Contraception

[kelsbels88]

Hi ladies

This isn't easy for me to write, but I need some advice.

So I am currently awaiting for surgery to have my severe endo removed and my ovaries and bowel sorted due to the endo. I have been informed by my consultant that there could be a 4-6 month wait for the surgery. Now the dilemma I have is, we would love to have a baby we have been trying for 3yrs, a yr of which we didn't know I had blocked tubes. After a Lap one was cleared and there is now a potential chance of conception. However, I am in agony every month waiting for this surgery and don't know whether Im being stupid to keep putting myself through the pain when it seems highly unlikely that anything will happen or whether to go back on contraception until after the surgery.

Opinions/advice would be appreciated.

Of course if I then go on contraception what has anyone found that works at reducing the pain symptoms?

Im also unsure of whether this is something that should be done with my OH or not as although its my body he still believes there could be a chance.

I just feel really stuck

many thanks

Kelly xx

[BrightLights88]

Hi, I am on microgynon and have been suffering huge amount of pelvic and lower back pain every 3 months when my endo flares up. I was stage 3 but now been told I am stage 4 after an mri. I am going to have my first lap surgery in 2weeks. But I have noticed I havent had no pain since taking microgynon it's like I dont have endo at all.

Good luck.

[kelsbels88 in reply to BrightLights88]

HI

thank you so much for replying, Thats great news sorry you have stage 4 me too, but at least you have surgery soon then hopefully they'll remove it all. Fingers crossed for you and thanks for the advice.

Kelly xx

[kitscat]

I’m sorry you have grade 4, me too!

So have you had one lap already? Is that how they knew your tubes were affected or did you have a HSG?

It’s a tricky one. Is it worth seeing your GP and having some baseline bloods and your husband having a sperm test in the meantime?

If you are in so much pain is it worth taking painkillers instead of contraception to help?

Xx

[kelsbels88 in reply to kitscat]

Hi kitscat thank you so much for your response.

So I’ve had a lap already they checked everything they found both blocked but cleared one tube Feb ‘18.

We’ve had all our tests i’m the issue he’s good. I am currently taking loads of painkillers and am a little worried about what the painkillers are probably doing to other parts of my insides compared to the endo. Hence why I’m thinking about going back on contraception thing is I don’t want something that’s going to stay in my system too long after the surgery so would only be for 4-6months.

Xx

[Jennye32]

Hi,

I'm really sorry to hear what your going through right now, I've been in the same dilemma myself. I've been trying for my second baby for 2 years now with no success (my first miracle baby came naturally after being told for most my life I couldn't conceive) I have been putting up with monthly pain through the last 2 years and Last month I was in hospital for over a week to control pain it had got that bad.

All Dr's seam to want to do is put you on contraception but if your waiting for surgery contraceptives or zolodex could help. The Dr's told me zolodex could reduce the size of my endometriosis and reduce how sticky it is which could assist with the surgery and potentially make it easy to remove making it more of a success.

I know it's hard work when your parnter hopes for children but being pregnant with endometriosis is hard work to and can cause issues(I had loads of bleeding and pain throughout my pregnancy and needed surgery when baby was 6 months old which was hard on so many levels) , so the possibility of getting yourself in a better condition to try could only be a good thing.

This is only my opinion and everybody is different, and suffers with endo differently.

I hope everything works out well for you in the end, keep your chin up miracles can happen.

I hope you all success

Jen

[kelsbels88 in reply to Jennye32]

Hi Jen

Firstly I’m so sorry for everything you’ve been through.. hats off to you for that.

I don’t mind whether it’s contraception or pain relief I take I just want something for the 4-6months to get me through until the surgery. My stipulation is if I take contraception it needs to leave my system fairly quickly so it doesn’t affect my fertility after surgery.

Thank you so so much for replying any advice from people going through it makes me feel a little better and less alone.

Kelly x

[Jennye32 in reply to kelsbels88]

Everyone is different with contraception, I'm currently on zolodex(think that's how you say it) a monthly injection in the stomach. It advises not to get pregnant while on it so I'm guessing it's not a contraceptive but it works like it with horemones so I imagine it will leave your system quickly.

Its only allowed to be used for 6 months at a time because it causes the body to go into a reverseable menapaulse. It's worked well for me I've have it 3 times in the past and does ease pain alot.

Jen

[kelsbels88 in reply to Jennye32]

Thank you so much again. That’s great I formation I’ve contacted a nurse and asked her her advice on a professional level so am awaiting for a response. I hate needles but I am leaning towards one for the short time I may need it. I know one of them can take a while to leave the body tho so at the moment a little apprehensive.

Kelly x

[Cupcake1617]

Ive got the coil and was on the pill as well and it didn't do much, I've swapped from the pill to the depo injection and Im starting to see some improvements. Depo used to work really well for me in the earlier days too

[kelsbels88 in reply to Cupcake1617]

Thank you for replying

The injection is one I’m not sure about my plan is to use something short term but I don’t want it to take too long to leave my system after my surgery.

I’ll definitely look into it thank you 😊 xx

[Devils_Advocate]

Hi,

I am sorry to hear about your difficulties.

I had stage 4 endo which eventually led to surgeries and a bowel resection.

I got pregnant post surgery (2nd surgery). Pregnancy was unpleasant but better endo wise in the sense that I had no periods. However, it flared up my endo and I had 2 more ops when my son was 2. I have since been pregnant again. That was much worse as my scar tissue from surgeries began to tear and I have back issues.

I also have PCOS and a bicornate uterus so the chance of me conceiving was apparently low, but evidently not. So I always say you never know.

I found none of the pills helpful to be honest. I refused zoloex due to the possible side effects. Others have said the coil was helpful.

I would talk to your partner. Talk through all options and how you will cope. It is a difficult choice either way.

I hate taking painkillers too. I eat v healthily (avoiding dairy, sugar and processed foods as much as possible) and exercise when I can. I used heat pads, tens machines etc to lower my usage.

Good luck x

[kelsbels88 in reply to Devils_Advocate]

Thank you so so much for your reply.

This is where I am at I have just had my last appointment now before surgery but still awaiting a date where I will have to have a bowel resection and potentially lose one or both of my tubes due to blockages. There is also a nodule at the top of my cervix.

Reading your response and knowing that you have got pregnant gives me a lot of hope so thank you again.

I’m going to keep digging into contraceptives etc and see what I find xx

[Mimi555]

Hi there, Have you considered following an anti-inflammatory diet? I have stage 4 and am 12 months post major surgery removing extensive endo from uterus, pelvis and a total resection of umbilicus. There’s still a reasonable amount in my bowel and the next step for me was/is more surgery. I’ve found some benefit historically from various contraceptives, but seems to do very little now I’m in my late 30s. Soon after surgery (four months) my pain started to reoccur which I found really depressing. I started researching nutrition for endo in more detail. It’s mad I’ve been a registered dietitian for the last 17 years but when I was first diagnosed in my 20s I asked my consultant about diet. He said you are not overweight so there’s nothing he could suggest. I accepted this, full stop. Then about four years ago I started to notice more bowel related issues when my endo was flared up, at the same time I was doing the FODMAP course at St Thomas ‘s Hospital in conjunction with Kings College London. This would enable me to assist IBS patients better. I started following a lower FODMAP diet when my guts were bad. It made a bit of an improvement... and got me researching diet and endo in more detail. I felt such an idiot for not looking into it sooner with my background.

I found a book called The endometriosis health and diet programme. By Dr Andrew Cook. I started to follow the anti- inflammatory diet suggested in this book. It’s hard work, but after a couple of months (no sugar, alcohol, gluten, and foods that cause inflammation) and also taking up regular yoga, Pilates, spin, and hiit training I have seen a real improvement. The more I read about inflammation the more I think there’s some merit to this for endo.

I appreciate this is just a forum and not a place to provide any advice that replaces medical advice, so all I can say is this is working for me. I see real improvements. But it is hard work I have had to really work hard mentally on sticking to it and thinking about the bigger picture, and it requires a reasonable amount of time devoted to exercise and prepping food.