Hello ladies.
I have endometriosis and possible adeymosis. I also have an ovary stuck to my womb. And cysts on my other ovary.
If I can manage my pain and try to wait for the menopause (I'm 43 next month), are there any complications to having untreated Endo ?
I would appreciate your advice.
Barbara. X
Yes.. it doesn't get better by itself.
It can spread further causing more pain
It can invade the bladder and bowel and appendix and anything it lands on.
The active endo bleeds each period but the blood cannot escape and drops on to anything nearby and usually irritates it, (which can hurt or might not) and then that irritated tissue starts to build up adhesions or scar tissue which can grow and grow and there is no stopping adhesions.
You can get them cut back in surgery but they will grow again.
As you can tell from the name they are sticky.
They can quickly glue the organs and tissues together that should not be stuck to each other.
Bladder stuck to ovaries, or uterus =bladder not working properly
Bowel stuck to vagina or uterus or even bladder = not working properly
Adhesions and Endo can also grow around organs and it is really tough stuff so it can constrict the ureters that carry wee from the kidney to the bladder.
it can also grow around the vagina inside and outside like a corset, making sex or smear tests excrutiatingly painful
it can also grow around the intestines and bowel stopping poo getting on its merry way without the help of laxatives all the time.
Yes you can decide to leave it alone, but the average age for menopase is 55
that is possibly another 12 years or even more than that, with the disease progressing each month till then.
My advice is get those cysts out.. (you do not want them to burst unexpectedly and land you in hospital in agony far worse than any surgery will be) and get the ovary unstuck from the bowel as that will help your visits to the loo,
Stop your periods by having a mirena coil installed while having the operation on the other bits, and then if that works out, at least you should be period free for up to 5 years. and then possibly 1 more mirena after that then you are okay for a hysterectomy to remove the adeno if that is what you do have and it continues to be a problem.
It really isn't worth not doing anything.
This disease does not respond to prayers.
If it did we would all be nuns in the convent together.
If you are coping with pain killers for the short term then fine, but you should be looking at surgery in the next year or so. Better to have elected for surgery and make plans than to end up in emergency surgery because something ruptured or you can't pee or poo etc
I was 43 when i had my surgery. it was a big hole op because after nearly 30 years of periods and endo it was a disaster zone in there. I had no idea how bad it was. I had been 'coping' with handfuls of paracetamol for a mighty long time.
It did take a long recovery but nowadays I hardly ever have any pain killers at all...and i don't have periods either...which is simply marvellous at this age.
Impatient I'm curious as to what treatment you had? Did you go with the mirena coil (as it sounds) after surgery? I have been offered this but was worried as other hormonal treatments (norethisterone, the pill) haven't suited me at all. Has it really helped you? x
The mirena seems to be popular with some ladies. However It didn't help me or some other ladies on this forum.
It can be inserted during surgery, but please read all the arguments for and against the mirena and likewise all other treatments.
I think that's what worries me - I've weighed it up before and decided against it in case it triggered any mood symptoms (as norethisterone and the pill have tended to make me depressed). I don't really feel like the Pro Stap helped me though so I guess it's time to start weighing up my options again! 
Maybe it's just worth giving it a go and having it removed if it doesn't help/makes things worse.
Definitely give it a go. I hope it works for you. Take care.
Impatient is right, but I just wanted to say that I was led to believe that a lap to remove whatever they could and a Mirena would pretty much sort out my endo.
It didn't of course, but I presume it would be even worse now if I hadn't, so yes, have the op to remove the cysts and whatever endo they can remove, have the Mirena and give it a good chance to settle down (took six months for me) and then, like me, cross your fingers and hope for an early menopause while you take painkillers and try to cope.
I'm 45 and had my last lap 14 months ago.
Thank you ladies.
Unfortunately the mirena didn't suit me. I gave it a go twice, so I'm reluctant to try again. I am taking CERELLE which does seem to help a little.
I am also waiting to see a specialist.
Barbara
Well, it only affects the actual bleeding from the uterus and doesn't stop the endo bleeding every month, also it does nothing to slow the growth of the endo, so if you can cope with the bleeding from your uterus every month, you aren't missing anything much.
I'm trying Agnus Castus at the moment. The theory being that it addresses hormonal imbalances. I thought that if the endo is caused by an imbalance between oestrogen and progesterone then it might help. Haven't seen it recommended anywhere for anything other than PMT though, but hand me a straw and I will clutch at it!
Thank you memyselfi.
I know what you mean about clutching at straws! Anything is worth a go.
Best wishes.
Barbara
I've had 6 Ops to cut away endo & I now have adeymosis. I'm now waiting for my next op in a few weeks. My advice go & get it cut away it does give u about 1/2 years break. I'm only 31 so a long way to still go. Try tri-cycling the pill as well that helps good luck
It took 10 months for the mirena to settle for me, I nearly gave up a couple of times but didn't and I've been lucky as it has worked out ok for me
Hi there I'm 31 and have stage 4 endo, where my womb and bladder are stuck to my Bowles. I'm sooo scared and worried as I don't want to have hysterectomy so young and end up taking HRT for the next 20 years. Please could someone give me advice, I'm currently on 4th dose of zoladex. I would be great full if anyone could give me advice. Thanks xxxx
It is worth carefully considering that EVERY surgery / treatment has side effects and risks. For example, not having surgery may lead to bowel or bladder complications. But on the other hand, many of us that have chosen surgery have bowel and bladder complications as a result. In fact, many of us on this site seem to comment that our surgery was the right choice at the time, but at the end of the day it has not helped our symptoms as much as we had hoped. Equally, many women have tried courses of hormonal treatments and have come off them because the side effects were too awful.
This is called the "risk to benefit ratio". ie. any surgery or treatment carries a risk, but has an intended benefit.
Both "paths"--medical interventions vs. the natural approach of waiting for your body's own menopause-- have advantages and disadvantages.
So the choice is yours 
I asked my surgeon about all this a couple of years ago, and he agreed that just taking pain medications and soldiering on til menopause can be an option. For me, being 28 or so at the time, he recommended further surgery and I am now awaiting yet another surgery. But at an older age, I may have made a different choice.
Tea Cosey xx
Dear teacosey
Thank you so much for the reply.
I have had numerous laparoscopies and a laparotomy during my 20+ years of having Endo. They have been successful in enabling me to conceive by children and for that I am so grateful.
However I do believe these surgeies have also contributed to the adhesions and related problems. I have had cysts drained/ removed during surgery numerous times, for them to return a few months later.
I also agree about hormone treatment. Which one is the best for me and with bearable side effects ,is a condundrum in itself.
I am lucky to be older and to have had my family but my heart goes out to younger ladies.
Best wishes.
Barbara
Reading the above I'm soo confused on wot to do, I asked my doctor about the coil and he said that being stage 4 it's not going to help me. I don't want a hysterectomy at the moment but my consultant won't listen to me. Iv asked my GP for 2nd opinion. It's horrible not knowing what to do
AS-17 I have stage four endo and had a Mirena coil fitted 3 years ago after surgery and it has helped me no end, if I was you id change specialists as I feel that's bad advice he's given you...x
Thanks very much drangonparc, wot surgery did u have? Iv asked my GP 2 send me for second opinion. With ur stage 4 endo were any of ur organs stuck together? Xxx
Why are doctors STILL saying that hysterectomy will help in situations where it clearly will not??
How will having your womb removed affect whether your bowels are stuck to your bladder?
Dear Chrisse66
Your right. Hysterectomy isn't the answer if Endo is on other places other then your womb, ovaries etc.
Hysterectomy is a major decision which brings it's own problems!
Barbara
Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy and Excision of Endometriosis... 
Endometriosis
GP confuse your endometriosis symptoms as Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
Zoladex for Endometriosis 
Rarer case of endometriosis at 22 years old
