Below is a list of terms for all those who've joined the PCO Support email thingies (thank Sarah Lindsey for the abbreviation meanings. And here is another, more indepth list.

Add-back - hormones (estrogen or estrogen/progesterone) which are given during a course of GnRH agonist treatment to help prevent bone loss and to mitigate some of the more bothersome side effects of these drugs (such as hot flashes and memory loss)
AF - Aunt Flow, Menstruation
b/c - Because
BBT - Nasal Body Temperature; a BBT thermometer is used to chart daily temperatures to determine ovulation
BCPs - Birth Control Pills
BM - bowel movement
CA-125 - a marker for ovarian cancer, which has also been found to be elevated in women with endo who do not have cancer
CFS - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
CM - Cervical Mucus
D&C - Dilatation and Curettage (also d/c, DC); dilation of the cervix to allow the uterus to be scraped.
DH - Dear Husband
DX - diagnosis (also Dx)
EA - Endometriosis Association, 8585 N. 76th Place, Milwaukee, WI 53223, 414-355-2200
Endo - Endometriosis
ECC - Endometriosis Care Center in Atlanta. Donna Laux ([email protected]) is the Program Director and frequent contributor to WITSENDO.
EMB - Endometrial Biopsy, taken before your menstrual period. Tests endometrial lining for sufficient thickness, progesterone level, and infections.
Endo Awareness Week - Held the last full week of March every year. Call the Endo Association for details (see above).
Endometrial Ablation - A small telescope is inserted into the cervix and into the uterus. The lining of uterus is then destroyed by laser or electrical energy. After ablation, menstruation ceases in about 70% of patients.
F/U - Follow-up
GI - Gastrointestinal
GTT - Glucose Tolerance Test
HCG - Human Chorionic Gonadatropin (test for pregnancy)
HRT - Hormone Replacement Therapy
HSG - Hysterosalpingogram; an x-ray in which contrast dye is inserted into the uterus which indicates whether the fallopian tubes are open. Pictures are taken while the dye goes through (or not).
Hysteroscopy - a procedure wherein a hysteroscope is inserted through the cervix to visualiz the inside of the uterus. Surgical removal of abnormalities can be accomplished through the hysteroscope.
HX - History (or Hx)
IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome; often the first diagnosis a woman with endo receives due to the frequent bowel symptoms, such as cycles of diarrhea/constipation, painful bowel movements, urgency to defecate, blood in stool, etc. Although IBS is a recognized syndrome, it's often misapplied to women with endo.
IBD - Inflammatory Bowel Disease; a serious disease of the gastrointestinal tract.
IF - Infertility
IM - Intramuscular
IV - Intravenous; usually refers to the intraveneous needle inserted into veins at time of surgery or hospital recovery
IVP - Intravenous Pyelogram (kidney x-ray)
Lap (laparoscopy) - surgery to diagnose and treat endo. A laparoscope is inserted into a small incision near the belly button. One or more additional incisions in the lower abdomen are used for other instruments. Usually done as an outpatient procedure, but may require a hospital stay.
Laparotomy - major open abdominal surgery with a 6-8" incision (usually horizontal, right above pubic hair, but may be vertical) which often requires 3-4 days in the hospital.
Lapex - laparoscopy excision; a surgial technique that removes the entire endo lesion (versus destroying the lesion with ablation, fulguration, or electrocautery).
LMP - Last Menstrual Period
LUNA - Laparoscopic Uterosacral Nerve Ablation; a surgical procedure in which the uterosacral ligaments are cut through in order to sever the nerves which carry pain signals. May be successful in up to 50% of cases of "midline" pain.
MD - Medical Doctor
Myomas - Fibroid tumors
O - Ovulate
OB/GYN - obstetrician/gynecologist or obstetrics/gynecology
OC - Oral Contraceptives
OR - Operating Room
OTC - over-the-counter (without prescription)
Pessary - a device similiar to a large diaphragm, which is inserted into the vagina. Pessaries may be used to treat prolapse.
PCO or POS - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
PD - Period
PG - Pregnant
PID - Pelvic Inflammatory Disease; although PID is very real and very serious, women with endo are often mistakenly diagnosed with this condition when the real cause of their problems is endo.
POF - Premature Ovarian Failure
Prolapse - pelvic relaxation which may involve the uterus, bladder, or rectum.
Prostaglandins - hormone-like chemicals (autocoids) which are responsible for a wide variety of actions at the cellular level. Increased bad prostaglandins have been shown to cause or increase the intensity of menstrual cramps and bowel spasms.
PSN - Presacral Neurectomy; a surgical procedure in which the physician severs a nerve bundle near the sacrum. May be successful in elminating "midline" pain, but does have risks.
PMS - Premenstrual Syndrome
RE - reproductive endocrinologist; a subspecialist of gynecology which requires addn'l training and residency
RX - prescription, treatment
TCM - Traditional Chinese Medicine
TAH - Total abdominal hysterectomy
TV - Transvaginal
TVUS - Transvaginal Ultrasound
TX - Treatment
UA - Urin Alysis
UGI - Upper GI Series
US - ultrasound
UTI - urinary tract infection
W/ - with
WITS - witsendo
WITSENDer - someone who subscribes to WITSENDO

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