Endometriosis is when cells similar to the lining in the womb grow elsewhere in the body. There is no known cause - though there are different stages - ascending by severity. Endometriosis is not cancerous nor is it contagious, however given that there is no cure it is considered a chronic illness.
Extremely severe period pain which limits ability to do your normal activities
Period pain which radiates down legs
Pain during ovulation time
Painful penetration
Irregular/heavy periods
Difficulty getting pregnant
Ovarian Cysts
Inflammation/swelling - often assumed to be bloating
Diarrhoea / constipation during period
Pain when pooing and/or peeing
The nature of endometriosis symptoms mean it is often missed during diagnosis and mistaken for other illnesses - making diagnosis times extremely long. Though there are available treatments, there is no known cure to eradicate endometriosis altogether
HRT/The Pill
Endometriosis grows when exposed to the female hormone called “oestrogen”. Often doctors will prescribe hormone treatment to relieve symptoms, or to ensure there is a reduced need for another surgery in the near future. Due to the nature of Endo - it can (and usually does) grow back, so it needs to be managed accordingly. See more about the types of Hormone Treatments here
Laparoscopy
The only way to know with 100% certainty if you have endometriosis is to do a "keyhole" surgery. The good news is that surgeons can treat any endometriosis found in the same surgery. The surgery involves a few incisions made on the pelvis and lower stomach area. Surgeons will use cameras to see your organs and will cut away patches of growth. Usually this is an outpatient surgery (you’ll go home the same day)
