Excision / ablation success?

[LVW22]

Morning all,

I was wondering what your experiences of having laparoscopic surgery for excision/ablation of endo are? Did it work in reducing symptoms and if so, for how long?

I had my follow up this week after being on zolodex for 6 months (endo symptoms came back just after a month).

My doctor has suggested a hysterectomy but I’m reluctant to take such a drastic step when they haven’t tried other surgical options first.

I know that excision/ablation won’t get rid of all the endo which is why they’re reluctant to go forward with that surgery, but I’m (hopefully) starting my PhD next year so I just want to postpone the hysterectomy for as long as possible.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Lisa x

[luthien]

It may be worth reading up on the different methods for removal of endo because excision and ablation are two very different things. Excision cuts out the endo and a bit of healthy tissue, recovery can take longer, but less regrowth, the endometriosis uk recommends this, however it's usually only done by endo specialists. The other method you mentioned, ablation is sanding / air blasting the endo, this removes the top layers, leaving the rest underneath, recovery is quick but regrowth high, usually done by general gynae.

Read into the different treatment guidelines; on the National Institute for Health Care and Excellence (NICE) google NICE endometriosis. There's a pathway / flowchart which specialists in the UK should follow for treatment of endo. You can see a hysterectomy shouldn't be considered if the women could still be fertile. Also that excision should be carried out.

I had excision surgery by an endo specialist privately, in 11 months post lap with no issues. With excision there should be about a 50% reduction in symptoms, mines now just the 7 days around my period so it's much more manageable at a 90% reduction in symptoms. Hysterectomy was never mentioned at all, even by my GP.

If you can I'd have a look at getting your notes reviewed by an endo specialist / second opinion, I know it's more work.

A hysterectomy definitely won't stop endo regrowth as we are all mammals including males so we all produce oestrogen, endo lives off oestrogen and when it's in large enough adhesions it produces it's own, so most women whom have had a hysterectomy early have endo come back. It won't ever go away whatever we do Plus a hysterectomy early has lasting biological effects as you're removing a whole set of hormones required for regulating your body.

[LVW22 in reply to luthien]

This is great advice thanks so much! I’ll discuss it with the doctor when I go x

[dixxx]

Ablation mean the take away the lining of the womb so you have to be certain you don’t want to try and have children also