Endometriosis and getting pregnant.

[AuroraMay]

Hi, I'm new to here and wanted to get some more opinions from people I don't know. My gynaecologist is pretty certain I have endometriosis given my symptoms. She said because I'm young, (26) and no children, she thinks it would be better for me to have children and come back for surgery if I still have symptoms after. Since then, I've become SO desperate to become a mother and am pretty desperate to start trying, as I know women with endo tend to struggle to conceive. I feel frustrated and isolated, as my partner doesn't want to try for a few months, but what he doesn't understand is that it could take us months or even years, depending on how bad my endo actually is, which I don't know. What can I say to encourage him to try sooner, or am I being too impatient?

[Hidden]

Don't make it everything. I've watched friends (without endo) become consumed by the want for children and it can do more harm than good to a relationship.

If your partner wanted something, essentially life changing, to happen and you wanted to wait, then how would you feel? It's just seeing things from a dofferent perspective.

Yes you want children, yes you might take longer to conceive but you are also only 26.

Give him time to come around rather than keep asking. If he isn't ready then he's doing the right thing in asking to wait.

Be positive. It'll happen. 😊

[Martasky]

Hi I have Endometriosis stage 4 and I got pregnant in a year after having a laparoacopy. I'm 31 now, so don't worry so much. My doctor told me exactly the same, that it was better having babies as soon as possible because it was gonna be difficult, but it only took me a year to got pregnant. At first I was really frustrated and upset about it, and that didn't help. I got pregnant whrn we were almost giving up. So don't worry. You're young 😉

[Drew9 in reply to Martasky]

Hi Martasky, did you have endo on your ovaries/cysts and still manage to get pregnant? I’ve just been diagnosed with stage 4 and wondering at our chances. My dye test was clear but I have kissing ovaries. Hope you don’t mind me asking x

[Endo_This]

Hi Aurora, endometriosis can cause fertility issues so I think it’s important that you get a diagnosis sooner rather than later. This can only be done via laparoscopy so you will need to have surgery to find out if you have Endometriosis or not. If you do have it, it will need to be excised (cut out) which hopefully if you have a good surgeon they will do it at the time. If it’s not endo, you will at least know and be able to look for other reasons for your symptoms. Either way you will be in a better position to try to conceive.

Also, hopefully by then you will be healthier of the endo is removed and your partner will be ready to try as well.

[Hidden]

Hi Hun, I would also try to get a diagnosis sooner rather than later. My GP suspected I had Endometriosis when I was in my mid 20's but the hospital said I didn't! They decided this without even doing a laparoscopy, if I'd known more about Endometriosis back then I would've not expected what they said. When I was 33, I was rushed into theatre with what they thought was my appendix to come round to the news it was a ruptured ovarian cyst & I have stage 4 Endometriosis! I was bloody fuming! I had been trying for a baby for ages so eligible for NHS funded IVF. I twice had surgery to remove the Endometriosis but fell pregnant while waiting to start IVF then miscarried both times. I'm 41 now & 26 weeks pregnant after private IVF. I'm lucky it worked but wish I could have become a mum a bit younger. I understand your desperation to become a mum & the fear it might be a tough journey but I think I'd be tempted to wait a little longer until your partner feels more ready. If you don't fall pregnant easily it's really stressful & it put a strain on my relationship because I kept getting angry with my body. It's easier if you both want it to happen as you feel your partner is more supportive rather than not that bothered. I wish you lots of luck 🍀 x

[Sazle in reply to Hidden]

Hi, hope you don’t mind me talking to you but I too have had cysts pop causing my body to go in shock. The doctors kept saying it was just my period but I was collapsing each time. They finally referred me to the hospital and in the last 7 Year have had two operations. They won’t put me on medication due to wanting a baby. I have to self fund my ivf treatment due to my partner already having a child with someone else, crazy isn’t it as it’s clearly me that has the fertility issue. I was wondering roughly how much a cycle of ivf was ( you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to) and also what vitamins, things you were eating before going for ivf? I am reading all different things on the internet which can be confusing. I’m 37 and trying to lose weight to stand a better chance. I have read your bmi has to be less than 31 and mine is 27.5 at the minute x

[Hidden in reply to Sazle]

I think it is bad you have to self fund Hun, everyone deserves the chance to be a parent. I went on the Endo diet & began taking Bee Propolis capsules as it's meant to help with inflammation. It definitely kept the size of cysts smaller as mine normally reappeared pretty quickly after surgery & would be about 10cm. I've never been a big drinker but cut alcohol right out. I went on a high protein diet as I read this was good for egg quality, lots of vegetables, fruit, nuts & cut right down on sugar. I had IVF in Greece as my husband is Greek & his cousin who also had Endometriosis had twins from her first IVF cycle so recommend a clinic. We paid around 5,000 Euro but that included lots of tests to see if they could find a reason for my previous miscarriages & also my husband needed surgical sperm retrieval. I am sure a normal cycle is around 3,500 Euros. I went to Greece mainly due to the cost as I expected to need more than one cycle & couldn't have afforded it in the UK. If I didn't have people to stay with there & had to factor in hotels etc I'm not sure it would have worked out cheaper than the UK? Plenty of people go abroad though so maybe it does! I'm sure lots' of ladies will suggest good UK clinics though. Sorry I can't be more help, I really do wish you all the luck in the World. Xx

[Drew9]

I think your gynaecologist is maybe dealing with things the wrong way around! If I were you I would push for a lap to get your diagnosis and any treatment needed. Treatment can also improve your chances of pregnancy. If you have severe endo and have difficulties getting pregnant, you can be referred quicker for IVF compared to usual guidelines. I was told an IVF referral after 6 months of trying which is significantly lower than the usual 2 year wait! Hope this helps x

[Clarence80]

Echoing what others have said about the importance of getting a diagnosis. Make sure you get referred to a BSGE centre as they specialise in correctly spotting & removing endometriosis.

Once it's properly removed you will have a better chance of getting pregnant. This process from referral to operation may take a year to 18 months which would also give your partner a bit more time to get his head around it all. Xx

[Bdgjdjd]

If you have advanced endometriosis it will affect your fertility at these stages treatments like laproscopy or shots they increase your chance for getting pregnant naturally

At these stages without laproscopy most of the suffers have to had ivf

If tou have it on POD it will cause infertility even if you have it minimally spot or two spot this is the most area that caused infertility always doctor consider having endo in POD doesn’t cause infertility and you more likely conceder unexplained but the fact that most of endo suffers who have it in this area struggles i am talking who have it in this area and they should not struggle because they have minimal endometriosis

After that tubes if endometriosis affects your tubes you will struggle but not always this is the main reason for infertility a lot of patients have clear tubes but still can’t get pregnant

But if you have it in tubes it is treatable and some people was able to solve the problem naturally

Endometriosis usually does not cause blocked tubes Because

When endometriosis affects your tubes it caused adhesions not blocked and these conditions are different even if they seems similar

After that having it on (ovaries )and at this point drugs are more effective to help you get pregnant they increase your egg quality by shrinking the endo tissues but you have to have open tubes because with having blocked tubes drugs will not increase your chance

But not all of the suffers agree and prefer drugs so laproscopy sometimes is good for some of them but the risk of lowering ovarian reserveis is the bad thing because if naturally didn’t work low amh will lower your success chances with ivf

Mabye you can explain for him the real struggle that you will face in the future If he delay the pregnancy decision

ivf is not an easy option and it is very costly and i am pretty sure he doesn’t want to get at this point

So trying younger is a good decision especially you don’t know how long it will take .

Explain for him how the disease is very aggressive mabye you have it now with early stages after some years It will not

Like me i was having stage 1to 2 after 4 years or less i had it at stage 4

I recommend you to know about your condition very well before you try because you don’t want to waste your time by trying without successed

💪❤️