One of the best ways to help you and your doctor diagnose and treat endo is by keeping a journal. Here are some things they may be looking for when diagnosing you...
Is you pain chronic, having occurred for _____ days/months/years to date?
Or, is pain acute, having begun on _____ (approximate date)?
Are you still experiencing symptom(s) at this time? _____ yes / _____ no
Have you experienced any of the following?
chronic or intermittent pelvic pain / painful menstruation / infertility / miscarriage / ectopic (tubal) pregnancy / IBS-type symptoms-abdominal cramping, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, painful bowel movements, sharp gas pains / dyspareunia (pain associated with sexual intercourse / vaginal pain / backache / leg pain / blood in stool / rectal bleeding / tailbone pain / blood in urine / tenderness around kidneys / painful or burning urination / flank pain radiating toward the groin / urinary frequency, retention or urgency / hypertension / hypotension / coughing up of bloody sputum / constricting chest pain and/or shoulder pain / shortness of breath and/or deep chest pain
Write them down on the date they occurred. Start your journal today if you haven't already. It's the best way to keep track of what is going on in your body. Let's just face it, life gets crazy and busy, and we forget dates and specifics that might be a key to your diagnosis or stopping a certain medication.
Other things to include would be words that best describe your pain:
dull ache / itching / cramping /constricting / burning / stabbing / nagging / pinching / shooting / throbbing
And pain intensity:
1-mild, 2-moderate, 3-distressing, 4-horrible, 5-unbearable
Other ideas to get you writing are:
How much pain do you have on an average day?
How often do you have the pain?
Is there any time of day that the pain is worse?
Do any activities set your pain off?
Does the pain come and go?
What helps alleviate the pain?
How upsetting and disrupting is the pain to you?
What do you believe causes the pain?
Does pain interfere with your personal routine?
Now that I am being treated for endo, I have started another journal documenting any changes in:
weight, mood, appetite, skin (oily, dry, ect), libido, pain (the above descriptions and duration apply to this), and any other symptoms I may notice.
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Have you kept a journal for endo (either for diagnosis or treatment)?
What was your experience and was it helpful?
Now that I am being treated for endo, I have started another journal documenting any changes in:
weight, mood, appetite, skin (oily, dry, ect), libido, pain (the above descriptions and duration apply to this), and any other symptoms I may notice.
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Have you kept a journal for endo (either for diagnosis or treatment)?
What was your experience and was it helpful?
