Treatments for ENDOMETRIOSIS
There are various treatments for ENDOMETRIOSIS....surgery, pills, injections, etc. I have tried to research every known treatment for ENDO and make sure that the information given is as accurate as possible. If you are under any kind of new, experimental or a treatment that is not mentioned here, please e-mail me so I can update the information given.
DRUGS
BEST FOR: Mild ENDOMETRIOSIS, pain related to menstrual cycle. Reduces pain in about half of users.
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Nausea, break through bleeding (spotting), headaches, weight gain, acne.
BEST FOR: ENDOMETRIOSIS, especially when surgery is unsuccessful or not an option.
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Hot flashes, vaginal dryness, fatigue, nausea, and other menopausal symptoms. Treatment is limited to 6 months. Lupron is the sister drug to Depo-Provera, the birth control.
BEST FOR: ENDOMETRIOSIS. Relieves pain for 80% of women; 30 to 60% experience a gradual return of pain within 1 year after ceasing drugs.
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Menopausal symptoms, acne, weight gain, decreased sex drive, reduction in breast size, abnormal face and body hair growth. Typical treatment is 6 months.
BEST FOR: Pain with unknown or multiple causes. Helps up to 70% of women.
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Constipation (with tricyclics), diarrhea (with prozac), and decrease of diagnosed clinical depression.
SURGERY
BEST FOR: ENDOMETRIOSIS. Success rates vary, depending on severity of disease. Pain often comes back after about 6 to 12 months.
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Severe abdominal pain, scar tissue from incisions, pain in shoulder, and some potential and rare complications include; unintended injury to other organs, bleeding and infection.
BEST FOR: Adhesions caused by pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), ENDOMETRIOSIS and previous surgery.
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS : Same as above.
BEST FOR: Adenomyosis (ENDOMETRIOSIS within the uterus), large fibroids and severe menstrual cramps. Relieves the pain in 75-80% of women; 20-25% experience NO BENEFIT.
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: Possible complications from surgery include damage to other organs, bleeding and infection. If ovaries were removed, menopausal symptoms.
The Laparoscopy
The Laparoscopy is the most common surgery used in the fight against ENDO. It is a very simple proceedure and is used to treat and diagnose ENDOMETRIOSIS.
The patient can choose to go to sleep for the operation or remain awake and be able to be a part of the operation.
The abdominal cavity is filled with a harmless gas that makes the cavity puff up and away from the organs, this give's the doctor an easy view of the internal cavity. Incisions are made in the belly button and also above or just below the pubic line. The incisions are not more than 1 1/2".
The tube to inflate the cavity is inserted into one incision and a camera called an ENDOSCOPY is placed into the other. The doctor is then able to view the organs.
Depending on what kind of proceedures are planned for the operation, it might be simply exploratory to seek a diagnosis for the problem, or it could be laser removal of the adhesions.
After the operation the patient goes into recovery and waits until they feel able to go home. Laparoscopy's tend to be performed in an outpatient clinic. Usually patients will be given a prescription for painkillers, some new bandaging, and some ibuprofen before they return home.
Recovery takes up to a week, but most people feel able to return to work after 3 days.
I had a Laparoscopy in July of 1998, so if you have any questions about what happens, what does it feel like, etc...send me an e-mail, and I will gladly answer them for you. RyanRye@Hotmail.com
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