I’m writing this post with the hopes that I can get some advice so even if you are a visitor to my blog, please feel free to leave me a comment. Every word is appreciated.
As most of you know I had surgery 6 months ago to remove endometriosis. It has now been a full year of trying to conceive since our miscarriage with no luck. My doctor asked me to come back in yesterday & has said my only option is to be put into menopause for 6 months with a drug called Lupron. It consists of monthly injections & a whirlwind of side effects, as you can imagine while forcing my body to grow through “the change.” It will temporarily disolve what is left of the endometriosis & after 6 months the hope is we’ll start with a clean palate & be able to conceive. My endo is more severe than I had originally understood. My doctor said that after every cycle I am decreasing my chances of ever becoming pregnant. Right now I am 50% less likely to get pregnant than I was a year ago. Therefore, if I wait another year without treatment who knows what my odds will be. However, something in my gut is telling me this Lupron isn’t the answer for me. And maybe that’s just because it scares me (especially after the horror stories I read online about it causing permanent menopause in your 20′s) or maybe it’s something more. All I know is when I have gone against my gut in the past, I later regret it.
If anyone has thoughts, suggestions, or personal testimonies, please please please let me know. There are a few endomitriosis specialists out there in other states who cut the endo out permanently rather than burn it off. From my understanding it is extremely expensive though & hard to get insurance companies to pay for it. I have horrible insurance for myself which makes me extra nervous.
Sorry my past 2 post have been nothing short of depressing. Sometimes when life sends pain & trials all it once, it’s easiest to type them up & get it off the brain so that I can move on to focusing on all the great blessings in my life like my one in a million husband & my little angel Chandler. Thanks for taking the time to read them & I promise to get some happier stuff on here soon! I love you all!
Hey girl! I feel your pain. You know, I do believe that you should go with your gut! I know how frusterating it is to not be able to just get pregnant like most women. I also know that the Lord must have a plan for you and your next little miracle, it’s just hard to understand and wait on the Lord’s timetable! You are the best momma ever! You are in our prayers for sure!
xoxo
Makes you realize what a miracle your little Chandler truly is, doesn’t it? I wish I knew more and could help you, but I do know Dee Dee’s an expert!
I agree with you and your friend that you should listen to your instincts. See what else is out there! Good luck. I’ll pray for you as well! 
Email me. Going through Endo-Hell right now. I would definately like to chat with you- especially about the Lupron.
I am so sorry you are going through this. just know that you are in my prayers as you make this decision in your life. I think blogging is a great place to vent. I totally understands that!!!!!
hi, i had surgery with the best, i think
in atlanta, centerforendo.com
they are not over the top, they do work with insurance
also, have you seen this site, naprotechnology.com?
or endometriosissurgeon.com
or endoexcision.com
or drseckin.com, endofound.org
i would not ever ever go on lupron – most endo experts DO NOT use it!
have you ever used progesterone? it can help, see that naprotechnology.com site
also, working with a nfp doc can help you chart, test hormones, supplement with what’s needed
omsoul.com, fertilitycare.org
to find a doc
also, see this site for some endo tips
endo-resolved.com
if you want info on lupron, google ‘lupron victims’ – there are lots of stories of side effects!
lupron DOES NOT dissolve endo, it depletes your body of hormones, mostly estrogen, which can ‘mask’ the endo – but i had low estrogen so taking it would never have helped me, i think! it helps some women, hurts a lot
i work with progesterone (after surgery, think i have adenomyosis which is endo in the uterus), it helpes with heavy bleeding
if you’re trying to conceive, you need to work with a doc to work with prog – try googling ‘ttc progesterone’ or ‘ttc prometrium’ – to learn more
sorry to say your doctor, like SOOO many, does not know what he is talking about – your previous surgery might have left you with scar tissue – where did you have endo? talk to him about where it might be / was
mine was removed from the uterosacral ligaments, cul-de-sac (between vagina and rectum), ovaries (i have both of them still), colon, bladder, sciatic nerve, etc
can he do that kind of surgery? probably not – you need to at least try sending your records to an expert, contact them first, many do it for free, some do it for a small fee
then, there are a couple of docs who take insurance,…dr robbins in maine did, not sure if he still does, dr seckin in nyc did, dr iris orbuch did in nyc
your post is not depressing, instead it says to me that most if not all women have that small voice inside of them that knows the truth!
diet can help too, you might want to try that now, while working on surgery possibility
see makingbabies.com
endometriosis.org/nutrition.html
see dian s mills book on healing endo / conceiving
see johnleemd.com for prog info
see marilyn shannon’s 4th edition book on amazon about fertility, nutrition, cycles
there’s help out there! your doctor might not believe this, but other women have worked on these things
oh, there’s also some doc info on erc.actibvoard.org/
google ‘erc activboard’ if it doesn’t come up
i’ll check back tomorrow, hope this wasn’t too overwhelming, but there’s lots of info out there
work on cutting out chemicals, using the right supplements (in dian s mills book), soda if you drink it, sugar, wheat, caffeine, etc
your friend who has the eating disorder – has she ever had a good work-up? has she gotten real info on thyroid? many people don’t know that low thyroid can give you low self-esteem, and you can struggle with weight issues…
by the way, i had a friend with an eating disorder – ‘had’ because it got to be too much for me, with my own problems – she’s doing better i’ve heard
LOLA: Thank you so much for taking the time to give me so much information. I tried emailing you at the address you listed to tell you this but it woudn’t go through. I pray for you health new friend.
oh, that’s ok! i just put that out there, from a long time ago, and forgot to chance
i’ll look around to see if there’s e-mail to you, and try that
i do hope it helps, i think you have a very good chance of getting on the right track, because you have a sense that what you’re doctor is telling you is not the whole picture
here are two other sites if you haven’t seen them that have links to other women looking for answers, too
http://hailmaryfullofgrace-mt.blogspot.com/
http://allyouwhohope.blogspot.com/
Hey Sis!! Sorry to hear the news. I have a great friend that has endo. and she was told in our sophmore year of college that if she did not have children now (at 20 years old) she would most likely never have children later. She did not go on any medicines that I am aware of. She has terrible periods b/c of the endo, but she was able to get pregnant at 27 years old and have her first child. Please go with your gut. It may take longer, but if it is in God’s plan for another precisous gift, you will get pregnant again. Just don’t let this worry you to much so it get’s in the way of getting pregnant.
love ya sis!! call me later.
Wow, I remember when you were diagnosed. I forget how hard it is to conceive with endometriosis! I remember hearing about it. Remember that you are a faithful girl! Whatever is best, honey! Please remember that you are a great mom! And if it ends up being that you don’t have the chance again, there are other options. You will be a great mom no matter what. Just please don’t ruin your body if you don’t feel it’s right. It’s not worth it!
there are lots and lots of women out there with endo who have children, they doctors really do not even understand endo! unless they specialize..they sometimes don’t even understand it’s outside the uterus!!!!! (remind me, what do they study in school?)
Hey girl – I completely and totally agree with Sara 110%. I cannot even imagine the struggle you have to go through with this, nor do I understand why. However, I know that God allows things in His wisdom that He could prevent in His power. I pray that a door open, a window of opportunity, for that little one to come forth – What God does, man nor the enemy can stop. He is ultimately in control – over the disease, over your children, over the doctors. Rest assured He knows what He’s doing – even when we don’t understand it. I know it’s hard, but try to trust His Heart above His actions. You are beautifully and wonderfully made in His image which means perfect and whole.
Sorry – I really don’t mean to get “preachy”. I just have such a compassion on my heart from the Lord to try to convey how much He hurts with you and wants this to happen for you. He sees the end from the beginning though and will ultimately do what is right.
Hi. I’m a little late, but i thought I’d chime in. I have stage 3 endo and I’m just finishing up my first month of lupron. The side effects are nothing like what I’ve read out there. So far I have some constipation, but that’s about it.
I’m not sure if you are still considering it, but I just wanted to let you know that it is not so bad. Of course everyone is slightly different… but I think only people who have issues take the time to write about it. Most of the ones who don’t have any side effects have no reason to complain, so they don’t.
Hope you’re getting your endo under control.
Just noticed I’m way late… congratulations on your little girl.