I'd like to get an endometrial ablation, but I'm under 30 and don't have kids. How can I find a doctor that will do it?
For as long as I can remember, I've had the worst periods out of everyone I know. They're straight up debilitating and by the time I finally recover from one, the next one starts. Any possible medication treatment either doesn't work or I'm allergic to it. I've tested negative for cancer, endometriosis, polyps, or any other diagnosable condition. The only thing I was "diagnosed" with is menorrhagia (excessive bleeding) and dysmenorrhea (excessive cramping) - basically symptoms with no underlying cause.
Some of the symptoms I'm dealing with include:
cramping for up to two weeks before bleeding starts
clots that are the length of my thumb (not my thumbnail, my whole thumb)
passing out from pain, which has happened more than once while I was driving
passing out multiple times a day from anemia, even with iron supplements
an inability to walk some days because my core muscles literally won't support me
I haven't had any luck with my regular doctor because they say I'm too young to decide I don't want kids. Seeing as I come from a long line of died in childbirth, I know for certain I don't even want to try. One doctor said I'd need a history of going to the ER. One time a former boss did drive me to the ER during work because he found me passed out for a half hour in a closet. The ER told me that since I was awake when I arrived there was nothing they could do - then they charged me $400.
So does anyone know of a doctor that might be willing to do the procedure based on this info? I'm in Minneapolis with Health Partners insurance, but I'd be willing to travel and pay out of pocket if need be.
Hi there, I don't have a specific doctor recommendation. But I do recall the /r/childfree subreddit had a list of doctors in every state willing to do these procedures without making you justify your decision or jump through a ton of hoops.
I would recommend checking out child free on reddit to find that list.
How were you tested for endometriosis? Your symptoms sound like they could be caused be endo, and it's often very difficult to diagnose it without having laparoscopic surgery.
My wife was told that she didn't have endometriosis, but that she did have an ovarian cyst that needed to be removed. She had laparoscopic surgery to remove the cyst and afterwards the doctor said she had the worst case of endometriosis they had seen.
Most doctors who aren't specialists in endometriosis are notoriously bad at diagnosing it, and usually worse at treating it.