Woman, 26, discovers horrifying endometriosis side effect when on her period
A WOMAN was rushed to hospital coughing up blood while on her period - before discovering a horrifying side effect of endometriosis.
The 26-year-old had often spat up blood during her time of the month, for the past four years.
But she hadn't thought much of it until large and shocking amounts were being brought up from her lungs.
After she went to hospital medics found she was suffering with a rare form of endometriosis, with tissue found in her lung.
Her lungs seemed clear on a physical examination, but a scan of her chest on the third day of her period found an 11mm nodule.
Doctors performed minor surgery and found a "reddish-brown lesion", which they then removed.
Tests revealed it was a small lump of endometrial tissue which had grown in her right lung - the reason why blood had been coming up for the past four years.
She hadn't had any other pelvic or abdominal symptoms, which usually are an earlier indicator of endometriosis.
Most read in Health
However every so often she would spit up blood, coinciding with when she had her period,
The medical term is catamenial hemoptysis - which is a rare condition association with thoracic endometriosis.
Two years after the procedure the young woman was symptom-free.
About two million women in the UK are affected by endometriosis.
This is where tissue from the lining of the womb is found outside the uterus, attached to organs.
Endometriosis can sometimes cause damage to the Fallopian tubes or ovaries, leading to fertility problems.
Other complications can include painful ovarian cysts and adhesions - areas of tissue which can fuse organs together.
ENDO PAIN
It can spread beyond the reproductive system and affect the bowels, hips and in rarer cases organs like the lungs, skin, eyes, spine or even the brain.
Symptoms of endometriosis can vary, but the most common include painful or heavy periods, pain during and following sex, bleeding between periods, pain in the lower abdomen and difficulty conceiving.
Endometriosis can also cause sufferers to be constantly tired, and experience discomfort when using the toilet.
There is no cure for endometriosis, but it can be managed, and there are a number of approaches for doing this.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Some women are prescribed pain medications which target inflammation, such as ibuprofen and naproxen.
Meanwhile, others are given hormonal treatment to limit the production of oestrogen, which encourages endometriosis tissue to grow.
