Re: Endo Stage 3 effects on fertility
From: Alexandra (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Mon Jan 16 18:05:13 2006
Hello K,
What a coincidence! I am 35 ,will be 36 next month!
I have been trying to conceive on and off for about 4 years now. But
donīt get scared. For about a year I tried it the "normal" way. Then
changed doctor, tried Omifin tablets and scheduled intercourse for about
another year.(on and off, maybe 4-5 cycles per year.I also had one
artificial insemination. Then we realized that after every stimulated
cicle some of my folicles didnīt brake so I had to have annovulatory
treatment the next cicle. (contraceptives)Meanwhile, my period started
to realy hurt and be to strong. I started developing endo simptoms
which were all to familiar to me. My doctor at the time was reluctant
to give me another laparoscopy but put me on Lucrin (Lupron) for six
months. I was a mess. Then I changed to my current doctor. He is a
gynecologist, fertility and laparoscopy specialist. The first thing he
told me: We never give lupron treatment without a laparoscopy endo
diagnosis (in my case confirmation)and excision and I donīt know how to
translate but: burning and cutting and whatever they do in a
laparoscopy, because hormone treatment is a complement, alone it is not
enough. Can you imagine how I felt after more than six months of
MENOPAUSE? But he also said that we should try to get pregnant right
away because if I had endo, maybe the lucrin helped a little. So we
tried artificial insemination for 4 more cicles, being interrupted every
second cicle to take contraceptives. One month insemination, one month
contraceptives. Puagh! Then I said: no more. My doctor gave me the
laparoscopy and came out of the OR in shock. I was one of the worst
cases heīs seen in my country, considering just one year before I went
un lucrin for 6 months. My endo didnīt produce any scartissue but it
was so widespread that it was impossible to get it all out. I had a
couple of endometriomas, and there was blood all over. So the lucrin is
needed to get rid of the microscopic endo left behind. And since my
endo is sooo agressive, we need to have the best and friendliest
envoriornmet there to make the pregnancy possible as quickly as
possible. But what a difference: He ordered a lot of bone, liver, blood
and hormone lab exams and before each lucrin shot he will give me an
ultrasound and some lab tests. So I feel I am in good hands now.
Finally.
By the way, when I am on a insemination cycle I take Omifin (tablets),
HMG and HCG (inyections)hormones. The Omifin brings out the Mr. Hide
(the bad guy)in me also.It is amazing, I can go from 0 to not 60 but 600
in one second.
I hope I didnīt bore you but it so nice to have someone to talk to who
understands what I have been through.
Good luck,
Alexandra
At Mon, 16 Jan 2006, K. wrote:
>
>Hello, Alexandra,
>Thanks for your words of encouragement. I have to tell you that I took
>Clomid for 3 months (prior to realizing I had endo and what the problem
>really was). I turned into a "mean" person towards my husband. I found
>myself acting like I had never acted before, yelling, screaming, saying
>mean things. Now I am thankful I will be starting on the injectables
>this cycle. They aren't suppose to be as mood altering (thank
>goodness). Lucky for me I have a good supportive husband and he
>understood. Now I still find myself feeling anxious and stressed, but
>seem to have it better in control. Don't get me wrong, I still have my
>momnets of feeling "mad" that this is happening or cheated or whatever,
>but most days I'm able to think the way you were talking about..it's out
>of my hands. I can only take the treatments, etc and after that, I
>don't have control of it. I too, HATE the comments people give
>sometimes like "just adopt or relax and you will get preg." Obviously
>they don't mean to be rude or inconsiderate, they just don't fully
>understand. I think my least favorite comment was made by someone I
>work with when he said, "you don't have a baby b/c you didn't freeze
>them when you were younger!" GEEZ....I'm 35 soon to be 36. I know in
>the world of baby making that's not really youthful, but please...I'm
>not a grandma either. :) So tell me about this Lupron and why you have
>to take it before trying to get preg. I wonder why I don't have to take
>it and you do? I guess the Drs. all have different opinions. Are you
>seeing a specialist in endo? Fertility? Thanks again for chatting. It
>helps to know someone out there is in a similar predicament (not that I
>want you to have to go through this so that I have company...but you
>know what I mean.
>Thanks.
>K.
>t Mon, 16 Jan 2006, Alexandra wrote:
>>
>>Hello K!
>>Good luck! Remember keep an optimistic attitude! I imagine you are in
>>the very middle of procedures now so I will be praying for you. I do
>>not know if you are a religious person but I can tell you this: one day
>>when I was feeling really, really down, very pressured and not
>>understood at all...I said: "well, there is nothing more I can do but
>>keep doing this, so God it will be your decision" and it felt so
>>liberating,it changed my point of view, my attitude. It wasnīt my
>>responsibility anymore,I wasīn doing anything wrong, it was His
>>descision, his call. (By the way I also added: "But dear God, be very
>>clear in what you want me to do and not do, and for how long, for I do
>>not want to be guessing" (happy face) And I also have felt more sure
>>about my choices and in handdling people pressure. I have had my share
>>of: "Oh just adopt, or it so sad for your daughter to be an only child,
>>or just relax, or my worst favorite: if you adopt then youīll relax and
>>will get pregnant again!" Whatīs with that one!!
>>
>>By the way today was my first one month shot of lupron.
>>I am happy to have found someone with a case similar to mine, because
>>now I know I truly am not alone. (Neither are you) I would be very
>>happy if you wrote me to anonymous@obgyn.net so as to keep up with
>>your journey.
>>
>>Really: Good luck!
>>
>>--
>>Alexandra
>>
>>At Wed, 11 Jan 2006, K. wrote:
>>>
>>>Alexandra,
>>>Thanks so much for the hope that you give me. I want a baby so badly.
>>>It's hard when people say stuff like, " just adopt" or "just relax and
>>>it will happen" etc. I don't think they mean any harm, but it's just
>>>frustating because they dont understand what's really going on and that
>>>"relaxing" doesn't make the endo. go away! I am starting injectables as
>>>soon as I get my period. It hasn't come since my lap. surgery, but I
>>>feel it coming on...I always get a migrain before it and I got the
>>>migrain last night! Thanks again and I hope that both of us will be
>>>pregnant soon. My Dr. didn't recomend and Lupron before I start with
>>>the injectables. He seems to think my best bet is to try these drugs
>>>right away after my surgery. I guess they all have different opinions!
>>>Take care and thanks again.
>>>K.
>>>At Tue, 10 Jan 2006, Alexandra wrote:
>>>>
>>>>Hello,
>>>>
>>>>I have had stage three endo forabout 18 years now. The good news is: I
>>>>have a beautiful six years old daughter I had at one moment my endo
>>>>wasnīt active. I had some hormone shots to help the cycles but nothing
>>>>major. Since then my endo just got worse and now I havenīt been able to
>>>>conceive again. Just had my fourth laparoscopy and are starting my
>>>>second course of lucrin( My countryīs name for lupron)next cycle. (It
>>>>has to be for six months)After I will try injectable drugs for ovulation
>>>>and artificial insamination again. So my case sounds similar to yours.
>>>>Keep your hopes high because as you see, it is posible to get pregnant
>>>>with stage three endo. Ah, I almost forgot, my phalopian tubes, parts
>>>>of my ovaries, and uterus sound just like yours, and my doctor told me
>>>>that that highly elevates our chances so...
>>>>Good luck!
>>>>
>>>>--
>>>>Alexandra
>>>>
>>>>At Sat, 7 Jan 2006, K. wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>HI O.,
>>>>>This cycle will be our first. I am going to start on injectable drugs
>>>>>to help me ovulate and then we are going to do artificial insemination
>>>>>to help increase our chances. We will try this for up to 6 months and
>>>>>then if that is unsucessful, we will try IVF. Our RE thinks this should
>>>>>work though. He did not recommend Lupron to me. I had my lap surgery
>>>>>last month and he told me that now is the best time to get pregnant. Of
>>>>>course you know if you get preg. that it helps "calm" the endo for a
>>>>>while at least...that's a perk too. Now we just have to get there. Hope
>>>>>you have good luck. This isn't an easy journey. It's an emotional
>>>>>rollercoaster.
>>>>>Take care.
>>>>>K.
>>>>>At Sat, 7 Jan 2006, Oysterie wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Hello K.,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Just wanted you to know that you are not alone in what you are going
>>>>>>through. I was diagnosed with stage 3 endo last year and the doc
>>>>>>removed 3 ovarian cysts. Both my ovaries had endo and the spread was
>>>>>>advanced. My tubes are clear and my uterus seems healthy.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>My husband and I really want to have a baby. I am on Lupron now and my
>>>>>>last shot will be in February. Hopefully, after this, I can get
>>>>>>pregnant.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Were you advised to go on lupron?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I would really like to know how things go with you, and a little more
>>>>>>about the procedures you have to do at the fertility clinic. If I don't
>>>>>>get pregnant I will also have to consider IVF.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Well, good luck. I wish you only the best.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>--
>>>>>>Oysterie.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>At Fri, 6 Jan 2006, K. wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Hi Jennifer,
>>>>>>>Thank you so much for responding. the way I found out that I had endo.
>>>>>>>is b/c we went to a fertility specialist last month and they found the
>>>>>>>cyst on my ovary. Otherwise I would have never known I have endo!
>>>>>>>Anyway, we are obviously trying to get preg. right away since I just
>>>>>>>had this surgery. My understanding is this is our best chance. We
>>>>>>>start with injectables this upcoming cycle and are doing artificial
>>>>>>>insem. to increase our chances. Thanks again for your help.
>>>>>>>K.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>At Wed, 4 Jan 2006, Jennifer wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>From what I have been told, stage 3 and 4 are when it begins to get
>>>>>>>>tough to conceive, but that also depends on where it is and what effect
>>>>>>>>it's having on the reproductive organs. From the sounds of it, you're
>>>>>>>>still not too bad off in that way. Because, even if the left ovary was
>>>>>>>>gone completely, you can get pregnant with just one (tougher, but still
>>>>>>>>entirely possible). And you still have the ovary. My question to you
>>>>>>>>is if you plan to try to conceive soon. If so, that would probably give
>>>>>>>>you the best possible chance. Sounds like you've been cleaned out
>>>>>>>>pretty well so now may be the best time.
>>>>>>>>I wish you luck and think all will be well for you! =)
>>>>>>>>Please let us know how it goes.
>>>>>>>>Jennifer A.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>At Wed, 4 Jan 2006, K. wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>I have been diagnosed with stage 3 endo. It is around my Left Ovary and
>>>>>>>>>the posterior cul-de-sac. My tubes are open and inside uterus is fine.
>>>>>>>>>I am seeing a fertility specialist and recently had a lap done to remove
>>>>>>>>>an ovarian endo cyst. I am wondering if anyone knows what my chances of
>>>>>>>>>conceiving might be or if the outlook is poor. I'm hoping to find out
>>>>>>>>>more info. from the Drs soon, but am just hoping for some info. now.
>>>>>>>>>THanks for any help or encouragement you have.
>>>>>>>>>K.
>>>>>>
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