Did you know?

Ok so by now you would assume that we'd all be a bit more aware of what causes Endo but here are some facts you may not have considered with your symptoms.

The most common symptom of endometriosis is pain in the lower abdomen or pelvis, or the lower back, mainly during menstrual periods. The amount of pain a woman feels does not depend on how much endometriosis she has. Some women have no pain, even though their disease affects large areas. Other women with endometriosis have severe pain even though they have only a few small growths.

Symptoms of endometriosis can include:

• Very painful menstrual cramps; pain may get worse over time
• Chronic pain in the lower back and pelvis
• Pain during or after sex
• Intestinal pain
• Painful bowel movements or painful urination during menstrual periods
• Spotting or bleeding between menstrual periods
• Infertility or not being able to get pregnant
• Fatigue
• Diarrhea, constipation, bloating, or nausea, especially during menstrual periods

Recent research shows a link between other health problems in women with endometriosis and their families. Some of these include:

• Allergies, asthma, and chemical sensitivities
• Autoimmune diseases, in which the body’s system that fights illness attacks itself instead. These can includehypothyroidism, multiple sclerosis, and lupus.
• Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia
• Being more likely to get infections and mononucleosis (ma-no-nu-klee-OH-suhs)
• Mitral valve prolapse, a condition in which one of the heart's valves does not close as tightly as normal
• Frequent yeast infections
• Certain cancers, such as ovarian, breast, endocrine, kidney, thyroid, brain, and colon cancers, and melanoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

You might be more likely to get endometriosis if you have:

• Never had children
• Menstrual periods that last more than seven days
• Short menstrual cycles (27 days or less)
• A family member (mother, aunt, sister) with endometriosis
• A health problem that prevents normal passage of menstrual blood flow
• Damage to cells in the pelvis from an infection
• These facts have been brought to you today by (Woman's Health Government Publications)

So here's a quick card if you will listing the possible symptoms.