how can you differentiate being pregnant and having endometriosis?
599628
One is a painful disease that causes debilitating pain and other severe symptoms up to and including infertility; the other is a natural process that ends by giving birth.  The conditions are not related in any way other than the fact that Endo can cause pregnancy loss and miscarriage.  Also - pregnancy does not cure Endo, as some people still mistakenly believe.
655018
SOmetimes if you worry or think about it for too long you may believe you are pregnant but are not. Your best assurance is to buy a pregnancy test or go to your doctor but three days is not long to believe you are pregnant, maybe those cramps are telling you that it is coming.
1171776
endometriomas?1?!?! teehee
953944
Yes, the mind can play tricks on the body, making it believe that it is pregnant, its called a phantom pregnancy.\n\nBe on the safe side and go to the doc for a pregnancy test, its your body, not your minds, and you should have control. \n\nHave a look at the web site below.
669884
I would suggest going to buy a pregnancy test that has two in it - take one now then wait until the end of the month to take another one if you still think you're pregnant. If you can't wait that long to find out, call your OB/GYN for an appt and they can do a blood test and can tell early.\n\nYes it is possible for you to be pregnant, depending on the length of your usual cycle, that date could have been right around your ovulation.\n\nwww.mommastayshome.com
840633
Your doctor is suggesting hysterectomy and you haven't even had a laparoscopy to diagnose Endo yet??  Get a new doc.\n\nD&C and hysteroscopy will not show Endometriosis.  Only surgical laparoscopy+pathology/histology can confirm Endo.\n\nYou can either have surgery with a qualified surgeon (by the sounds of it, a *new* one) who will remove all disease and thereby help improve fertility or you can skip directly to a reproductive endocrinologist who can assist you with any IVF or ART as necessary.\n\nHysterectomy is not a cure for Endometriosis, and Endo *doesn't* hurt all patients all the time.  Find a new doc to help you.\n\nGood luck and feel better.
259628
Go see your doctor or OB/Gyn.
662084
From the Endometriosis Research Center @ www.endocenter.org:\n\n"About Endometriosis:\n\nWith Endometriosis, tissue like that which lines the uterus (the endometrium) is found outside the womb in other areas of the body. Normally, the endometrium is shed each month through menses; however, with Endometriosis, these implants have no way of leaving the body. The implants still break down and bleed, but result is far different than in women and girls without the disease: internal bleeding, degeneration of blood and tissue shed from the growths, inflammation of the surrounding areas, and formation of scar tissue result. In addition, depending on the location of the growths, interference with the normal function of the bowel, bladder, intestines and other areas of the pelvic cavity can occur. Endometriosis has also been found lodged in the skin - and even the brain.\n\nSymptoms include chronic or intermittent pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation is not normal!), infertility, miscarriage(s), ectopic (tubal) pregnancy, dyspareunia (pain associated with intercourse), nausea / vomiting / abdominal cramping, diarrhea / constipation (particularly with menses), painful bowel movements, painful or burning urination, urinary frequency, retention, or urgency; fatigue, chronic pain, allergies and immune system-related illnesses are also commonly reported complaints of women who have Endo. It is quite possible to have some, all, or none of these symptoms. Endo symptoms are varied and often nonspecific, so they can easily masquerade as several other conditions, including adenomyosis ("Endometriosis Interna"), appendicitis, ovarian cysts, bowel obstructions, colon cancer, diverticulitis, ectopic pregnancy, fibroid tumors, gonorrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, ovarian cancer, and PID.\n\nDespite today's age of medical advances, researchers remain unsure as what causes of Endometriosis. There is NO CURE, despite the continued propagation of such myths by the uninformed who still mistakenly believe that hysterectomy, pregnancy and/or menopause can "cure" the disease. Invasive surgery remains the gold standard of diagnosis, and current therapies continue to remain extremely limited, often carrying side effects.\n\nMistakenly minimized as "painful periods," Endometriosis is more than just "killer cramps." It is a leading cause of female infertility, chronic pelvic pain and gynecologic surgery, and accounts for more than half of the 500,000 hysterectomies performed in the US annually. Despite being more prevalent than breast cancer, Endometriosis continues to be treated as an insignificant ailment. Recent studies have even shown an elevated risk of certain cancers and other serious illnesses in those with the disease, as well as malignant changes within the disease itself.\n\nResearch has shown that genetics, immune system dysfunction, and exposure to environmental toxins like Dioxin may all be contributing factors to the development of the disease. Endometriosis knows no racial or socioeconomic barriers, and can affect women ranging from adolescence to post-menopause. The disease can be so painful as to render a woman or teen unable to care for herself or her family, attend work, school, or social functions, or go about her normal routine. It can negatively affect every aspect of a woman's life; from her self-esteem and relationships, to her capacity to bear children, to her ability to be a contributing member of society.\n\nThe disease can currently only be diagnosed through invasive surgery, and the average delay in diagnosis is a staggering 9 years. A patient may seek the counsel of 5 or more physicians before her pain is adequately addressed. \n\nOnce diagnosed, it is not unusual for a patient to undergo several pelvic surgeries and embark on many different hormonal and medical therapies in an attempt to treat her symptoms. None of the current treatments ar
600279
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (the endometrial stroma and glands, which should only be located inside the uterus) is found elsewhere in the body.In rare cases, endometriosis has been found inside the vagina, inside the bladder, on the skin, even in the lung, spine, and brain.The most common symptom of endometriosis is pelvic pain. The pain often correlates to the menstrual cycle, but a woman with endometriosis may also experience pain that doesn’t correlate to her cycle. For many women, the pain of endometriosis is so severe and debilitating that it impacts their lives in significant ways. \nTreatments for endometriosis \nSince the cause of endometriosis remains unknown, a treatment which fully cures endometriosis has yet to be developed, and there is no overwhelming medical evidence to support one specific type of endometriosis treatment over another. \n\nChosing a treatment therefore comes down to the individual woman's needs, depending on her symptoms, her age, and her fertility wishes. She should discuss these with her physician so that they, together, can determine, which long term, holistic, treatment plan is best for her individual needs. For many women, this can be a combination of more than one treatment over longer periods of time.\nPain killers vary from simple analgesics (such as aspirin and paracetamol), through compound analgesics (which are a combination of either aspirin or paracetamol and a mild narcotic such as codeine) and narcotic analgesics (similar to morphine), through to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as nurofen, ponstan, voltaren, etc).
845080
if endometriosis has to do with the lining of the uterus i get that part, but i wouldn't know why there is a high WBC\n(whitebloodcell) count.  if endometriosis is bad howeve, then having lots of WBC's sounds like the infection, if thats what it is, is going away.\n    the only other thing i think endometriosis is, might be regarding ones menstration perhaps?
858036
I am very sorry to hear you have endometriois. I was diagnosed with it when I was 16. I am now 24 and let me tell you, its not the most fun thing to deal with. Periods for me are very painful every month, I have pelvic pain also associtated with this now. The other people who answered were right, there is no cure, and you do have a timeline of if and when you can get pregnant. At 24 my timeline has passed, and I will never be able to bear my own children. Every case of endometriosis is different. You really shouldn't stress out over it. When you see your Dr. make sure to ask him/her ALL the questions you have. When I was first diagnosed they put me on birth control, pain pills, hormomones and testerone. But like I said it effects everyone differently. I wish you the best of luck and hope you get to feeling better soon. I sincerely feel for you.
953052
You need to make an appointment with your doctor. I experienced similar symptoms and had a negative pregnancy test and it turned out that I was pregnant.
241060
Some other signs may be nausea, or fatigue.  It's best to take a pregnancy test to find out for sure.
583127
when i done that after i had had my period i miscarried.\n\nMy syptoms were:\n*Tiredness\n*pain in my back\n*Pain in my stomach\n*Bleeding (red to brown)\n\nI had just gotten off my period and 4 days later started to bleed again. After 6 days of the above symptoms i went to the ER where i found out i was pregnant but sadly i miscarried.\n\n\nTake a pregnancy test go to http://www.peeonastick.com and there it tells you all about pregnancy tests.\n\nThere are a few possiblities. However, without knowing your age or medical history it is a little hard to focus on the more likely ones. That being said, I would first wonder if you are actually having periods, meaning a normal shedding of the endometrial lining 13 days, +/- 4 days after ovulation. The flow should be crescendo-decrescendo or crescendo. This means the flow starts light, goes to heavy then to light. Or it can start heavy and go to light. The flow length should be < 8 days.\n\nWhat you may see as a period getting closer together is actually irregular endometrial shedding because of no ovulation. The lining of the uterus keeps building up from estrogen, but without a buildup and drop off of progesterone, the endometrium never completely sheds. Many women will do this thinking their periods are 3 weeks apart. This usually occurs with anovulatory cycles.\n\nThe clotting and brown coloration are typical of the anovulatory cycles. The brown color means old blood. The clots are irregular shedding endometrium. \n\nThe causes of this situation? I would first think of thyroid dysfunction, ovarian failure secondary to upcoming menopause, and ovarian dysfunction (luteal dysfunction) where the progesterone is not adequately produced. One must also consider infection, fibroids, and especially endometriosis which is associated with luteal dysfunction. I would expect other symptoms though.\n\nOf course, make an appointment with your doctor. Until then, accurately chart days you bleed. If possible, find a certified natural family planning instructor to help you learn how to chart. There is a wealth of information from these charts. Most doctors have not seen them but can get basic information from them verifying your situation of irregular bleeding. You can educate your doctor about charting. It really does help!\n\n\nThe brown discharge may merely be "old blood" from the uterus that is being pushed out by the growing fetus. It is usually insignificant and, as long as fetus is growing and there is no heavy vaginal bleeding it usually does not become a miscarriage. The brownish bleeding may also be due to a "subchorionic bleed" which is a sequestration of some blood within the folds of the developing placenta. This, too, does not lead to miscarriage. I would suggest taking serial sonograms to assess fetal growth and to determine the position of the placenta and the presence of any other bleeding. If the sonogram is fine and you continue to hear a fetal heartbeat on doppler, you should be fine. A brown dischrage can also be a sign of a vaginal infection, which, of course, can be treated if a culture grows any bacteria. Don't worry for now. \n\n   It sounds as though you are having anovulatory bleeding.  Menstrual cycles, when a woman is not having regular ovulation tends to be irregular with spotting and breakthrough bleeding and some cramping and bleeding.\n\n \n\n            If you need contraception, combined birth control pills could make your periods more regular, lead to less spotting or breakthrough bleeding and lead to less cramps and pain\n\n\ngood luck
1062629
If you check between your legs, and there is a baby coming out, then that is a good sign you are pregnant.
843749
When you go to your Dr. he will probably do a blood test that will verify whether you are pregnant or not.  He will have options that you can decide on.  Trust in him and in yourself.  Just keep an open mind.
1068693
It's normal to sometimes spot during pregnancy, but check out the site below on the different types of spotting.   Regardless of your symptoms, call your doctor and let them know.  They know your health history and tell you for sure if it's anything you need to worry about.