Questions for Ladies with Endometriosis??

[wannabeprego]

Hi girls,

I recently had a hysteroscopy to remove a polyp from my uterus and a laparoscopy to make sure my second fallopian tube was unblocked.

Everything was a success and they removed the polyp and were able to open my second fallopian tube. However they found an unpleasant surprise and found endometriosis. The DR was able to remove the endo so I should be able to move onto TTC again once I am all healed up from my surgery in about a week or so.

The fact that I have Endometriosis is a total surprise to me and I don't know much about it. I do have to schedule a follow up appointment with my DR in 2 to 3 weeks for a checkup after my surgery and I am going to ask questions about it at that time. I am going to do some research online as well.


I was hoping that other ladies that also have Endo can give me some advice about it and if you could explain what your TTC plan is as a result of having the Endo. How does it affect your fertility and what does it mean for your TTC plans? Also just in general any advice or info you can give would be very much appreciated!! Thanks a bunch ladies!!

 

[tlm]

Hi! I too didn't know I had it until I had my lap & hysteroscopy in March if this year. My RE found stage 3 and removed it all.

Before surgery I tried 6 rounds of Clomid and just had timed intercourse. All with no luck! The Clomid seemed to be working, producing more than one follicle every cycle. I had been temping for a year before Clomid so I knew I was ovulating.

After surgery I did 4 more rounds if Clomid with iui's. My doctor said he was pretty confident we had found the cause of my infertility. But again unfortunately all cycles were bfn. I will say the last two iui's I insisted on progesterone support since I had been spotting before AF consistently for almost 2 years. With the progesterone I didn't spot but that didn't seem to do any good.

I am now in my tww for my first IVF cycle. I did not respond to the stimulation injections like my doctor expected (I am 32 and have no other issues other than endo & fibroids), so today at my transfer he told me that my poor response may be the reason for not having been successful thus far. But he is puzzled as to what the issue is! Hopefully IVF works and we can put this behind us!

I have heard tons of stories of women with endo conce icing just fine without help! I don't understand this. Either there's wasn't as bad or maye it just took them longer to conceive...

Good luck!! I am here if you have any other questions!

 

[wannabeprego]

@TLM, thank you for sharing your story with me!!

I am sending tons of good luck and lots of sticky baby dust that your IVF cycle is a succcess and you get your BFP!!!

Our plans are a few cycles of clomid with timing the and than if that doesn't work we will be moving onto IUI next.

 

[Ducktales]

hi, likewise, i had my lap for a suspected blocked tube and found out that i didnt have blocked tubes but had severe endo, which they removed with laser ablation.
I saw my consultant last week, who told me that i had a 6 month window to TTC but a lot of women with endo don't conceive naturally - they do not understand why this is but it is just the case. I am getting referred for IVF at the end of october.
good luck
xx

 

[wannabeprego]

@Duck, Thanks for sharing your story with me hun!!! The 6 month window is what I am hearing from more than one lady that had Endo and scar tissue removed so it sounds like I need to hurry up and take advantage of every cycle post operation, which would be September cycle for me starting out.

Well here are the pictures from my surgery below in the spoiler. I was told by another girl with endo on here that from my surgery pictures it looks like I have stage 1 endo, because there wasn't that much, but I need to confirm that with my DR and get his opinion on it still. I suppose it makes sense that the less endo you have the better your fertility will be, since I did read it hurts your fertility!!

I haven't had a chance to talk to my DR about my surgery and the endo yet, but I will be scheduling a follow up appointment in 2 to 3 weeks from my surgery for a check up, and at that time I am going to ask him about the endo,and ask him to RX me some clomid, and figure out when we should start IUI. Knowing about the 6 month window makes me want to move into IUI sooner than we were originally planning I think.

The surgery pictures are below...

I am putting them on a spoiler in case anyone is squemish about seeing this stufff...

Spoiler

This is a picture of my polyp and him getting ready to take it out..I think the dot in the one pic is him opening up my other tube...
https://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh126/izzybee22/CCF08292012_00003.jpg

This is a picture of him removing scar tissue, the white spider web type stuff is the scar tissue

https://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh126/izzybee22/CCF08292012_00002.jpg


POlyp being removed...
https://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh126/izzybee22/CCF08292012_00001.jpg

The circled areas are the endometriosis, and more pics of him removing the scar tissue as well..

https://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh126/izzybee22/CCF08292012_00000.jpg

 

[tlm]

Wannabe, you are correct about the 6 month window. My doctor told me when we met with him in February that I needed to be pregnant this summer. Based on what he discovered in surgery his initial response was do 2-3 cycles with clomid and iui. Dh and I opted to do one more just in case. My doctor also said (to reiterate the 6 month idea) that in women who have endo and have had a lap to clear it up, 6 months post op they did explanatory lap,again and fund that the endo had grown back to the original state.

I see your plan has become more aggressive and I think this is a good choice. I understand that doing iui's will be more expensive but in the long run pregnancy could happen quicker!

Good luck! It really sucks all that we have to contend with! I too had no idea of endo and was shocked to find out how significant it was!

 

[wannabeprego]

Wannabe, you are correct about the 6 month window. My doctor told me when we met with him in February that I needed to be pregnant this summer. Based on what he discovered in surgery his initial response was do 2-3 cycles with clomid and iui. Dh and I opted to do one more just in case. My doctor also said (to reiterate the 6 month idea) that in women who have endo and have had a lap to clear it up, 6 months post op they did explanatory lap,again and fund that the endo had grown back to the original state.

I see your plan has become more aggressive and I think this is a good choice. I understand that doing iui's will be more expensive but in the long run pregnancy could happen quicker!

Good luck! It really sucks all that we have to contend with! I too had no idea of endo and was shocked to find out how significant it was!

Thanks for the advice hun!!!

I see that you had your embryos transfered based on your signature!!! When will you start testing for your BFP??? Please keep me updated!!! I am sending lots of luck and baby dust to you hun!!! I hope you get your BFP soon!!!

 

[timeforababy]

Hi all, I have a question to ask if you don't mind sharing. Did you have any pain for your endo? I have terrible cramps with IBS symptoms near O-time every month and just wondering if I'm reading too much into them or whether that could be indicative of endo? I have occasional pelvic pain as well around that time...

 

[Ducktales]

i have never had any symptoms, aside from it being incredibly painful when using the toilet during my period (TMI sorry)
thats why i was so surprised at my diagnosis

 

[timeforababy]

i have never had any symptoms, aside from it being incredibly painful when using the toilet during my period (TMI sorry)
thats why i was so surprised at my diagnosis

Nothing is TMI on here. Thanks for sharing The second half of my cycle turns my guts different too.


Good luck in your journey!

 

[wannabeprego]

Hi all, I have a question to ask if you don't mind sharing. Did you have any pain for your endo? I have terrible cramps with IBS symptoms near O-time every month and just wondering if I'm reading too much into them or whether that could be indicative of endo? I have occasional pelvic pain as well around that time...

I do get cramps at my OV time so I can always tell when I am ovulating, but I always thought that was normal, so not sure if it is a sign of endo or not??

I do get horrible AF cramps the first 2 days of my AF and I get alot of fatigue, which are signs of endo from the research that I have found online. When I was teenager and in my early 20's the cramps were really bad to the point where I would lay in be all day, although as I have gotten older they have started to subside some. I also used to always get diareah, upset stomach when I got my AF as well.

Although I have heard some ladies say they don have any symptoms and they had it so the only way to know for sure is to go thrugh infertility testing with a good infertility DR. Good luck to you!!!

I found these signs and symptos of endo on the internet, check it out...

What are the Symptoms of Endometriosis?

Pain before and during periods

Pain with sex

Infertility

Fatigue

Painful urination during periods

Painful bowel movements during periods

Other Gastrointestinal upsets such as diarrhea, constipation, nausea.
In addition, many women with endometriosis suffer from:

Allergies

Chemical sensitivities

Frequent yeast infections
Here is the web link where Ifound the info at:

https://www.endometriosisassn.org/endo.html

 

[wannabeprego]

I just wanted to add that when I had my HSG done as part of my infertiity testing and one of my tubes seemed to of been blocked a polyp showed up on my uterus and was visable in the HSG X-Ray. I then went on to get a saline sono, and it showed a view of the polyp. I eventually chose to do a hysteroscopy and laparacoy together to unblock my second tube,and the DR saw my Endo and removed it, so my circumstances led my DR to discovering my ENdo, and if it wasn't for that I would of not known it existed!!Good luck 2 you hun!!!

 

[timeforababy]

My O cramps are worse than my AF cramps. I can't get any more free help on the NHS so will have to bring this up when I can afford my new doc.

Thanks so much!! That's really helpful.

 

[tlm]

I had no symptoms leading up to the surgery and diagnosis. I have always gotten stomache aches and I always thought I had a sensitive stomach, but since surgery I have hardly had any. So I am thinking the endo was causing some upset.

 

[wannabeprego]

I found another website with some really helpful info about endo, it list the symptoms with a bunch of other stuff..Just thought I'd share!!

https://drseckin1.reachlocal.net/endometriosis/signs-of-endometriosis