Endometriosis.

I have been having this damn thing in me for the past 6 years of more. Previously I have had pretty bad cramps and couple of diarrhea before and during the 1st and 2nd day of my menses. And then the menses will last through 2 weeks! Just imagine, clean for 2 weeks and the nightmare is back all over again.

After I got married in 2005, we were desperate to get pregnant because I'm already 29 and he's 35. After 2 years of trying and the menstrual cramps and diarrhea getting worse month by month, it is time to sort for help.

Checks were done and found to have one 4cm + cysts near my ovary. I opt for the surgery to get rid of it in 2007 and the doc took nearly 2 hrs to clean the mess in my stomach. What did he found: 1 hugh chocolate cysts measuring 4cm + on my ovary and more than 20pcs of tiny chocolate cysts covering 1 of my fallopian tube causing it to be twisted. My doc also have the fallopian tube tested for rupture, luckily it is fine. Oh and some on the intestine too. That explains the diarrhea (with oil!!!)

Post surgery caused me to have really bad bloated stomach for 1 month and of coz a 10cm scar. I hardly can walk on the first week due to the extend of extra cysts removal during the surgery. The pain, my god, on my stomach and the scar internally and externally is extreme. Compared to another girl who had the same surgery, she only had 1 fluid cysts removed. She has no problem getting down from her hospital bed 1 day after surgery.

Luckily, the test results on the chocolate cysts show negative, which means it is not cancerous.

It took me 2 weeks to walk without a walker and 1 month to recover.

You might be questioning: What is endometriosis?!!

Endometriosis is a disorder in which bits of tissue from the inner lining of the uterus (the endometrium) grow inside a woman's body, outside of the uterus. The uterus is a hollow organ within a woman's abdomen where a fertilized egg implants and where a developing baby is nourished and grows.

These misplaced bits of endometrial tissue can cause pain and irregular bleeding, and can affect a woman's ability to become pregnant.

Each month, in a normal menstrual cycle:

• The ovaries (the organs where egg cells develop) produce hormones (the body's chemical messengers) that stimulate the cells of the uterine lining - the endometrial cells - to multiply and prepare for a fertilized egg. These cells swell and thicken.
• If a pregnancy does not occur, this excess tissue is shed from the uterus and discharged from the body.
• This discharge of tissue is a woman's menstrual period.

In endometriosis:

• Patches of misplaced endometrial tissue implant themselves on organs outside of the uterus, such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes rectum, and bladder.
• These cells also respond to the ovaries' hormonal signals by swelling and thickening.
• However, these cells are unable to separate themselves and shed from the tissue to which they have adhered. They sometimes bleed a little and then heal.
• This happens repeatedly each month, and the ongoing process can cause scarring. It also can create adhesions, which are web-like tissues that can bind pelvic organs together.

How Common Is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis sometimes produces no symptoms, and many women are unaware that they have the condition. Therefore, the true incidence is hard to determine. But many experts believe it affects between 5 and 15 percent of all women of reproductive age.

Where In The Body Does Endometriosis Occur?

Endometrial tissue can grow anywhere in the abdomen, including:

• Ovaries
• Fallopian tubes
• Outer surface of the uterus
• Bladder
• Rectum

Less commonly, endometrial tissue may adhere to:

• Outer surfaces of the small and large intestines
• Ureters (tubes leading to from the kidneys to the bladder)
• Vagina
• Surgical scars in the abdomen
• Lining of the chest cavity
• Other areas outside the abdomen, such as the lung or thigh (this is rare)

Source:
http://www.ehealthmd.com/library/endometriosis/EM_whatis.html