Endometriosis facts

Mar 7 2010 by Francesca Craggs, Sunday Sun

SYMPTOMS

Fertility is affected in 30%-40% of women with endometriosis.

Pain can last for 14 days per month, on average.

Activities affected by pain – 81% sleeping, 78% working, 76% sexual intercourse, 73% social activities.

TREATMENT

There is no cure. Medical treatment includes invasive surgery, hormone drugs and pain management. Hormone treatment involves putting the patient into a pseudo menopause, pseudo pregnancy or a “male state” (with male hormones). Less than one third of women feel their current treatment is effective.

DIAGNOSIS

It takes an average of 11 years to get a diagnosis from the onset of symptoms and eight years from the first GP visit. Half of diagnosed women feel their GP doesn’t take them seriously. Women see an average of five doctors before getting a correct diagnosis. Before that, 68% of women are initially diagnosed with another condition – 39% of these with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), 14% with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), 7% with psychological pain and 4% with depression.

RELATIONSHIPS

73% report relationship problems due to endometriosis – 10% say it has affected friendships, 11% say it caused a relationship to break up, 11% find it difficult to look after children and 39% say it has caused significant problems with their partner.