Belly pain extravaganza!

June 7, 2011 10:34 AM

Crohn's and Endometriosis: Questions to ask my OBGYN...

About 2 years ago I was diagnosed with endometriosis and I have had 2 laparoscopies to laser off whatever was growing. This time last year I was diagnosted with Crohn's disease. I am having a bit of a hard time trying to figure out what symptoms are related to the Crohn's and which to the endometriosis (specifically cramping and lower belly area pain). I go to my obgyn tomorrow for my annual checkup and this is also the first time I meet my new doctor because my old one retired. What are some questions I should ask in relation to this? With endometriosis, how often, if ever, do you go back in to check the progression of it? Do I just expect to have more laparoscopies to go in and check?

posted by ForeverDcember to Health & Fitness (4 answers total)

I can't speak to the Crohn's disease, but as far as I know, endo grows back regularly (it can take anywhere from several months to a year to become symptomatic) until menopause. If it is causing symptoms, you'll have to keep having laparoscopies to sort it out.

It's not an "approved" treatment, but I highly recommend the depo-provera birth control shot. It totally removes the symptoms (because it stops menstruation) so you know what is actually the Crohn's and what isn't.
posted by guster4lovers at 11:29 AM on June 7, 2011

Response by poster: The depo shot was recommended to me by my doctor originally, but we decided against it because of the anxiety side of the side effects. Since I have a panic disorder, we didn't want to chance it getting worse with the shot, which has been shown to happen. I did go on a lower hormone pill however.
posted by ForeverDcember at 12:08 PM on June 7, 2011

I had laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis at the age of 25, but it never came back significantly after that, probably due entirely to the contraceptive pills I was taking. A few years ago I started taking them continuously in order to avoid menstrual migraines. No side effects in my case.
posted by artistic verisimilitude at 12:54 PM on June 7, 2011

Response by poster: The doctor said we can definately say that part of the pain is from recurring endometriosis, however it is better for now to keep on my birth control pills straight through for another 6 months. She doesn't want to do another surgery until I absolutely have to. Thanks for the input here.
posted by ForeverDcember at 12:10 PM on July 11, 2011