Photo by Phenyo Deluxe on Pexels.com The Problems: Teenage endometriosis is much more common than most realize. Therefore, unfortunately, the diagnosis may not even be considered. The time between the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis of endometriosis has been demonstrated in various studies to range between 7-10 years, even amidst today’s health care advances. This delay is most unfortunate in teenagers, because it may alter quality of life to such a degree that the ‘flower doesn’t bloom.’ Even after an accurate diagnosis, definitive treatment is often delayed further for reasons that we ..read more

THE RISK /BENEFIT RATIO It is prudent to have a good idea of the risk/benefit ratio of virtually everything we put into our bodies. Think of foods, supplements, skin treatments, tattoos, and the like (for example, I do not use artificial sweeteners because I believe that the long-term risks are too high). Drug therapies are no different and should be evaluated on the basis of a thorough evaluation of this ratio. Don’t forget that this ‘ratio’ should be personalized for each patient based on other coincident illnesses, medications in use, activity levels, compliance capabilities, tolerance for ..read more

This article addresses hysterectomy in common benign (not cancerous) disorders, with emphasis on the role of the procedure in endometriosis. Technically speaking, the surgical treatment of  endometriosis rarely requires removal of the uterus (see prior article on ‘the Gold Standard‘). Lesions of ‘endo’ are less common on the uterus, and superficial (serosal) uterine endometriosis can be excised without removing the uterus itself. The primary objective of surgical treatment should be the complete excision of each and every endometriosis lesion. The secondary objectives are the removal of a ..read more

We might think that endometriosis (‘endo’) pain would be something that every sufferer could understand in the same way. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Endo pain is multi-factorial and different for each patient. So, when a person says, ‘I am experiencing pain from my endometriosis’, other sufferers might assume that they know exactly what is being experienced. The truth is that pain from endo is often unique to the individual experiencing it. One undesirable result of associating one specific group of symptoms with the diagnosis of endo is that this can lead to a delayed diagnosis – or ..read more

As we approach the end of the year, I would like to say ‘thank you’ to two people who make it possible for me to stay involved in the care of women with endometriosis. First, I would like to thank Dr Ken Sinervo. Ken makes it possible for me to continue to see patients at the CEC. This is due to his generosity. When I remember the things that I was teaching Ken, I smile as I consider the things that he could now teach me. Second, I would like to say thank you to Heather Guidone. Heather is the most knowledgeable person that I know in the field of woman’s healthcare. She not only knows ‘endome ..read more

Retrospectively, most endometriosis (‘endo’) patients tell me that their symptoms began in their teenage years. Yet, most gynecology practitioners believe that a surgical diagnosis and treatment of endo during the teenage years should be avoided if possible and considered only as a last resort. I have outlined the reasons for their hesitancy to treat using Laparoscopic Excision – or what I have coined ‘LAPEX‘ – in detail in Blog #5. Fears of disease recurrence and adhesion formation are particularly strong motivating factors in young girls. BUT…the consequences of delaying diagnosis and treat ..read more

Disclaimer: The help I offer in this post is based mostly on observation of my patients whom I have had an opportunity to manage  and interact with over an extended period of time. I do not have any scientific evidence to support the conclusions I have drawn, and you should be sure to consult your individual provider(s) for personalized management. DIET:I recommend a diet emphasizing two components. First, your diet should reduce plant and animal sources of estrogen and estrogenic substances. Animals treated with ‘hormones’ to enhance animal growth rates and size may possibly contain est ..read more

Relative to most physicians who have not had gynecology-specific advanced training (such as an ‘Ob/Gyn’ residency), all gynecologists should be considered as general experts in endometriosis care, but with varying degrees of experience. Here are some hints to help you find the expert among the experts: Start by doing your research! If you know women who have been treated for ‘endo’, ask them about their experiences with specific doctors. Google “‘endo’ experts” in your zip code, state, and geographic region to establish a list of possibilities. Visit on-line ‘endo’ sites such as: Endometri ..read more

Following is a list of factors that negatively impact the use of ‘complete excision’ to treat endometriosis. Most Gynecology (gyn) training programs continue to teach that ‘endo’ is a chronically recurring disease regardless of any form of treatment. Of course, my own experience using complete excision – LAPEX – is that after a carefully performed LAPEX, less than 10% of patients have a subsequent surgery during which endo is diagnosed and pathologically confirmed. This teaching that endo is a chronically progressive disease in spite of treatment mistakenly leads gynecologists to believe that ..read more

  Disclaimer: any and all material(s) presented herein are offered for informational purposes only. Such material is not intended to offer or replace medical advice offered by your personal physicians or healthcare professionals. No information herein should be considered as party to any doctor/patient relationship. All contents herein are © copyright by Robert B. Albee, Jr., MD except where otherwise explicitly noted. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced or utilized in any form, including electronic or mechanical, photocopying, recording, or by any information storag ..read more