Endometriosis Support Group

Endometriosis is a common medical condition where the tissue lining the uterus is found outside of the uterus, typically affecting other organs in the pelvis. The condition can lead to serious health problems, primarily pain and infertility. A major symptom of endometriosis is pain, mostly in the lower abdomen, lower back, and pelvic area.

1,254 Members
9,441 Posts
0 Online
Women's Health
/ Endometriosis Support Group

is this still a gynecological disorder

dggallegos
dggallegos
Most women with endo, if like me, have slowly had their parts taken out- i have one ovary left, full of endo-- gyno wants to use hormone meds- have done this 5 or 6 times in 20 yrs.. to create the psuedo menopausal state in my body.. Question-- if i feel the endo is on my bladder and intestines, how is this still a gyno disorder??? and are these hormones going to help, depending on where the endo is??
deleted_user
deleted_user
Yes this is a gyno disorder, because it is usually worse with your period or ovulation, snd driven by that. Also it is an estrogen driven disease, so yes hormones can help, not a cure but they may help even the endo is in other places than where it's typically found.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Thats a very good and fair question. I agree with @supersmish because as she stated; Its an estrogen driven disease. Even though it can grow often outside of the reproductive system, bowel, liver, spleen, instestines, lungs, brain, bladder, really anywhere, endo is mainly hormonally developed. Though, I am sure there are other factors that drive endo as well, such as our immune systems, Thyroid, genetics, etc.
It is curious that we're seeing more and more proof that a hysterectomy is not a definite cure for endo; if it were purely driven by estrogen, wouldnt a full hysterectomy be a definite cure? I always say that there has to be other factors involved, especially our immune systems.
Overall, I think its mainly Gynecological, and depending on where the endo is, such as if you have intestinal endo, then I think it also becomes a Gastrointestinal issue, and so on...Just my 2 cents.
dggallegos
dggallegos
Ok.. i get all of this as well, thank you ladies... i was asking because my question to my gyno was... well what's the difference??? You can take the last ovary i have out-- same as taking these psuedo menopausal pills...
with the ovary out-- same-- plus no person HAS to take homrmone pills!
PoisonedApple
PoisonedApple
Some people think they should start teaching gynecologists more about bowel surgery and other techniques since endometriosis can be present on more than the reproductive organs. Or that gynecologists should work in collaboration with other surgeons. This interview touched on the subject http://hcp.obgyn.net/conference-insider/display/article/1760982/1945975

For my endo on the diaphragm I was told I would need a thoracic surgeon not just a GYN. So both of these surgeons would have to work together. I don't plan on having my diaphragm touched because I've already had enough botched surgery from a 'top" surgeon. I'm a little gun shy about surgery now.
Christine1976
Christine1976
Full hysterectomies won't cure endo if all the endo isn't removed. Endo itself creates estrogen so just taking away the body's estrogen producing organs isn't going to help if there is still endo. Also a lot of women will go on Hormone Replacement Therapy after a hysterectomy...if you are putting estrogen back in your body thru this method then any remaining endo will grow!
Not to mention all the pseudo estrogen going in our bodies from food, health products, etc.