worried about chances of fertility with endometriosis

[l_fulk]

It’s a big concern for me and I was wondering if anyone feels the same or had success stories or tips etc? X

[Emmaja_ne]

Hi I’m currently waiting for investigations for endo but my GP is convinced I have it and thinks it’s attached to my bowel. Anyway.. it took over a year and lots of pain having to come off the pill for me to get pregnant but I finally did! my tips would be to start folic acid and supplements months before you even want to start trying, anti inflammatory diet, track your ovulation each month. I got the clear blue ones with the smiley faces, expensive but worth it (I did the cheap ones for months with nothing happening then did the clear blues for 3 months and got pregnant with them) I found that I was ovulating at like day 30+ and my cycles were very long but I know with some people with endo cycles can be very short.

Good luck 💗

[l_fulk in reply to Emmaja_ne]

thank you! Xx

[aannaa in reply to Emmaja_ne]

Hugely agree with this advise re: folic acid, supplements & anti inflammatory diet - I also found acupuncture to be amazingly helpful for me personally (aware it’s not for everyone). X

[l_fulk in reply to aannaa]

thank you xx

[Rjb_88]

It can be more difficult to conceive with endo but I know lots of women who have been totally fine and not had their fertility affected.

I’ve had endo since my periods started at 15 and it’s severe.. I got pregnant the first month we tried x

[l_fulk in reply to Rjb_88]

that’s so hopeful! Thank you for that ❤️ I’m 20 atm but I wanna start trying in a year or two xx

[Milly124]

Hi! I’m sorry you’re feeling like this. We tried for 8 years , drs wouldn’t take me seriously finally in 2020 they referred me for a lap, turned out both my tubes were blocked and had endo, he tried to unblock my tubes and failed, I then went on to have the dye put through them to try and unblock them again , didn’t work! In a last ditch attempt they tried again 2021, it worked a month later found out I was pregnant with my little boy who is now a happy healthy 7 month old! Don’t give up, advocate for yourself and even if something is wrong which would make it difficult for you to conceive there’s a chance it can be helped, not always but there’s always a chance. I took the pregnacare conception supliments too.

Everything crossed for you xXx

[l_fulk in reply to Milly124]

that’s brilliant! 🥰

Thank you for that xxx

[evickery1]

Stage 3 endo removed in 2019... Currently in bed w/ my 10 week old asleep on my chest!

Did lose a child in May of ly, so my only advice is prepare for all realities and be prepared to wait. Think I was off the pill for around a year.

[l_fulk in reply to evickery1]

thank you! That’s so lovely to hear 🥰 also sorry for your loss too. The same happened to my mum ❤️

I came of the pill today due to possibly it making things worse for me xx

[Becky2894]

I’m in exactly the same position - MRI showed endo on uterosacral ligament and bowel. I’m desperate to have children one day but the waiting list for surgery is about 18 months for me so I’m weighing up whether to start trying now or wait until post op (Any advice?) so totally understand where you’re coming from. Here if you ever want to talk xx

[l_fulk in reply to Becky2894]

I’m wondering if I should ask for an MRI as I haven’t been offered that? I’ve had everything else lol x

They think mine could be bowel related

Where are u based? I’m south east and waiting list is at least 18 months too! If you’re ready then go for it! My opinion is it could take years for someone people so why not start the journey now 🥰 it could also take 1 try xx

Thank you, you’re more than welcome to private message me for a chat! Xx

[Becky2894 in reply to l_fulk]

yes maybe mention an mri! I had the mri of the whole pelvis section which is how they spotted the endo (although I believe it only shows up in some cases so they’d do a lap regardless).

It deffo sounds like yours could be bowel related and the mri means that if it does show something bowel related they can have a bowel/colorectal surgeon present too if needed.

Im based in Newcastle so sounds like the issues with waiting lists are all over I’m sorry you’re having to wait that long too.

Very true RE fertility, I’m weighting up the options in my head!

Thank you and sending love xxx

[aannaa]

This was probably one of the things that got to me most with severe endo diagnosis - stage 4, recto vaginal, recto cervical, sigmoid, both ureters, blocked tube, POD & large endometrioma. I had a 6 hour Op with a specialist team via the NHS in November last year & 9 weeks post Op recovery spontaneously conceived. This was a huge surprise to everyone as odds were stacked up against us & IVF was being lined up. Fast forward 11 months & we’re a few weeks away from meeting our miracle baby. I know I’m incredibly fortunate & it’s such a sensitive thing to discuss - but I truly thought my body was broken & well beyond its ability to grow a human. It’s hard to have hope when this condition can directly affect fertility - but truly there is no rhyme or reason to this disease. Aware I was in very good hands for surgery & I’m sure that made a huge difference to our odds - but some do conceive naturally without surgery altogether. Sending hope. Here to chat anytime. X

[l_fulk in reply to aannaa]

WOW!!! That’s amazing!!! Congratulations xxx

You’re story is so hopeful xx

Enjoy every second!

[J1j4]

I suffered terribly for 10 years until i was diagnosed with Stage 4 endo. I was told that i would likely struggle to conceive given I was in my mid/late thirties by this point and had quite a bit of scarring caused by the endo. I was put on Synarel for the endo for 6 months after which we thought we'd try for a family, totally expecting we'd need IVF. Within the 1st month of coming off the treatment, I fell pregnant at 37 with our miracle baby boy. Fast forward 3 years, we tried again. Ok, it took a few months longer to conceive, but I had a beautiful baby girl at 40! Don't give up hope - it is possible!

[l_fulk in reply to J1j4]

congratulations! That’s beautiful xxx

[becca88]

I’ve learnt with endo it can happen! Time scales can differ a lot, I fell pregnant at 19, found out I had stage 4 endo and adenomyosis at 25, after laparoscopy’s, dyes, tests, talks of ivf treatment, I fell pregnant naturally after 14 years!!! Was beginning to lose hope, the only thing that changed around that time is that I was treated for anemia and on tranexamic acid to reduce bleeding (might have had something to do with it, might have just been pure luck)

Wish you well and good luck!

[l_fulk in reply to becca88]

thank you! Congratulations xx

[Kit_fergus]

Hey I have severe endo and adeno and an extremely low egg count by the time I was 35. It took me 2 years of trying (focused trying) over a three year period. I tried all I could think of medically - ivf (twice) and clomid etc. However what eventually worked after two years was completely changing my diet - no gluten, diary, caffeine and alcohol for three months in a row plus regular acupuncture (every two weeks). I’m nearly positive it was by completely reducing inflammation is what caused me to eventually get pregnant naturally. I now have a three year old. In a nutshell try and stay positive whatever the diagnosis, I was sure I’d never conceive.