What is endometriosis? What should I watch for?
Updated: 9:45 AM EST Feb 4, 2023
MOVIE DAY AFTER TOMORROW. GOODNESS GRACIOUS. IN TODAY’S WOMEN’S DOCTOR, WE ARE DISCUSSING ENDOMETRIOSIS, A CHRONIC AND PAINFUL GYNECOLOGIC CONDITION IMPACTING FIVE TO TEN% OF WOMEN IN THE U.S..ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH. IT’S A DISEASE IN WHICH TISSUE SIMILAR TO THE LINING OF THE UTERUS GROWS IN OTHER PLACES IN THE BODY, SUCH AS ON THE OVARIES, FALLOPIAN TUBES OR THE BOWELS AND BLADDER. DOCTOR KEVIN AUDLIN FROM MERCY MEDICAL CENTER CALLS ENDOMETRIOSIS THE GREAT IMITATOR, BECAUSE IT’S DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE DUE TO THE SYMPTOMS THAT COME WITH IT. >> WHEN I HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE G.I. DOCTORS IN THE AREA, I SAY IF YOU FIND A 25-YEAR-OLD LADY THAT HAS IBS SYMPTOMS AND LOWER BACK PAIN, PAINFUL CYCLES AND PAINFUL INTERCOURSE, IT IS ENDOMETRIOSIS. IT IS RARELY G.I. AT THAT POINT. JENYNE: DOCTOR KEVIN AUDLIN JOINS US NOW WITH MORE INFORMATION GOOD MORNING. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS DIEASE OR CONDITION, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS PEOPLE SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR? >> THERE IS QUITE A FEW. IT IS DIFFERENT. WE CALL IT THE GREAT IMITATOR BECAUSE IT CAN BE ALMOST ANYTHING. WHEN PATIENTS COME INTO CS AS GYNECOLOGISTS, WE ARE ABLE TO LISTEN AND — LISTEN TO THE CONCERNS THAT IDENTIFY ENDOMETRIOSIS. IF YOU GO TO A PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR AND TALK ABOUT LOWER BACK PAIN OR IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME SYMPTOMS, THEY SEND YOU TO A GASTROENTEROLOGIST. IT COULD BE GALLBLADDER SYMPTOMS. HONESTLY, A LOT OF TIMES IF THE PATIENT IS UNDER 35, VERY CLASSICALLY THOSE ISSUES ARE OFTEN GYNO RELATED, PEOPLE DO NOT THINK ABOUT IT. JENYNE: THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WOMEN HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION. A LOT OF THESE ISSUES ARE HARD TO DIAGNOSE. IF AT WHAT POINT SOMEONE THINKS THIS IS A CONDITION THEY HAVE, WHEN SHOULD THEY SEEK HOW — SEEK HELP? >> IT IS EMPOWERING FOR WOMEN TO TALK LIKE THIS. FOR SO LONG, YOU DO NOT HAVE THESE RESOURCES. THE REALITY IS, THERE IS AT LEAST 10% OF THE POPULATION — YOU FEEL GAS LIT DECADES. HONESTLY, THE EMPOWERMENT IS TAKE YOUR OWN CARE IN YOUR HANDS. DO NOT ACCEPT NO AS AN ANSWER. A LOT OF PATIENTS SAY, I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY FIVE DOCTORS DO NOT HAVE THIS, BUT I DO. WE HAVE DONE THIS FOR YEARS. I HAVE BEEN RUNNING A ENDOMETRIOSIS CENTER FOR YEARS. THIS IS SOMETHING WE HEAR OVER AND OVER AGAIN. NO ONE IS PERFECT. JENYNE: IF PEOPLE BELIEVE THEY HAVE US AND THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH THE DIAGNOSING PROCESS OF IT, THERE IS TREATMENT OUT THERE. >> THERE IS. THERE IS NOT GREAT DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THERE IS NO BLOODWORK AT THIS POINT. THERE IS NO IMAGING AT THIS POINT. THERE IS A PROMISING TECHNIQUE THAT IS PROBABLY GOING TO BECOME MORE COMMON IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO THAT IS NOT INVASIVE AND DOESN’T SEEM TO HOLD PROMISE IT CAN GIVE US A GOOD IDEA WITHOUT SURGERY. THERE IS A CERTAIN POPULATION OF PATIENTS THAT ARE SCARED TO GO THROUGH WITH SURGERY BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW IF THEY HAVE IT. THEY ARE PARALYZED BY THE FEAR OF, WHAT IF THEY D NOT? THIS CAN HELP US. I ENCOURAGE PATIENTS TO CALL THEIR DOCTOR. IF THEY DO NOT FEEL THEY ARE GETTING HURT BECAUSE THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY OFTEN A CONCERN, THE INDIO — ENDOMETRIOSIS CENTER AT MERCY IS READY FOR YOU. JENYNE: IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT US TO KNOW ABOUT THIS CONDITION? >> A LOT OF THESE YOUNG LADIES ARE ASSUMING THEY CANNOT GET BETTER BECAUSE OF A CHRONIC CONDITION. THERE ARE MEDICATIONS, PROCEDURES, PHYSICAL THERAPY, WAYS TO ADJUST YOUR DIET. THERE IS NONNARCOTIC MEDICATIONS. THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS. UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS CHRONIC AND DOES WAX AND WANE AND COME BACK. THESE LADIES ARE TOUGH. THEY WILL GET THROUGH IT. JENYNE: IT IS GOOD TO KNOW THEY HAVE A DOCTOR LIKE YOU WHO IS LOOKING OUT FOR THEM AND HELPING DIAGNOSE THESE PATIENTS. THERE ARE TREATMENTS. THAT HOPE IS WHAT WE HOLD ONTO. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS,
What is endometriosis? What should I watch for?
Updated: 9:45 AM EST Feb 4, 2023
Endometriosis is a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in other places in the body, such as on the ovaries, fallopian tubes or the bowels and bladder. Gynecologist Dr. Kevin Audlin, director of The Gynecology Center at Mercy Medical Center, explains what to watch for.
Endometriosis is a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in other places in the body, such as on the ovaries, fallopian tubes or the bowels and bladder. Gynecologist Dr. Kevin Audlin, director of The Gynecology Center at Mercy Medical Center, explains what to watch for.
