QuestionI have been diagnosed with endo since I was 14/15 years old, I am 21 now. I have been taking birth control since then, to help prevent me from having a period at all. Basically, I need advise from someone who does understand what I am feeling and experiencing. Should I get the surgery or wait till I am older? I know that I am getting older and I need to start making the best decisions for my body and myself. None of my friends understand what I'm going through, so they aren't really good help.
AnswerDear Letty,
I can so relate to how you feel...I was diagnosed with endo at 25 and I am now 50...and still have full blown horrible periods. I did the Birth Control pill, too. But had to stop due to migraines starting with it. I have had numerous surgeries over the years to "clean out the plumbing" so to speak, cysts, fibroids, cancer of the cervix...
By surgery, are you referring to a hysterectomy? Looking back I sometimes wished I had had one...I know how hard it is to try and explain to your friends and family just how bad you feel. And its not only during your period, I have always felt that endo contributed to me feeling lousy alot of the time. Very fatigued and not right. I do, however, remember days where I felt well, because there were really so few. I swear every thing monumental that I wanted to do in my life, was interrupted with my period. And when I got my period, I would normally vomit the first day, all day. It was awful. I also used to get so ticked at my friends, because they had normal periods and used to tell me that I should just "take an aspirin"...huh...little did they know that the cramps you and I experience are very close to labor pains!!! It was so frustrating!
I got off all drugs and now only take an anti inflammatory that seems to really help control the cramps and I also use it during the month when I feel funky. It is called Anaprox and my Gyno prescribes it to me. It reduces the swelling of the endometrium wall thus allowing better blood flow and much less bloating and cramping...Maybe give that a try...
If it is a hysterectomy you are considering, I am 50/50 on that one! You are young and of course need to consider the children factor but on the other hand, you may feel awful the rest of your estrogen producing years.
Let me know what you are thinking about doing, if you get the time. Good luck to you and take care of yourself.
Martha
