Girls, does anyone here have endometriosis and could tell me more about it?

[Anonymous]

I was diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) when I was 18, after having a lot of pain and period problems since 15. But since about December last year, those problems have gotten a lot worse and I saw a gynaecologist yesterday who did a scan and said he doesn’t think I have PCOS and that I never did, and he thinks I actually have endometriosis instead. So he wants me to get keyhole surgery to have it diagnosed or ruled out. But I’m still on the fence about it because I don’t know enough about endometriosis or the surgeries that can be performed for it, and google can only help so much. I’d like to hear personal stories if that’s possible. If you’re uncomfortable sharing, you’re welcome to go anonymous if that’s easier.

[MORPHEUS_12]

I don't have it because I stopped my periods when I found out I had PCOS. Now 30 years later boy, did I dodge a bullet. I have friends who have it bad and when I say bad its has spread all over their insides. Normally, when the uterus sheds its lining each month it comes out of the vagina. But in women with endometriosis that uterine lining escapes outside of the uterus and vagina. That endometrial tissue has estrogen in it. This tissue finds its way to any and everywhere inside your body. It can literally land and set-up shop on your intestines (close friend has this and she bleeds internally) which bleeds and makes it look like you are anemic. It causes pain just like you are having a normal period. Those endometrial lesions have estrogen and they are in communication with your brain as well as your reproductive system. It is an insidious disease to which I liken to cancer because of its capability to set up show up anywhere within your body. Once it takes hold it is very hard to treat to remove those endometrial lesions. Not sure if you are in the US, but there are not but a handful of surgeons who are trained at excision surgery necessary to stop these lesions from spreading further and causing more pain. This friend I know had to travel from Virginia to Washington state to have this surgery. Your gynecologist is correct in recommending laparoscopic surgery (AKA Keyhole Surgery) to make a proper diagnosis before this disease advances. Please do consider having this surgery done. Best wishes.

[Anonymous]

You should post this in Reddit or Quora.