Has anyone’s endo gotten WORSE from progesterone-only BC?

Hello, I’m not diagnosed, but my symptoms seem consistent with the possibility of endo and there’s a family history of it. I’ve had some investigation, but nothing conclusive. My periods make me miserable, and I’d like to get it figured out, but I’m trying to learn more to better advocate for my care.

I’ve experienced some complications that seemed to worsen while using progesterone-only bc: multiple recurrent ovarian cysts, all filled with blood with some occasionally rupturing, worsening bowel and bladder symptoms, increased pain, more irregular periods, with longer and heavier bleeding. I’ve been on POP, IUDs, and Nexplanon… Nexplanon was the worst and nearly ruined my life. Combined BC is contraindicated for me and not an option. I am not currently taking any hormones.

My pain and symptoms extend beyond the pelvic area and seem to worsen significantly during my period. This makes me consider endo as a possibility. Even if it’s something else GYNO related, it seems like the standard treatment is always BC. Because of the issues I’ve experienced in the past, I would be hesitant to go back on it, but I don’t want to be labeled as non-compliant or difficult.

Has anyone else experienced a significant increase in symptoms while on BC? Is this feature likely to rule endo out as a possibility? If you have experienced this, what were your treatment options besides hormones?