Newly diagnosed
Hi, My name is Savannah I’m 22 and my doctor is 99% sure I have endometriosis. I switched over to a nurse practitioner that specializes in functional medicine. For over two years now I have had recurring UTI’s and a host of other symptoms, fatigue, brain fog, constipation, really bad abdominal pain during certain times of the month. I never even thought “endometriosis ” when it came to my symptoms. But apparently having recurrent UTI’s and bowel issues/ high crp levels (inflammation) can all be red flags for endometriosis. I am relieved to finally put a word to what i’ve been experiencing but terrified to have it become worse. Has anyone has had similar symptoms. The dizziness/ brain fog is scary and apparently can be a symptom of high inflammation in my body.
I also want to add that I had an ultrasound done and they did see endometrial cysts in my uterus. I thought endometriosis only grows outside of the uterus.
Hi
. I wish you didn't have to experience this at such a young age. My daughter was diagnosed at 20 after a trip to the ER and an ultrasound that showed a mass near her ovary. But her regular GYN had no idea what he was seeing. He threw out words like "cancer," scaring the heck out of her. When she was referred to an adult pelvic health specialist, it was like a whole new world. That doctor knew exactly what she was seeing on the ultrasound, a blood-filled cyst (endometrial cyst, that had caused the ovary to twist, triggering the intense pain that sent her to the ER. She had surgery a few months later to remove tissue that grew in multiple places outside her uterus and is doing much better now. There is far too much to know about the human body and its challenges for anyone to fully understand every potential illness and injury. Your doctor might be wonderful at functional medicine, but lacking the necessary knowledge to diagnose and treat a condition like this. The observation that you have an entrometrial cyst "in your uterus" might be evidence of that. As I note with my daughter's experience, even a GYN might have trouble propery diagnosing endometriosis because that doctor might have specialized in something else within the GYN speciality. So, I would strongly suggest that you make an appointment with a doctor who specializes in endometriosis. You might have to travel a bit, but it will be worth it. If you do have endometriosis, it is important to address it now or you might risk your future fertility. Here is an article about the types of endometriosis that includes a section about endrometrial cysts: https://endometriosis.net/chocolate-cyst-die. I thought it might interest you. Keep in mind though that your other symptoms might be unrelated. Some basic blood tests and a visit to an gastroenterologist can help rule out other health conditions. I hope this helps and that you get some treatment and relief. Please keep me posted, if you don't mind. I will be thinking of you. - Lori (Team Member)
Thank you so much for reaching out!! I will definitely look into a gyn that specializes in endometriosis! I like my functional medicine NP, she has the medical background too but I think I need to be further evaluated. I’ve ruled out a lot of things, I had a colonoscopy, mri scans, loads of bloodwork and nothing was alarming. I guess in my case my symptoms are all related to high inflammation and maybe just from feeling pain a lot. I’m glad to hear your daughter is feeling much better! Thanks so much for the advice on who to see!! Hi
. Functional doctors are fantastic, but probably not the right doctors for this kind of thing, especially if you end up needing surgery. I hope you don't need surgery but, if you do, know that my daughter was up and walking the next day with very little pain. She took Tylenol for two days after, but that was it. She had surgery in May and was 100 percent recovered by the time she left for a semester in Tokyo in early August. She is now on birth control pills that prevent her from menstrating. Two years later, she still has occasional flare-ups, but she feels better than she has felt since she was 15 or 16 years old. I hope you feel much better after treatment as well. - Lori (Team Member)
