Help... Endometriosis and getting pregnant Post Reply

[Vsparkles]

Hi there,
I'm wondering if any of you can help me or share any similar stories. I have endometriosis and was diagnosed at an early age (due to my mother suffering) The doctors put me on the pill with minimal breaks as i couldn't handle the pain for almost 10 years. I have had several surgeries (all which didn't help) but it came back within a year. At the start of the year my partner and I decided we would like to start thinking about trying for a family so I came off the pill at the end of Jan. We have had no luck in getting pregnant and so far very little support or help from doctors. I'm feeling very stressed, partly due to the hormones and increasing pain i am suffering most of the time and due to the fact I'm starting to worry i will never be able to conceive.

I wondered if any of you had any advice or have/are suffering the same thing, some happy ending stories perhaps to make me feel like there is hope

Thank you

[Lilla C]

Hello.

I don't have advice but do have a happy story for you which will help you feel better I hope.

I have had endometriosis since I was 17. Many surgeries, been on the pill since I was a teenager and crippling pains every month.

I was diagnosed with stage one cervical cancer 6 years ago and had to have part of my womb removed.

I met someone almost three years ago, not planning to have a baby at all. I was told that I was not ovulating. 4 months in and I skipped my period. Exactly one week late, I found out I was pregnant

I think - the pressure was off a) I didn't think I could and b) I wasn't trying.

It's hard to pretend you are not trying when you are but try to take it easy.

I know it's important. But if you let it consume you and don't relax then u will end up stressed.

Easier said than done I know. But hang in there. Endometriosis does not get the last say

X

[GVM]

I can help! I've got a good news story and a recommendation of someone locally who can help you.
I suffered from endo from the age of 13 and had years of treatment, eventually having a hysterectomy last year. But in the meantime, managed to have 2 healthy children without IVF.
After lots of frustrating doctors visits, surgery, hormone treatments, pills etc etc, I embraced the natural route. I was totally cynical but it seemed to work - acupucture & chinese herbs (highly recommend Nick Johnson who works out of Feel Good Balham 020 8673 2163). To manage the pain whilst off the pill and waiting to get pregnant - yoga, pilates, gave up wheat and cut down on sugar.
Best of luck, I remember so vividly how awful that time is and hope that things look up for you soon.
And once you have had your children, have a hysterectomy - best thing ever - finally pain free!!!!!!

[AMumAtSW12]

Yes not an easy one. My network of doctors only treat infertility naturally. 80% of our patients suffer from this.

In my experience some women will get pregnant naturally after endo treatment (laparoscopy) and some don't. Some of these have had failed IVFs before coming to us.

Agreed with the previous poster regarding acupuncture.

My suggestion would be to do both western and traditional Chinese Medicines, together.

Happy to discuss this on the phone with you further.

Freda
www.naturalfertilitymatters.com

[KGsw11]

Hi there,
So sorry you are experinecibg this, it must be very stressful!

I have also suffered with endometriosis since I was about 17 but happy to say I'm now 6 months pregnant. I can't say for sure if I had any fertility problems because we have been incredibly and unexpectedly lucky and got pregnant straight away but I was suffering horrendously in the run up to trying. My hormones were everywhere, in lots of pain throughout most of the month and my periods started to almost dissappear so we started to panick. There were several things I did before trying though that I think could be potentially helpful to others with endometriosis... I had another laporoscopy within 12 months of trying to conceive, I then changed my diet to eliminate most sugar, coffee, wheat and dairy and I tried to drink green juices everyday and then I added b12 and zita west conception vitamins too. In addition I also went to see a brilliant acupuncturist and herbalist Kate Freemantle who is based in Clapham and Streatham. She gave me a herbal remedy to take for my hormones and we had regular acupuncture sessions. I also tried tout exercise more as I'm pretty sedentary. Anyway as I said I can't say for sure if I would have had trouble without these steps but if nothing else they definitely relieved a lot of my endo symptoms which might be useful whilst you're off the pill anyway? I know they say you are much more likely to conceive within 12 months of a laporoscopy though so perhaps something good to talk to yourent doctor about before thinking of other fertility treatments.

Anyway sorry for the mammoth post but I remember how afraid I was that I wouldn't get pregnant and how stressful living with endo symptoms is so wanted hope I could be of help.

Best of luck.

[walesdavies]

Hi,
I'm sorry that I have not the good news version.... although it has all ended up being ok! I tried 'all of the above' but it didn't work. There are some types of endemetriosis which are very severere & simply will not die down enough. My biggest problem was it took a long time to diagnose me (33 YO after 3 years of TTC) so the good thing is you at least know you have it because 'forewarned is forearmed'. Do not let an uninterested doctor get away with it. ASk to see a specialist endo gynae. Dr Richards was at CHelsea & Westminster & he is one of the most respected Drs of endometriosis in the UK. Once I was under his care & had all the treatment / surgery he advised (& also with a wheat, dairy, sugar & caffeine free diet AND accupuncture) I got pregnant on my first round of IVF. If I'd seen him from the start, rather than fertility 'experts' I would have been pregnant within a year, rather than 4 years of hell.
The other thing with endometriosis (very severe types) is that once you are off the pill (or other hormonal controlled contraception) is that you are giving it the opportunity to spread further whilst you are trying & therefore making it all worse. Because I was trying for such a long time, it had spread to my fallopian tubes & blocked them, as well as my uretha & was stopping my kidneys from functioning correctly. I came round after my 2nd laparoscopy to be wrired up to machines, oxygen & a heart monitor with my own morphine tap & a diagnosis of 'lucky to be alive' .... '3 months time kidneys would have been packed in = death or life of dialysis' which was very confusing when I thought I was just having some keyhole surgery.
As I say, not trying to scare you, but more so just don't be fobbed off. If everyone knows you have endo then they can just get on with it. I have amazing twins which was a gift after all the hell I have been through, but a lot of pain, (physical & mental) hell & stress could have been avoided if it had been dealt with sooner. I was able to pass all this on to my sister so she just had a laporoscopy & striaght to IVF - all within a year & then she got pregnant naturally about a year later (she has the type that goes away with pregnancy... I don't).
GOOD LUCK with everything.

[astro]

Hi,

Sorry to hear about your story but keep up hope as it can work out. We saw Robert Richardson who works at the Lister and at C&W as well and I'd highly recommend him - he's very straight talking and we went to him for the endometriosis rather than fertility but was able to offer advice on both. We'd been trying for 2 years (not knowing that I had endometriosis), after a laproscopy I got pregnant the next month...

Good luck!

xx

[this_is_cat]

Another recommendation for Robert Richardson. He is a wonderful doctor, and the best in the country. We are very lucky to have him in our locality!