“All of them menstruate but my wife’s own is different. Why must I go through hell because she is on her period? This pain has persisted so long that I am sure she is now addicted to every pain killer in the market. I really don’t know what to do,” a distraught husband lamented.
Mrs A.J looked at me with tears in her eyes and began her narration, “I was told this is how it is. It is a rite of passage for women. Well meaning friends, my sister and even my mother said I am pretending and exaggerating. They scolded me for not being able to bear the normal pain everywoman experiences. But, honestly, the pain I feel is inexplicable. Doctor, am I different from other women? I am certain we are not feeling the same degree of pain. Nobody can feel what I am feeling and still be sane. In fact, this was part of why we got married when we did because friends advised us that the pain will be better once I start having sex. On the contrary, I honestly think it is worse. I am not having children and I have to tolerate this pain day in day out. Who have I offended? Is there hope for me?”
After a thorough history and examination, we just needed a minor procedure called a laparoscopy to confirm my suspicions.
The laparoscopy procedure involves making a small incision beneath the belly button and inserting a small telescope to see the internal organs. Other small incisions can be made on the abdomen to perform surgery also. After the procedure, the diagnosis was confirmed; Mrs A.J had stage four endometriosis.
To my outmost surprise, the couple was elated! According to them, “now at least we know what the problem is, it has been like fighting with the wind all these years. Now, we know what we are fighting against”.
“Does it have a cure?” Mr A.J. asked. I sighed deeply and replied “we don’t have a cure for it but we can manage it and hopefully may even be able to achieve conception when all this is over.”
It took a laparoscopic surgery to excise the deposits in the abdomen, six months of medications that temporarily stopped her menstrual flow. The first and second IVF cycles failed but we were rewarded at the third attempt with a positive pregnancy test. The icing on the cake was a set of twin boys they had one cold December morning.
Endometriosis is a common health problem in women. It gets its name from the word endometrium, the tissue that normally lines the uterus or womb.
Endometriosis happens when the lining of the womb grows outside of the womb. It is estimated that 5 to 15 percent of women have some degree of the disease. It affects millions of women and girls during what should be the most promising years of their lives. Endometriosis is especially common among women in their 30s and 40s.
Symptoms of endometriosis can include:
- Pain: This is the most common symptom. Women with endometriosis may have many different kinds of pain.
- Very painful menstrual cramps.
- long-term pain in the lower back and pelvis
- Pain during or after sex
- Painful bowel movements.
- Heavy menstrual flow
- Infertility, if endometriosis is not found and treated, it can grow and damage the fallopian tubes and ovaries. This can make it more difficult to get pregnant.
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 fewer)
- A family member (mother, aunt, sister) with endometriosis
- A health problem that blocks the normal flow of menstrual blood from your body during your period
How is endometriosis diagnosed?
If you have symptoms of endometriosis, talk with your doctor. The doctor will talk to you about your symptoms and do or prescribe one or more of the following to find out if you have endometriosis:
- Pelvic examination
During a pelvic exam, your doctor will feel for large cysts or scars behind your uterus. Smaller areas of endometriosis are harder to feel.
- Laparoscopy
Laparoscopy is a type of surgery that doctors can use to look inside your pelvic area to see endometriosis tissue. Surgery is the only way to be sure you have endometriosis.
How is endometriosis treated?
There is no cure for endometriosis, but treatments are available for the symptoms and problems it causes. The aim of treatment is to address the immediate needs of the clients. If it is pain, then the treatment is directed towards relieving the pain, by using medications and at times surgical methods to remove the endometriotic lesions.
For many people, their concern is inability to conceive and treatment will be offered depending on the stage of endometriosis . If it is moderate to severe, the woman will most certainly need in-vitro fertilization among other things. The good news is that once pregnancy is achieved, the hormone state of pregnancy helps to ameliorate the symptoms of the disease thereafter.
Endometriosis is a painful scourge affecting almost 200 million women worldwide causing severe abdominal pains, painful intercourse and inability to conceive. Unfortunately, diagnosis requires a mini surgery. Treatment depends on the predominant need of the woman. Women having difficulty in achieving conception will most likely require in vitro fertilisation.
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