What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a common condition that can appear during a woman’s reproductive years. While it’s most common in women ages 15-44, you can develop it at any age. Unfortunately, it can affect a woman’s quality of life, it can make getting pregnant much more difficult and can affect your ability to have sex comfortably.

Endometriosis is the abnormal growth of tissue from the lining of the uterus that grows outside of the uterus like the ovary, fallopian tubes, uterus and more. In severe cases, it reaches beyond your reproductive organs entirely.

How do I know if I have endometriosis?

Endometriosis comes with numerous signs and symptoms. For some women, it causes excruciating pain. Other women feel little or no discomfort at all. Pain and other symptoms associated with endometriosis include:

• Severe menstrual cramps
• Pain during sex
• Excessive bleeding during or between periods
• Pain upon using the bathroom
• Fatigue
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Bloating

In some cases, symptoms get worse while you’re on your period. While it’s normal to get menstrual cramps or feel bloated during your period, endometriosis often makes these symptoms worse. If you’re uncertain about the cause of your symptoms, call Dr. Bhanot’s office to schedule an appointment.

How did I get endometriosis?

Experts aren’t certain why some women get endometriosis, but there are a few possible risk factors that increase your likelihood of getting it. They include:

• Being underweight
• Never birthing a baby
• Heavy periods
• An early start to your period
• Having family members with endometriosis
• Abnormalities along your reproductive tract

Pregnancy and menopause tend to relieve your endometriosis symptoms.

What are my treatment options for endometriosis?

Your endometriosis treatment partially depends on whether you plan to get pregnant. If pregnancy isn’t a goal for you, your physician at Preete Bhanot MD, Inc. may prescribe birth control in the form of the pill or an intrauterine device (IUD).

If you’d like to get pregnant soon, the team may prescribe gonadotropin-releasing hormone for you. It stops your ovulation for a short time and stops endometriosis progression simultaneously. When you stop taking it, your chances of getting pregnant are higher.

For severe cases only, Dr. Bhanot may suggest surgery to remove endometriosis tissue.

Call the office of Dr. Bhanot book your endometriosis evaluation today.