Do you push through severely painful periods, telling yourself it’s just “bad cramps?” If so, it’s time to stop brushing aside your symptoms. Severe pain, heavy bleeding or other symptoms might actually be signs of endometriosis, a condition that affects millions of women.
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue that is similar to the inner lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. These cells respond to changes in your body’s hormones and cause inflammation, pain and sometimes irregular bleeding.
Five things you should know
Severe pain isn’t normal
We all expect some discomfort during our period, but severe pain isn’t something you should have to push through. Pelvic or abdominal pain during your period, sex or bowel movements shouldn’t disrupt your life. If over-the-counter medications don’t help and the pain makes it hard to function for several days each month, it’s time to get help.
Additional common symptoms include: Heavy bleeding or bleeding between periods, difficulty getting pregnant or digestive issues like bloating, constipation or diarrhea.
Early diagnosis matters
Left untreated, pain and symptoms can worsen. The sooner you get diagnosed, the sooner you can start managing symptoms and avoiding complications. Don’t wait—talk to your VA health care provider if you’re experiencing symptoms.
Endometriosis is common
About one in 10 women of reproductive age have endometriosis. Despite how common it is, it often takes years to diagnose due to lack of symptom awareness.
Endometriosis can affect fertility
If you’re having difficulty getting pregnant, endometriosis might be the cause. Between 30-50% of women with endometriosis face infertility challenges.
VA can help you manage your pain
Endometriosis is often a chronic condition, but you don’t have to manage it alone. VA offers diagnosis and a range of treatments to help you find relief, including:
- Pain medication: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), ibuprofen or naproxen for example, are available over the counter and often help treat menstrual and endometriosis pain. However, if these do not give you enough relief, talk to your provider about other options.
- Hormone therapy: VA can provide you with medications that suppress the production of hormones in the ovaries, preventing ovulation, menstruation and endometriosis pain flares.
- Surgery: VA can diagnose and treat endometriosis through a variety of surgical procedures. Your gynecologic surgeon will work with you to determine the best treatment approach for you.
Remember, severe pain during your period is not normal. VA understands how overwhelming chronic pain can feel and we’re here to help. Compassionate VA women’s health primary care providers are available and will listen to your concerns.
To learn more about endometriosis, download the Women Veterans Endometriosis brochure.
Need help getting started? Call the Women Veterans Call Center (1-855-VA-WOMEN) to speak to a real person who can help you enroll, schedule an appointment and connect you to care you can trust.
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I read your article and your pamphlet. There is a lot of information about this disease missing . I have lived with severe endometriosis for over 40 years.
Most oncologist will tell you this disease cannot be cured. There are stages to this disease.
Depending on your level of endometriosis, over the counter medication does not always work.
My care is through the community. After my second surgery my daughter and I visited the office of one of the country leading physicians on endometriosis here in the Atlanta area. The articles and pamphlets were very helpful.
I am not claiming to know everything. I had to find a way to survive. There was hardly any information when I was younger. The disease destroyed most of my abdominal area because it took to long to diagnose. The scar tissue that the disease causes is very painful.
The knowledge I have learned helps me make better decisions. The more you learn about the disease will help you ask questions and understand better what the doctors are saying.
Thank you. I hope this will help someone
March is Endometriosis awareness month. So, I’m so glad that the Office of Women’s Health is bringing awareness to Endo as something that affects so many female Veteran’s. In 2008, I went to the VA for help with sudden onset of pelvic pain, and they didn’t know anything about Endometriosis, so I went outside the VA for help and still am. Endo is also not just for women of child bearing age, it has been found in young girls of 10yrs and elderly women 73yrs old. Even women that have had a hysterectomy are still suffering with Endo symptoms which can include, migraines, severe nausea and pelvic/ abdominal pain, usually because of years long delay, and the nerves have become effected. And this article is missing a few facts. 1st, Endo is not a ‘condition’, it is a disease. Woman often have family members with the disease, as well as themselves. 2nd, hormone relief like birth control pills/ ring/ IUD can help stop the progression of the disease, but not cure Endo. There is NO CURE for Endo, not with medication (s), or surgery. Most women have to have multiple surgeries, just for a diagnosis. 3rd, unless the surgery is an ‘excision’ of the disease, and not ablation, she will require more surgeries. Out of the 40 thousand plus OBGYN’s in the United States, only a couple hundred are specially trained to diagnose, excise and expertly treat Endometriosis. I hope that I have provided more facts so that the article, and brochure can be updated with the most recent facts about Endometriosis. Thank You, Endo Warrior