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Hormones
Endometriosis UK has a range of fact sheets for the hormone treatments listed below. Please click here to order them.
Endometriosis responds and grows when exposed to oestrogen so most of the treatments attempt to cease or reduce the production of oestrogen in the body. This means the endometriosis will not continue to ‘feed off’ the oestrogen that causes it to keep bleeding and growing. This will help to relieve symptoms. The drugs available either put the woman into a pseudo-pregnancy state or a pseudo-menopausal state. Pseudo means simulated or artificial. Both states are reversed when the patient has stopped taking the hormones. Please note that these drugs have no effect on adhesions neither do they help to improve fertility. With the exception of the Mirena Coil, Depo-Provera and the oral contraceptive pill, the drugs listed below are used to treat endometriosis and are not contraceptives. Barrier methods of contraception (such as condoms) should be used whilst taking these drugs. None of these drugs should be taken when pregnant or breastfeeding.
Combined oral contraceptive pill (‘the Pill’): The Pill contains a mixture of oestrogen and progesterone. The Pill stops the function of the ovaries and this stops the menstrual cycle, thus reducing endometriosis symptoms. The Pill is used to treat women with mild symptoms. As the Pill has side effects, women normally have to experiment with different brands until they find one that suits them.
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