Hello ladies, really sorry g/c here.

I just wanted some reassurance really and thought this might be a good place to ask this question.

I have been refered to gnyea and it is very likely that I have endometriosis.
I understand that endo can cause infertility..so obviously worried specially as I've been ttc for a year.

Just wanted to know whatever anyone else with endo has gone on to have a healthy pg/ babies??

Thanks

xxx

Hey there,

I have endo and I am 22 weeks preg. Mine isn't a great story as I had an extra complication of an ectopic pregnancy and lost a tube so in the end we had IVF - but that was because of the lack of tube not the endo.

Don't worry too much about it - endo can affect people in many different ways and so many women with endo fall pregnant naturally. I fell preg the first time after 13 months, naturally, which just took a while because just thorugh chance not because of the endo. In my experience the main way in which edo can affect fertility is if your ovaries, fallopian tubes have adhesions or cysts (which can usually be seen with an ultrasound unlike normal endo) but I imagine they would have seen these by now if you have them. And you would almost certainly feel them, pain wise, if you had it badly.

If the worst comes to the worst they will do an op called a laproscopy - its an easy day op where they make a tiny incision under your belly button to have a look if you have endo and they'll usually remove it in the same op. I've had three laps and it really is fine (this is from a real wimp who is terrified of anything like that!)Once its all cleared out you need a couple of months before you start ttc again, but once you do any problems it was causing will be gone.

And pregnancy wise it causes no problems, in fact some women report that endo never comes back after a baby.

Try not to worry and take each appointment and discovery as extra information which can only help.

Good luck

R x

Hey Rach, first of all, congratulations on your pregnancy!

Nice to know you've got there in the end.

I have had an ultasound and they could not see anything but doctor explained that often endo is not visible through ultrasound. I do get a lot of pain, and its been worst lately.

Doctor had explained laparoscopy and that is the next step for me. Thanks for reeassuring me, I know it is not a serious op but can't help worry.

Hopefully it will be ok.

Thanks for your reply and good luck with the rest of your pregnancy

Summer xxx

Hi Summer,

I have Endometriosis and gone through 3 laparoscopies to remove it. Mine is very mild but as you may have read unfortunately you can get a lot (or even more pain) with mild disease.

I am happy to tell you that fertility issues only effect 30% of women with endo and for most of these it is a reduced fertility rather than complete infertility.
The good thing is you are getting it checked out and so can have it removed or suppressed with medication.

I have NEVER had ay fertility problems anatomically from endo and in a way I am lucky my body warns me when I have the teeniest bit of endo in there.
Honestly most women have fine fertility but be careful when using message boards for endo as these tend to be used by the women who suffer quite badly and are therefore a bit biased.

If you want any info on the lap let me know - they are not too bad as long as you rest properly and don't expect too much of yourself for a week or two afterward.

I am also ecstatic to report that my gynae was right and we got out BFP on ne year's day!

Best of luck with your diagnosis, xx

Tulip Rose thank you for your reply.

May I ask you why did you need 3 laps to remove it?
Is that a norm or does it depend on how much they need to remove?

I hope mine is also mild, I have been suffering for years with horrendous periods(severe pains, fainting, vomiting, heavy bleeding etc) and was put on the pill and that helped a bit, but also learnt to help pain with right painkillers..
Not sure that severity of my symptomes means bad case of endo?

It has only come to light that they might be a problem after we were investigating fertility.

Really glad to read that you have gone on to get your BFP
Congratulations once more, what a wonderful start to a New Year!

Hope you don't mind me asking few more questions in the future depending on what happens next.

Thanks again

Summer xxx

Hi Summer,

Ask away!

I had the first laparoscopy to diagnose the condition and as I had private healthcare with work my surgeon (also an Endometriosis expert) removed what he found. This was several mild lesions that were causing my pain and bowel symptoms.

After a few months I felt really well and then got pain again. As I'd recently had surgery I was put on a course of zoladex to suppress my ovaries. Oestrogen feeds endo and is what makes it grow so this is why.

Once I finished the zoladex (it is only licensed for 6 months) the pain came back and so they did another lap to investigate. They found only one deposit but it was in the 'right' place to cause lots of pain during sex.

I was veyr well after this but then 12 months later was in pain and back in again. They removed it again and also did some work on my pelvic nerves so that they were less sensitised to the endo.

This worked brilliantly and the next 12 month mark was last August and I have been great since. All the way through they put me on the pill with no breaks as the endo grows and bleeds with a period and this kept it at bay.

I was without treatment since May 2010 and have touch wood been fine since.

Pregnancy is good for endo because of the lack of periods and fluctuating hormones each month. For many women they get no symptoms during pg which can last all through breast-feeding and for years beyond.

Every case is different so please don't be worried by my 3 surgeries! They were all day case or overnight stays and short recovery etc.

Let us know how you get on x

Hiya

I was diagnoised with endo at 17, was told at the time it would cause problems with my fertility and was told that when I wanted to concieve my best bet would probably be IVF. Obviously at the time it wasn't a great concern. I've had two laporosopies, both to remove the tissue with the last being in 2007.

End of 2008 my husband and I decided to start trying for a baby and 18months later we got a BFP. I'm now 36 weeks pregnant, and still amazed that I managed to get pregnant. I would warn you though that in the early days I got quite a lot of pain in my tummy, which was where the initial stretching was going on, over and around my sore patches. Caused a lot of worry but everything has been fine.

Good luck x x x x

Hi Summer,
I too suffered for years (since I was a teenager) with terrible pain, vomiting, heavy periods etc. Was totally dismissed by doctors over the years and even when trying to conceive they were more concerned with my age than possible endo. Anyway, I have a family history of endo (my mum, sister, cousins etc.) so fairly convinced I have it. To cut a long story short, I had given up TTC after 2 years of trying (and being told I was too old for IVF at 38). I found out I was pregnant completely by chance while at the doctors for some travel vaccinations, as I had confused my "normal" pain with the pain of early pregnancy. I'm now 27 weeks and all is going very well. Yes, the stretching etc. in early pregnancy hurts (as Mrs Bolton says), but I only felt this for a couple of weeks and once I knew I was pregnant it was much easier to cope with. I am so enjoying it now!!! I feel normal for the first time in years (apart from the huge belly). I wanted to offer some hope and wish you all the luck in the world. Fingers crossed for you.
xxx

Its great to read your posts smiley and mrsbolton.

I'm still very newly pregnant and I have had some sharper, more concentrated pains and pulling so your posts have reassured me too!

I think any pain is somehow eased when you have an explanation and can therefore stop worrying as much.

Good luck Summer x

Mrs bolton thank you for sharing your story. Such a fantastic ending, must be an amazing feeling to be pg despite everything x


smileycat I feel quite angry in the way, like you I've been fobbed of so many times by doctors saying it will get better with the age blah blah. And now I ma 36 and feel like I am running out of time..
But your story really gives me hope. Thanks for posting!
What a wonderful surprise and shock that must of been for you to discover you are pg..
Wishing you all the best for the rest of the pg! x

Tuliprose thanks again for explaining all. So pleased for you!
I will keep you posted!

Summer
xxx

Good luck hun, you will get there.

Laps really are fine. i too had a little pain in early pregnancy but it was due to an endo cycst on my ovary as the ovary reduced in size while the placenta was taking over. It sometimes hurts now when my baby uses it as a football :roll:

I've had no other preg pain and i'm now 23 weeks - fingers crossed it stays that way!

I agree about the endo forums - they terrified me, don't go there! Chances are they will remove all your endo in the first one and you'll be good for a few years and you're chance of conceiving will rocket when you've recovered. But do keep trying naturally in the mean time as endo can just slow down nature and it can take 18 months instead of 12.

Good luck R x