If I have endometriosis, are my chances of conceiving slim?

Question

I went to see a doctor four years ago because I was having horrible pain after intercourse and also with menstruation. I researched a bit and all of my symptoms pointed to endometriosis. Nothing was found, although I was not checked for endo. Now four years later a fertility doctor is telling me that she thinks I have endometriosis which is the reason I have not yet conceived. I am having a laproscopy done in December to find out, and I have myself convinced that I cannot get pregnant. Has anyone been through this same scenario?

Answer 1

I have stage II endo. A laparoscopy is the only way to diagnose endo...which you're already doing. Infertility is one of the "symptoms" of endo...but like any other symptom, some experience it and some don't. Most people do (as endo is one of the known leading causes of infertility), however the severity of the infertility varies from person to person which is why some people are able to get pregnant and some aren't. Just exactly where the endo is located can also be a determining factor on if and when you get pregnant. For example, my endo has a tendency to be in my tubes...which causes tubal blockage and as a result, I can't get pregnant while endo continues to block it.

After surgery, it's always recommended that you make the most of the next 12 months. There is NO cure for endo, which means it WILL come back. So your chances of conceiving are usually right after the endo has been lasered/scraped away during surgery. If you do have endo, expect to be back for more laparoscopies in the future.

The severity of endo isn't necessarily a determining factor on your chances of pregnancy. There are women in stage I of endo (the lowest stage) with severe symptoms...and there are women in stage IV endo (the most severe) who don't really experience any symptoms....and vice versa of course. I have a friend in stage IV who is now pregnant with her 2nd child after trying to conceive for a little more than a year. I am in stage II and still have not been able to conceive after trying for nearly 6 years. So no one can give you a definitive answer on this...endo is a weird disease in the sense that there's really no rhyme or reason to it. They don't even know for sure what causes it!

In any case, I really do hope that you don't have endo...but if you do, know that there are others in your same situation who know exactly what you're going through!!!

Answer 2

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Answer 3

I was 30 when I was first diagnosed with endometriosis, after the unbelievable heavy bleeding during the periods. I had my first diagnostic surgery in 1998 and they also removed some of the lesions and the cysts on that occasion. From that point on it was a crazy dance with my life revolving around my disease and the days of my life going by me as if I was just a spectator. I was on Lupron that offered some help but destroyed me financially.

My parents were basically living on the verge of poverty just so that they can help me pay for my Lupron. I had a partial hysterectomy in 2005 and I was a bit better for approximately a year. And after endometriosis and pain returned in 2006, I remember that I just gave up any hope that I will lead a normal life ever again.

I was never able to maintain a healthy relationship and I gave up on that, too. I found out about this eBook (http://tinyurl.com/EndometriosisB ) on the internet and the few clicks changed everything. I could not believe that I have been suffering needlessly for so long. I will not be able to have children because my fallopian tubes and ovaries are removed, but I am just thankful that I am again able to lead a healthy full life...

Answer 4

RE:
If I have endometriosis, are my chances of conceiving slim?
I went to see a doctor four years ago because I was having horrible pain after intercourse and also with menstruation. I researched a bit and all of my symptoms pointed to endometriosis. Nothing was found, although I was not checked for endo. Now four years later a fertility doctor is telling me...

Answer 5

I suffered for 10 years with cramps every month, complained about it all the time and every Dr. I said anything to would just prescribe Ibuprophen or Tylenol which always made my periods really heavy and really didn't touch the pain. I gave up even mentioning it while I was in my 20s. I just suffered.
At 30 I got married and we started right away at trying to have a baby at the end of the first year I was in the hospital because I was cramping and throwing up. I ended up finding out at that point that I had Endo and it had never been even mentioned to me before that. I lost an ovary to it, it was covered in endo and infected. Right after that surgery I was having pain around my remaining ovary and the Dr. acted like I was making it up, it wasn't possible. I tried getting another Dr. to take me seriously and I think that a note in my records from the previous Dr. told the new Dr. that I was trying to get pain pills or something because he blew me off also. After that I was in the office of my infertility Dr. crying my eyes out because I was completely freaked out that I might be losing my only remaining ovary. He decided to preform a Lap to see what was going on, I had scar tissue in the area where the pain was and the endo was pretty bad again already. So he cleaned everything up and recommended that I do a course of Lupron Depo (Depo Lupron, something like that) which put me in a false menopause for 6 months. Let me tell you, I don't believe it stopped the endo, I could tell you when I was supposed to be having a period every month, I still got the same cramps, mood swings and everything except the bleeding. Anyway, after completing that I did finally get pregnant, one ovary and full blown endo. All total it was 4 years of pure h3!! but we have the most beautiful little girl that is turning 2 this December.

So, it can still happen. I think they said I had stage or level 3 endo at the second operation. It was pretty bad and I think after my infertility Dr. got a look at it himself he was a little more concerned about my chances of conceiving.

I am to the point now that I am weighing the pros and cons of having a hysterectomy, what most scares me is all the women that say it did not stop it and the pain.

Answer 6

While Endo is a leading cause of primary and secondary female infertility, there is no reason to assume that with *proper* treatment, you cannot conceive.

Studies show that surgical removal (such as through excision - www.centerforendo.com – patients travel there from around the world) can and does increase fertility, even in stage III and IV patients. Careful and meticulous excision surgery can not only help resolve symptoms for the long-term, but can also drastically improve infertility. The aforementioned Center has a better than 50% success rate in their stage 4 Endo-related infertility patients, and 75% in their stage III patients, after Endo has been treated and removed (phenomenal, considering that rates for ablation, vaporization, etc. are far lower).

Careful excision and removal of Endo can treat the infertility instead of just going through all the expensive protocols without even trying to remove the disease. As far as vaporization, ablation, and other superficial surgical removals, the rates are far from 50-75% success and the disease will still be present to go on and cause symptoms.

Drug therapy like Lupron has never been shown to reduce infertility, and while alternative/homeopathic therapies can be helpful for some women in alleviating some of the painful symptoms associated with the disease, there have not been any evidence-based studies detailing any positive impact of herbal therapies, etc. on fertility rates either. Your best bet is to seek the assistance of a true specialist who can meticulously remove the disease, thereby conferring the best possible benefits for pregnancy. A specialist will also be better suited to help you should IVF protocols become necessary down the road as well. Good luck and best wishes.

Answer 7

I got pregnant and had my son & i have endometriosis..I have had cysts removed from my ovarys and still got pregnant.

You can still get pregnant it may just be harder for you to.

I had a laproscopy done and that is how it was confirmed that i had endo. I had everyday terrible pains then the doctor lasered the endo out. I was cut as far as my c-section. Even though if you have surgery to remove it - it still can come back just like it has on me.
I have been pregnant twice. The second pregnancy ended in miscarriage though.

Being on the depo shot or birth control pills will shrink/ stop the implants from growing (endo)

Good luck

Answer 8

When I was 19 I was diagnosed with Endometriosis.I had pre-cancer cells on my cervix (stage 4)when they removed all of it along with 2 parts of my cervix.They told me the only ways to cure Endometriosis was to have it removed or simply become pregnant.But that was years ago.The Drs.told me having Endometriosis didn`t mean I couldn`t have kids,but I would have problems concieving.I was 28 when I finally got pregnant with no protection used & no fertillity help.He was the only one I was able to have.I will be 41 on the 26th & had to have a historectomy this past January.Definately talk to your Dr.,have the neccesary tests done,& research it!!! If you have any further questions you can IM me on yahoo.

Answer 9

Giving birth to a new life is indeed a blessing which almost every woman would wish to have. How to get pregnant naturally https://tr.im/pregnancymiracle1
Enjoying the feeling of motherhood and raising a family would surely be a couple’s dream. Some get it naturally, while for some others things don’t seem to work as they desire. These reasons which stop a women from conceiving can be due to either physical reasons or truly physiological.

Answer 10

I also have endometriosis. Mine is severe and agressive. I had pain for years that went undiagnosed. Once I started seeing a Fertility Specialist, I was diagnosed through my lap. It took my husband and I over 3 years to get pregnant. And the only thing that worked for us was In Vitro Fertilization. Other treatments may work for you though depending on the severity of your condition. Good Luck!!