Medical (drug) Treatments
There’s no drug currently available that can cure endometriosis, but some can reduce the symptoms.
Painkillers
If your pain is relatively mild, we might advise you to take regular painkillers during your periods. These drugs generally have few side effects and will not decrease your fertility if taken during your periods.
The contraceptive pill
The combined oral contraceptive pill can limit pain by reducing the amount of blood lost with a period. Take it continuously for 3 months and you’ll have 4 periods a year rather than 12. This is perfectly safe. The benefit doesn’t apply with the mini-pill.
Progesterone drugs
Drugs containing the hormone progesterone can improve symptoms for some women, by making the womb lining’s cells (along with the endometriosis cells) inactive. Examples are provera, norethisterone and dydrogesterone.
The Mirena coil has a coating of a progesterone hormone and can also be helpful in treating heavy and painful periods. All of these have a contraceptive effect.
GnRH analogues
Your menstrual cycle is controlled by the release of GnRH from your brain. These drugs switch off the effect of your own GnRH, inducing a menopause. Common side effects are hot flushes and night sweats, although HRT preparations improve this.
Once you come off the GnRH analogue, your menstrual cycle returns to normal, and you may remain pain free for some time. These drugs can’t however be used long term, as they can thin the bones.
Testosterone derivatives
Testosterone derivatives (Danazol) can improve symptoms but have side effects which can be permanent. We do not use this drug.