In need of advice - Dienogest treatment
I was diagnosed with endometriosis back in april this year and they have found 2 chocolate cysts on both of my ovaries, one measuring 4 cm and the other 5 cm. Although the doctor informed me that the main solution would be a laparoscopic surgery, I cannot afford it at the moment.
The doctor recommended me Dienogest for one month, which decreased one of the cysts by a few millimeters. However, I informed the doctor about the side effects (deteriorating mental health, increasing anxiety, and constant hot flashes), and she advised me to continue the treatment for the next 7 months. Although the doctor knew that I am a smoker she did not warn me about the risk of blood clots, which I have only found out later by researching myself.
I did not start the treatment again as I am scared of the side effects, especially the ones related to my mental health, and I continued having my period during the past 3 months. I am scheduled in a few weeks for a new examination outside of my home country, hoping for an alternative treatment and opinion, but my 4th period is about to come.
Should I skip starting the Dienogest this time as well, or am I only making things worse? Can I stop the treatment after 2 weeks, if the next doctor would recommend me a different one, or would that cause any side effects?
I was on Dienogest for 7 months. It really, really helped my symptoms. However, at the beginning I had a hard time adjusting and often felt depressed, even though I do not normally have mental health issues.
One thing to consider: my doctor did not tell me ANYTHING about bone density issues, and now I have bone spurs all over my feet, and I am awaiting a test to see if I have osteoporosis. If you choose to go on this medication, I would suggest requesting multiple bone density scans to monitor this, and taking calcium supplements.
STOP SMOKING.
