100 Q&A About Endometriosis » (1E)

EMPOWER YOURSELF!It is estimated that between 10 and 20 percent of American women of childbearing age have endometriosis. About 5.5 million women in the U.S. and Canada are diagnosed with the disease each year.Whether you're a newly diagnosed patient, or are a friend or relative of someone suffering from Endometriosis, this book offers help. The only text available to provide both the doctor's and patient's views, 100 Questions & Answers About Endometriosis gives you authoritative, practical answers to your questions about treatment options, and provides sources of support from both the doctor's and patient's viewpoints. This book is an invaluable resource for anyone coping with the physical and emotional turmoil of endometriosis.

Preface vii

Patient Story: Endometriosis Past ix

Part 1 The Basics 1

Questions 1-23 cover the basic information related to endometriosis, such as:

What is the endometrium?

What is endometriosis?

Can endometriosis occur in males?

Part 2 Symptoms and Diagnosis 21

Questions 24-42 provide information on the symptoms of endometriosis and how doctors make a diagnosis, including topics such as:

What are the symptoms of endometriosis?

Do I need to have surgery for diagnosis?

Are scans useful in making the diagnosis?

Part 3 Symptomatic Treatment 45

Questions 43-48 explore symptomatic treatment options, including:

What is symptomatic treatment?

What are medical therapies based on?

What if medicine doesn't relieve my pain?

Part 4 Surgical Treatment 55

Questions 49-61 examine surgical treatment options, such as:

Does hysterectomy cure endometriosis?

How is intestinal endometriosis treated?

Why do women with endometriosis seem to have so many surgeries?

Part 5 Other Causes of Pelvic Pain 77

Questions 62-85 discuss a variety of other sources for pelvic pain, including topics such as:

What is adenomyosis?

What is interstitial cystitis?

What is irritable bowel syndrome?

Part 6 Fertility Issues 101

Questions 86-92 address fertility issues that arise with endometriosis, such as:

Can endometriosis cause infertility?

Does pregnancy cause endometriosis?

Does pregnancy cure endometriosis?

Part 7 Heredity 111

Questions 96-95 offer information on how endometriosis can be passed through a family's genes:

Is endometriosis hereditary?

Is there a gene for endometriosis?

Will my daughter get endometriosis if I haveit?

Patient story: Endometriosis Present 115

Part 8 Final Thoughts 117

Questions 96-100 cover a few additional topics, such as:

What treatments for endometriosis will there be in the future?

Can endometriosis be prevented?

Will the confusion about endometriosis ever end?

Patient Story: Endometriosis Future 123

Appendix 125

Glossary 129

Index 135