caret icon Back to all discussions

Possible endo.. thoughts/advice?

So I’ve had two kids. One in 2022 and the other this year in January. They’re 17 months apart. I got pregnant easily with both of them. I was on birth control for about 9 years before that so I never ovulated and mostly skipped my periods. Well after my son my periods were more painful and heavy, but not debilitating. But after my daughter, omg. My periods and ovulation are debilitating and so heavy. With my period I pass clots now and my cramps I’ll feel them creep up on me and then suddenly I’m on the floor crying because I can’t move for a solid 45 minutes. I’ll take tons of meds and use my heating pad to get relief but it takes forever. I describe it as worse than labor because it doesn’t let up like contractions do, it’s constant. It’s honestly just like the horribly painful uterine contractions after birth. I also get terrible shooting pain in my legs. Then ovulation rolls around and same exact thing. Excruciating, debilitating pelvic pain and cramps. Even for a couple days after it hurts to sit down, I’ll gasp because it’ll shoot pain into my pelvis or when I try to use the toilet it hurts my pelvis to relax totally and I have to take medicine. I get about a week or two a month with no pain. I’ve been to my doctor and she said we could try hormone therapy first to see if that helps at all and physical therapy. So far none of that has helped and it’s been a couple months or so. At the appt she asked if I’d ever been asked about endometriosis before and I said no but that I know what it is. So I’m thinking at my follow up in September I’ll request the lap procedure to rule in or rule out endo especially while my out of pocket is still met. She did a pelvic exam and said no masses or anything and I would think all my pregnancy ultrasounds would show if I had fibroids at all? So I’m just wondering what anyone’s thoughts are on my symptoms. Thank you!

  1. Hi . Welcome to the community and congratulations on your babies! Endometrial tissue does not always show up on ultrasounds and MRIs. Doctors wouldn't feel it either with a physical exam unless the masses are quite big. Even a bit of endo tissue outside the uterus can cause debilitating symptoms. That's why the laparoscopic surgery is really the only way to definitively diagnose it. The good news is that the recovery is relatively easy compared to most surgeries. Just be sure you have someone to help lift your little ones for a week or so after. I had many of the same symptoms for a few years after my second pregnancy, I hope this helps and that you get some answers. Keep us posted if you don't mind. I'd like to know how you are doing. Best wishes. - Lori (Team Member)

    Please read our rules before posting.