Now we wait

Monday just gone we had our OBGYN appointment to follow up with how I got on with the Clomid etc.

Luckily I actually got to see a Doctor I know from a previous appointment so there wasn't the usual nonsense of explaining every single detail from the past eight years or so.

We discussed the fact that I am not willing at the minute to continue with the Clomid due to the side effects. For me personally it has caused an increase in my anxiety and panic attacks which is in no way going to aid with the TTC so moving one for now.

The Doc performed an internal exam and concluded that the existing cyst on my right ovary may have grown since the scan in February so the scan will need to be repeated to see if indeed it has grown, if there's another cyst or if it's actually an Endo growth. Fun times!

I got the appointment this morning and due to the back log in the Ultrasound Dept. I won't be getting that scan until 05th November 2012. It does seem like a long time to wait especially as my right and left "sides" (ovaries) are causing a lot of pelvic pain which only began with the second round of Clomid but which has stayed even though I'm nearly two cycles off the treatment.

In the meantime however if things get really bad I've to do the usual. For me that means wait and wait and wait and wait a little bit more until I absolutely physically can't stand the pain any more and then I might just present at A and E. It sounds very careless of me I realise to wait so long when things get really bad. But, I've never been in a situation where I have not been admitted to hospital after presenting at the Emergency Dept. Now, this is more than likely due to the fact that I do wait so very long before giving in and going into the hospital but I generally think that the pain or discomfort will just pass and due to the nature of the chronic pain situation I need to be pretty bad to present as I have quite a high pain tolerance.

Anyway, will I learn my lesson? Perhaps. Or maybe I'll continue to stick it out as long as I can. After all "giving in" to this disease doesn't make me feel any better so I'll fight it tooth and nail if needs be.

A new circle has begun for us. We are still very positive and truly believe that when the times right things will happen. For now, we wait and see.

As a wise woman once told me "What's for you won't pass you".

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.