Should I Demand a Lap? (advice please)

[NavyWife84]

Hello Ladies,
I'll try to make this quick...
I have been ttc for almost 2 years. I've been temping, have had 2 hcgs, saline sonogram, tons of internal and external ultrasounds, 3 IUIs, 4 rounds of clomid at 150 mg., the works (I know, you all have been there, done that, too!) Oh yeah, and dh has super sperm (figures)! The only thing I havent had done is a lap, but I have a lot of the signs of endo. The docs keep telling me that a lap isn't necessary because everything looks "textbook perfect" and I am just unexplained. They have also told me that I have ANDOmetriosis, which is different from endometriosis because it affects the muscles and won't do anything to hurt fertility. But I really want a lap just to be sure! Every time I ask, they say it isn't necessary, but I don't believe them. They don't want to risk the scarring, but I feel that the scarring would be worth it. Is it worth the risk of scarring?

I just got on my own insurance (was previously only on dh's insurance plan) and it will cover me to go to Shady Grove Fertility Clinic. I am supposed to go back to the hospital that I have been using for a follow up before they will do any more IUIs. They said it is my choice if I want to move on to IVF, but I am not going to use them for IVF because it is covered under my new insurance, but they don't take my new insurance. I was thinking I would do one more IUI because I will O around the 1st, which is when my new insurance takes effect, so I might as well give it one more chance with the hospital I am using now. I don't know if I should demand a lap with them when I go for my follow up, or just wait to see what Shady Grove says.

I am really afraid of just moving on to IVF when there is a possibility of having endometriosis.

What would you do? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[StephieB]

I dont have any advice as such, but will be stalking this as I am thinking the exact same thing with my fertility specialist!

Everything else has come back completely perfect, but this is the one thing thats been nagging at the back of my mind that could be a problem. I fit all the symptoms for mild endo but like you, my doc wont send me for a lap because there are no other signs pointing towards it.

 

[NavyWife84]

Hopefully we can get some good advice from our lovely bnb ladies.

BTW...I was stalking your blog today and you put everything so perfectly! I want to print your blog and hand it out to all the fertile people in the world! Infertility should not be such a taboo subject and there should be awareness like they do for other diseases!!! [Navywife steps off her soapbox]

 

[StephieB]

Ahh thanks

Its now my first port of call every time I want to rant about something (apart from here obviously) and I do find I tend to go on and on a little bit! One of my close friends reads it and says she's learnt more from my ramblings over the post few week than she did doing her nursing qualification!! So at least its having some affect

 

[Welshgem81]

Hi all.
I know how you feel, I was diagnosed with Endo 3 years ago after a long battle with Doctors telling me that they were positive I didnt have it. I convinced I had it, the pain was unbearable with AF. I had scans, seen specialists and all said I didnt have it. In the end I went to my GP and demanded that I had a Lap because I was on the verge of losing my Job (Teacher) because I was so bad with period pain/heavy periods I was having 2 days off a month (this was a lie but I was struggling to work on my period days).
he sent my to a Specialist in Endo who gave me an internal exam and said he was 99 percent sure I didnt have it but would send me for a Lap to put my mind at rest! Anyway, they found quite a bit on the side of my uterus and bowel. I had it removed and was sooo much better.

Hope this will spur you on to give your GP a good kick up the butt. Good Luck

 

[tlm]

Hi girls!! I had stage 3 endo removed via lap in March of this year after ttc #1 for 1.5 years and NO luck!! I had no symptoms!!! My doctor always thought it was a possibility because of my age, 31. He said that 80% of women over 30 have some degree of endo. I would highly recommend pushing for the lap because for me it was very beneficial! Also, I am a firm believer that we are in tune with our bodies better than doctors. If you have a hunch you have endo you need to be your own advocate! On that note, I didn't have any idea I had endo, but I have been questioning my progesterone for almost 2 years because I spot for many days before AF, my RE didn't think there was any issue. I had had my levels checked multiple times at 7dpo and my numbers were always fine. But the spotting was still happening, I had a hunch that my levels were dropping off too early. Anyway, I saw the nurse practitioner last cycle instead of my re and she was very supportive of me taking supplements! I started them 7dpiui and low and behold I had a 15 day LP and absolutely NO SPOTTING! For the first time in 24 cycles... So I say listen to your body!! Good luck and keep us posted!!