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Endometriosis sufferer saw 20 doctors before diagnosis (www.bbc.com)

submitted 5 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/health@lemmy.world

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A woman who suffered excruciating periods has said she was diagnosed with endometriosis after seeing 20 doctors across 18 years.

Dearbhail Ormond, from Surrey, also grew up experiencing extreme fatigue and pain after sex.

She said she began experiencing painful periods from the age of 16, and after seeking advice from a range of medical professionals, she received no answers.

The 42-year-old has since given birth to a baby girl and founded a company to help other endometriosis sufferers.

Endometriosis is a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus.

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[–] Darrell_Winfield@lemmy.world 8 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Endometriosis is a tough one. It presents as abdominal cramping pain, which literally a million things can present as that. The only way to diagnose it is via direct visualization, AKA surgery. I'm not a surgeon, but it's a good idea to avoid surgery if at all possible. Even the most successful uncomplicated surgery can cause lifelong problems with adhesions and obstructions. A surgical complication could be as severe as death.

If we could have a diagnostic tool that is reliable and noninvasive, that would be wonderful. But it currently doesn't exist.

[–] monobot@lemmy.ml 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Thabk you for explanation. That is the problem with journalists, they don't share important piece of information and just awake rage in readers.

What is also not mentioned - how is it treated?

[–] Darrell_Winfield@lemmy.world 4 points 5 months ago

Much as I like to SLAM journalists for their SAD uninformed opinions, this is a complex medical subject that doctors study for years. While this journalist didn't explain it in detail, I don't fault then for being a professional on the topic. But it's not hard to find an OBGYN to consult on this.

It is treated typically in the same surgery where they visualize it. It's literally the lining of the uterus stuck to stuff in the belly. Usually it's bowls, can be liver or other stuff though. They carefully pull it off of the abdominal structures and that usually works for endometriosis.

[–] Chetzemoka@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

It shouldn't be this tough. I think that's the entire point. We remain so ignorant, as a profession, of medical conditions that primarily affect women. It's not an inherent mystery of the universe. It's simply a lack of bothering to do the research and come up with better ways.

We can do better than we do now.

[–] mycathas9lives@mastodon.social -2 points 5 months ago

@MicroWave

That's a lot of folks looking in her vagina for no reason