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  • Shared Experiences

    Why does endometriosis take gynaecologists so long to diagnose?

    Related Topics
    Endometriosis Pelvic Pain Women's Health
    I would like to understand why after repeated visits to the gynaecologist complaining of severe period cramp and bloating that my endometriosis was only picked up at age 33 when ovarian cysts burst and I was rushed to hospital in an ambulance crippled over in pain?The specialist at the hospital told me that its 10 years to diagnosis? How is this possible when this is such a common ailment, why do gynaecologists not even think about it as a consideration?I would like to talk to other women who have been long sufferers and have been made to feel bad about complaining about their pain by their gynaecologist My endometriosis has affected by bowels, kidneys, appendix and am looking at another 2 surgeries and months of recovery. I feel very upset and angry that I am in this situation and feel this could have been avoided if my gynaecologist had actually listened to me - any specialists have any views on this?
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    Paula_S

    HealthShare Member

    Its even worse in the UK - I suffered from excrutiating periods with bowel symptoms from age 11 - saw GP after GP, and none of them took me seriously…one even asking why i was fighting nature!….finally in my 20s they told me it was IBS. I wasn't diagnosed until I moved to Australia and saw a GP here and mentioned my history - they said it sounded like endometriosis and sent me for an ultrasound and CA125 tests - result: huge cyst on ovary and elevated reading. Was whipped into hospital for laparoscopy which confirmed endometriosis…..it was on my bowel, pouch of douglas, most of my pelvic organs adhered together - a real mess. They actually weren't expecting the severity and didn't have the skill to do much with it, but at least I finally had a diagnosis after 20 yrs of being told it was all in my head!

    Incidentally, in the UK for all those years, I was never once referred on to a specialist or gynaecologist, or given an ultrasound. That's not even negligent - its criminal.

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