Finally brought this up to my doctor yesterday.

Hello! I've been researching endo, interstitial cystitis, ovarian cancer, and absolutely everything that can cause bloating and constipation for the past, oh, decade or more. I finally made a list of symptoms I have experienced and brought it up to my gyn yesterday, and she was remarkably receptive. She does not want to jump to endo, but we are beginning a diagnosis journey, because something is going on.

I was hoping it might be okay to share the list of symptoms I shared with her, and see if these are things you all experience related to endo or not. I'd just love some "I've lived this" advice from people who know first-hand.

• Abdominal pain and discomfort. This varies in intensity but it's only rarely been "double over in pain" levels. Typically it's my right ovary getting extra angry around ovulation (like if I lean against anything it's agony, but if I don't lean against anything, it's just mildly uncomfortable). Sometimes it's front-and-center lower pelvic pain, sometimes it's up under my ribs, and sometimes I've had days at a time where I thought for sure I had appendicitis or a gallbladder problem, or even pancreatitis. But then it goes away. And comes back, and goes away again...
• Bloating. I am always bloated. I have always been bloated for at least 10 years now. It is so uncomfortable. I feel so full all the time, even if I've barely eaten (I'm having a TV ultrasound in June because she said this can suggest ovarian cancer and they saw a cyst last time I had a TV ultrasound so she said we can check and see if it's gone, if it changed, etc). Some days are not as bad as others, but for the most part, I am always at least a little distended. I look pregnant. I've tried a low fodmap diet + xifaxin for SIBO and I thought it helped, but it came back, so I did it again with absolutely no change. As soon as I eat food, I am bloated. If I just drink water, bloated. Existing makes me bloat. It feels hideous.
• I'm also constipated. I rely on Miralax to have a bowel movement every day, and usually end up having to supplement with Smooth Move tea at least once a week. Sometimes that doesn't even work. (I've been to a GI, she doesn't have any ideas but wants to do endoscopy/colonoscopy, which I will do, just haven't yet).
• I assume this is related to the bloating/fullness but I cannot get a good deep breath unless I stretch upwards/stretch out my abdomen.
• Nausea right before my period. (Doc said this is normal though)
• General pain (lower back, hips) and weakness in my legs. I have lived in a home with a ton of stairs for the past almost 9 years and I still struggle to get up all the stairs - my legs are tired, I'm out of breath, it's terrible. My lower back hurts if I have to stand for more than like 20 minutes.
• I get random flutters in my lower belly/pelvis area that feel like what I've read baby kicks feel like, except I'm not and have never been pregnant.
• Sometimes the need to have a bowel movement comes with agonizing cramps that keep me from standing up. This is usually around my period when it happens.
• Constant fatigue. I am always tired, no matter how much I've slept or how well I've slept, I wake up and immediately think "I cannot wait to go back to bed".
• I pee a lot, like every hour. I've been told to just drink less, but I also have Sjogren's so my mouth is always dry unless I am well hydrated. Sometimes when I pee it burns. Doc things this is interstitial cystitis but while I do experience pain, it's never been agonizing or debilitating, so I don't think this is my problem. But I'm not a doctor, so what do I know haha
• This one I didn't bring up but my belly button is horribly sensitive. Like when I touch it to clean it or whatever, I feel it in my vagina in an unpleasant way? It's super weird, I hate it. If I could have my belly button surgically removed I would absolutely do that lmao

The only thing I don't have is agonizing cramps. I've never really had cramps. I do get the feeling like someone has reached up, grabbed hold, and is pulling my insides out, but never period cramps. I've read that you don't necessarily have to to have endo (it can be 'silent endo'?), but I feel a bit like a hypochondriac, or an imposter, picking a disease and going "This must be it!" and ignoring one of the biggest symptoms people commonly report.

Anyway, I would very much appreciate any experience, feedback, etc from those of you who are diagnosed and experienced symptoms similar to mine. And what process your diagnosis journey followed, if you don't mind sharing. I know there aren't tests and the only way to really diagnose is surgery, but...what are the steps to get there?