Explaining Endometriosis

Women with endometriosis and the health professionals who treat them will benefit from the latest information about the possible causes, diagnosis, surgeries, and current treatment options for endometriosis. This handbook cuts through the complexity to offer simple advice that will enable women to make informed decisions about their condition and its implications. It collects comparisons of different hormonal and laser treatments; discusses the lifestyle factors that can improve overall health and well-being; covers new herbal medicine therapies; examines pain management medications; and looks at infertility and pregnancy issues related to the disease. Part title......Page 1 Title page......Page 3 Contents......Page 5 Preface......Page 8 Female reproductive organs......Page 11 Related structures......Page 13 Hormones of the menstrual cycle......Page 15 Phases of the menstrual cycle......Page 16 Causes and development......Page 19 Appearance......Page 24 Sites of endometriosis......Page 27 Symptoms of endometriosis......Page 28 Progression......Page 36 Prevalence......Page 37 Typical age......Page 38 Risk factors......Page 39 Endometriosis and cancer......Page 40 3 Diagnosis of endometriosis......Page 42 Reporting your symptoms......Page 43 Giving a history......Page 44 Having an ultrasound......Page 47 Having a laparoscopy......Page 48 Classifying endometriosis......Page 49 Conditions confused with endometriosis......Page 50 Forms of treatment......Page 53 Treatment options......Page 55 Choosing treatments......Page 56 Effectiveness......Page 57 Recurrence......Page 58 5 Hormonal treatments......Page 59 The pill......Page 60 Provera......Page 62 Depo-Provera......Page 64 Duphaston......Page 66 Danazol......Page 68 Dimetriose......Page 71 Synarel and Zoladex......Page 74 Laparoscopy......Page 79 Laparotomy......Page 89 Hysterectomy......Page 95 Self-help......Page 102 Complementary therapies......Page 105 Causes of endometriosis pain......Page 113 Types of pain medications......Page 114 Managing chronic pain......Page 118 Pain clinics......Page 124 Endometriosis and infertility......Page 125 Endometriosis and pregnancy......Page 128 Further reading......Page 130 Period pain and endometriosis......Page 131 Living with endometriosis......Page 134 Working positively with doctors......Page 141 What you can do......Page 142 What parents can do......Page 144 Before your diagnosis......Page 146 Diagnosis......Page 148 After your diagnosis......Page 149 Coping......Page 154 Choosing your doctors......Page 156 Realistic expectations of your doctors......Page 158 Getting the best out of your doctors......Page 159 Making decisions......Page 161 Support groups......Page 163 Endometriosis Clinic......Page 165 Supporting your loved one......Page 167 Especially for partners......Page 171 Especially for families......Page 174 Especially for friends......Page 175 Especially for sufferers......Page 176 Glossary......Page 178 Index......Page 187 The most comprehensive handbook of up-to-date advice and information for sufferers of Endometriosis, a debilitating disease which affects approximately one in ten women.Endometriosis is a painful and debilitating disease that is now believed to affect as many as 1 in 10 women through their menstruating years. Some women may find that endometriosis has little effect on their daily lives, but for others it can be devastating. Simply getting diagnosed can be frustrating for many women, especially teenagers and younger women, as endometriosis can present a bewildering array of symptoms, including:• severe period pain• painful intercourse• pelvic pain• ovulation pain• heavy bleeding• lower back pain• bowel or bladder symptomsIn this new edition of their authoritative guide, Ros Wood and Lorraine Henderson offer comprehensive yet easy-to-understand advice that will enable women with endometriosis to understand this complex disease. They provide up-to-date information, clearly laid out to enable women to make informed choices about their treatment and lifestyle.Each chapter deals with a separate issue of concern for women with endometriosis:• What is endometriosis?• Getting diagnosed• What medical, surgical or complementary therapies are available to me?• How can I manage my pain?• How do I build a relationship with my doctor?• Teenagers and endometriosis• Coping strategies: for me, my partner, my family and friendsRos and Lorraine both have extensive knowledge of endometriosis. They co-founded the first endometriosis support group in Australia in 1984 and were co-authors of the first edition of Explaining Endometriosis. Endometriosis is a painful and debilitating disease that is now believed to affect as many as one in ten women. In this guide, the authors offer comprehensive yet simple advice to enable sufferers to understand this complex disease. The information is intended to help women make informed decisions.