally decided to investigate the pain and bleeding, i had numerous blood tests, swabs, and an ultrasound scan nothing showed up; and in the end the doctor at family planning clinic decided to insert a mirena coil. This procedure was extremely long and uncomfortable and i was in agony for weeks after having this inserted, eventaly this pain cleared up along with the bleeding. However now i am still suffering fro dreadful pain during and after sex, which is causing a lot of stress between me and my partner. I have seen a gynaecologist recently who sent me for all the same tests AGAIN- which to my surprise surprise came back negative! She seems to have given up now and i just dont know what to do from now on....any help would be EXTREMELY appreciated, this cant be right for someone my age! Thankyou in advance.
