Is Endometriosis the same as Uterine fibroids?
Thursday, September 24th, 2009 at
5:09 pm
Any and all information on either subject (if they are not the same thing) would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
What causes the scaring in endometriosis?
Filed under: Fibroids Uterine
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Here’s the deal with endo: you have these little cells in your body called endometrial cells. they’re supposed to live in the wall of your uterus. Hormones in your body send signals to these little cells to fill up with blood. If you don’t get pregnant that month, hormones send signals to those cells to detach from the wall and start to move downward. Then they release that blood and your period starts. After your period is over, more hormones tell those little cells it’s time to go home. Sometimes those cells don’t listen and wind up attaching themselves to places they shouldn’t be. Lots of people get them on their ovaries, their bowel, etc. There are even documented cases of these little cells in the throat area. Talk about getting lost!
Well, those little cells, although they’re not where they’re supposed to be, still receive those signals from the hormones telling them to fill up with blood. Since they’re not where they belong, lots of times that means they’re pressing up against an organ as they fill with blood – and that hurts like crazy. Then again when they get the signal to release the blood, they do it, and THAT hurts even more. It’s sort of like you’re bleeding internally. Somehow instead of getting the signal to move around like the other cells do, they stick themselves to their new home. Idk how or why, it just happens.
The only way to get rid of it is through surgery. Most doctors remove it by burning the cells off, just because they’re in a delicate region of your body. However, this menthod isn’t quite effective because the burning doesn’t always get the entire cell. Little microscopic pieces can be left behind, and they grow back – sometimes in the very next month. If your doctor CUTS out the cells, studies have shown the cells don’t come back. However, sometimes it’s not possible to cut out all of the cells depending on where they are. It’s also not possible to see all of the endometriosis in your body – much of it is microscopic, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there & it also doesn’t mean it isn’t painful.
Birth control regulates your periods and many times helps with the pain. The biggest benefit is lighter periods because most people with endo tend to have heavy periods. Less flow means less pain. There is a drug called Meclomen, it’s an NSAID like Aleve or Advil but it actually helps people with endo by making your periods super light – I barely had one while taking it. You just start taking the pill at the first sign of pain and continue through your period and it does wonders. It’s also not habit forming unlike a lot of the narcotics most women with endo have to take.
I’ve had endo for probably 10 years now, but it took nearly 5 years to diagnose it because many doctors don’t really believe endometriosis really exists – don’t ask me why. Since then, I’ve had surgery twice, and will continue to need regular surgeries to deal with the pain. I keep in close contact with my doctor, letting him know everything I htink might be helpful because endo can cause problems getting pregnant and I want to avoid that as much as possible. Unfortunately, other than that, the only thing doctors can offer us is birth control. Well, they could try Lupron depot, but that basically puts you in a state of menopause for a year or two, but has been shown to cause remission of endo for as long as 5 years. I’ve opted against that route, because the shots are nearly $600 and need to be taken every 3 months, plus there are chances for unwanted side effects – and I’m not so sure I want that risk either.
This is pretty much what I know about endo, although I can’t really tell you much more about fibroids other than to say they’re not the same as endo. I hope this helps!
Nope they are not the same thing at all. Endometrosis is like a scarring on the outside of the uterine wall. It will cause, sometimes organs, to be melded together, which can cause pain, as well as infertility. Fibroid are little sacs, sometimes filled with fluid that can develop on the ovaries, usually easily palpated by a doctor or inside the uterine wall. Surgery isn’t always necessary unless the fibroid gets really big, or bursts. As for endometriosis, they can do surgery, but that can, sometimes produce more scaring.
Personally, my scaring was cause from my appendectomy
I had when I was seven.
My mom had endometriosis. It causes VERY heavy periods. When she had a hysterectomy (after hemorrhaging badly), the doctors said they were pulling out handfuls of bloody "vines" that were wrapped around internal organs. Apparently it starts growing from your first period & gets worse & worse over the years.
Not the same as fibroids although I don’t know much about them.