I'm only 20 and have recently gone to my doctor because ...

I am the person who has listed comment 10. I would strongly suggest you re-visit your GP. I speak from experience when I say...DON'T BE BRAVE and cover up how you are feeling. Your pain is real and if you don't explain how bad it is you are doing yourself an injustice!! All you need to be in the right direction is an appointment with a Gyney. This is not a lot to ask, they WILL be able to help. Please learn from my tale that not being persistant at an early age may cause problems later.............As for your age, I was diagnosed at 19 after problems all through my teens. GO AHEAD - FIGHT FOR A REFERRAL!!.... Good Luck, let us know. :?

[i:d6ac42d5d0]This message was automatically imported from the original Patient Experience[/i:d6ac42d5d0]

I also experienced the same symptoms as you from the age of 20, and they got worse. I was referred to a gynaecologist who laparoscoped me and found nothing. I was then `ping-ponged` from my doctor to various consultants for 3 years before I got a diagnosis. It was a really difficult time as no one, but my doctor, believed I had a problem and finally as none of the consultants could find anything wrong with me in their particular field, my doctor felt he had no option left but to refer me to a sexual psychologist, who insisted the pain was in my head. I knew it wasn`t and pushed for a second gynae opinion. The second gynaecologist peformed a laparoscopy and found endometriosis. So, just as Sharon says, don`t give in - you know you have pain, push for help! Even see a different GP within your practice, there may be one who has a particular interest in gynae problems and be more sympathetic and informed about this condition. (I note you posted this comment in March - have you managed to get any help yet?) Best wishes. Julie

[i:8f401c27c2]This message was automatically imported from the original Patient Experience[/i:8f401c27c2]

I have had gynae related problems since the age of 14 - I am 35 now. I had a large ovarian cyst remeoved and the y also took away the tube and biopsied the other side. Thankfully I have gone on to have two beautiful healthy daughters and over the years I have had two laprosocopies to look for endometriosis but none was found and I was sent away with a disgnosis of IBS. Now six years on from that I am worse than ever, In April, I went to the docs with what I thought was a water infection as I was in pain and passing water more often. They sent me for a kidney x-ray which showed no stones. Then I was referred 'urgently' to a urologist for a flexible cystoscopy which was inconclusive so they referred me on for the same op but under general anasthetic and to take a bladder biopsy. The doctor I saw said that while some of my symptoms relate to the bladder - interstitial cystitis mainly - that it also relates to an overy problem - I have constant pain in my groin area and tend to walk with a limp slightly, I am also in pain if I stand or walk for more than 10 minutes .after my second cystoscopy I now have to wait 6 weeks for the results of the biopsy but the doc said he saw nothing too unusual on the screen. I am going for an ultrasound and transvaginal scan on Monday and have now got myself terrified that it might be ovarian cancer - my symptoms are pain in the groin, generally feeling unwell and lethargic, pain with sex - ongoing for years - and now pain in my whole bladder area from the surgery and I just feel completely at a loss - as if nobody seems to be able to tell me why I am in constant abdominal pain and why I haven't got the energy to do anything with my children. It is all so frustrating - I think I need a ct scan which is what the first urologist I saw said but that was in an nhs clinic that is run seperately by private doctors - so maybe if I could afford to pauy his prices I would know by now what it is. I have even started thinking could it be due to something in the bowels - thing is everything in that area is so close and unless they do something like a ct scan then they are not lookng at everything at the same time so then it means constant waiting between appointments which is also a long drawn out frustratng experience.

Hope someone can help and I would appreciate any stories that relate to mine.

Thank you

[i:07d282ef17]This message was automatically imported from the original Patient Experience[/i:07d282ef17]

Definately go back to your GP and keep pushing them. It's the only way you can get anything done. I had to push and push my doctors and got a diagnosis at 21.

It's a complete myth that you can be too young to have endometriosis and it has no basis in science or evidence. The only reason doctors think it's a condition older people have is that they take so long to diagnose it (an average of 7 years in fact!).

Keep pushing them to find out what's wrong with you. No one should have to suffer in pain and silence.

Hi, I am 23 and have had the same symptoms as you, pain on intercourse and painful periods. I thought, from what I had read on here that I had Endo, but I went to Gynae a couple of weeks ago and on internal examination they said that I have cervical erosion. I am being treated for this at the end of April with laser treatment, however the consultant has not ruled out Endo as well. I would get a referal to the Gynae and see what they say. In todays world you are never to young to get any condition - its a side effect to the life we lead and the way things have changed.

Good Luck

I know exactly how you feel!!

I had the same similar pains since I was 18. My GP told me that the pain was in my head to go away, stop thinking about it and the pain would go away!!!

So I did, the BIGGEST mistake I ever made. I was only 25 when I underwent the 1st part of my hysterectomy, the endometriosis was that bad, the surgeons lost count how many spots I had!!

They removed one ovary and tube, gave me 6 months to get pregnant, which lets face it, the more you try, the less chance of it happening, after just 3 months I was back into hospital receiving a full hysterectomy!! I have never had any children, and now never will have the opportunity.

Please take my advice and go to your GP and insist on being refferred to a gynaecologist and persist on a laperoscopy to investigate.

Don't take no for an answer and end up like me.

I wish you all the very best and keep in touch. x

On the 21st April I had my cauterisation of the cervix as I was diagnosed with cervical erosion. This is where the cells that line the womb grow to low and are subjected to the conditions the cervix experience.

I will have to wait a month or so to see if this has solved my problem. If not I have to go back and have a lapo to see if I have endo.

I really want to start a family and seeing as I have had this problem since I was 17 I think I have something more serious than certical erosion. I will keep you posted.

Zara

Zara,

I hope the last 3 months have been kinder to you.

I have just registered on this site with a different complaint, but I suffered with Endometriosis for some years, experiencing great pain with each monthly cycle, to the point where it got so bad I could not stand up and walk. It was only on the 3rd occasion of ending up in A&E that suddenly someone suggested I might have Endo. for the previous 8 or so years it had always been \"oh you are just one of those women who have heavy and painful periods\" mostly from men consultants. It was only a new female GP when I moved house who recognised the problem and got me an endoscopy. The problem was that the normal maturity period for Endo is about 3-5 years before becoming severe, by which time I had got it bad. It covered my ovaries, the whole of my pelvic area and other areas as well. I was in my early forties when I had my hysterectomy, and there was a young girl of about 20 who was in for same complaint but having laser treatment as it was diagnosed earler. So I totally agree with whoever said you are never too young to suffer with Endometriosos. I too never had children due to this disease. it is one of those things that the medical profession did not recognise until recently, but I urge all women who have painful cramps and sharp pains during their cycle to explore all possibilities with their GP.

Lots of women don't know this disease exists until they get it; and I was one. There is a website, The Endometriosis Society, for great info. Anybody reading this message, make sure all your women friends and relatives are shown, and forward on information and personal experiences on the subject, as it needs to be educated to everyone (including doctors!)