Have further surgery or delay it for the ... - Endometriosis UK

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Have further surgery or delay it for the time being?

PS79 profile image
PS79
2 Replies

Hi all,

I am 39 and was diagnosed with endometriosis last year after several tests etc after severe pelvic pain suddenly started in July 2017 (although I’ve probably had endo for a lot longer, but it caused few symptoms apart from always having had bad period pains since my periods started when I was 12). I had surgery to drain a cyst on my left ovary in October last year and they also detached my ovary from my uterus and rectum during the surgery. The pelvic pain never really went after the surgery, and the pain was never really on my left side anyway and has always been right in the middle, I think in the pouch of douglas, and they said I also suffer with adhesions and have a tilted uterus which also has a thickened lining.

I went to a specialist endometriosis centre this year in July, after waiting several months for an appointment, they also did a further internal scan and told me that the cyst has returned and is kind of now like a double 2 in 1 cyst. I am currently having a bit of a tough time deciding about what to do, have more surgery or wait and see if I am able to get pregnant. I am aware I am not getting any younger, but I have recently had some fertility tests done which all came back ok. The endo centre recommended this to see if I was fertile etc, and if I wasn’t they suggested possibly having surgery to “tidy things up a bit” in the hope I might get pregnant.

I am currently in so much pain, the leg pain and rectum pain etc has been awful for the last month or so, and I am wondering if I should just ignore it and hope it settles down a bit, or think about having surgery. I am worried about having more surgery though as they said I would probably lose my left ovary this time though as they would have to totally remove the cyst and not just drain it, and there is also the risk of damage to my bowel and bladder too. Do you think that I could be causing more damage by leaving it and not having surgery and trying to get pregnant, or could the way things currently are not help with trying to get pregnant and sustain a healthy pregnancy anyway?

Thanks in advance for any replies

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gemmamichael profile image
gemmamichael

Hi PS79,

I'm sorry to hear about your continued struggles with endometriosis--it sounds like you've had a really tough time.

It sounds like you're trying to make a very difficult and important decision regarding your health. Feeling stuck between deciding whether or not to get more surgery, or to just try and get pregnant, seems like something that needs to be decided between you and your doctor. Are you able to talk to your doctor? I can link to some resources we have regarding how to talk to your doctor:

endometriosis-uk.org/visiti...

If you ever want some more support, you can ring us on our support line for more assistance. While they can't give medical advice either, they can help you consider your options and come to a resolution. A list of their opening times and phone number can be found here: endometriosis-uk.org/helpline

Good luck, and I hope you're able to find a resolution soon,

Kind regards,

Gemma

Endometriosis UK

PS79 profile image
PS79 in reply to gemmamichael

Hi Gemma,

Many thanks for your reply.

I’m currently waiting to hear back from the consultant, so hopefully I will hear soon with some guidance and advice, as it’s a tough decision to make and to know what to do for the best.

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