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I will be 25 in two weeks, I had my diagnostic laporoscopy when I was 23 and they removed a lot of the endometriosis at that time. I had been dealing with the pain and just general uncomforatableness since I was about 16 almost 17. My mother had it, but was fortunate enough to have 4 kids before it really caused a problem and she had to have a hysterctomy. Like I said, I am only 25, I have had a surgery to help reduce my problem but I feel as though it is coming back. I want children more than anything in the world but was told it might be extreamly difficult for me. The scar tissue left behind from the sugery would make it hard for an embryo to attach to the wall. And if the endo is coming back, that makes it even more difficult as well. Ever since I was young, I have set a time frame for my life. I was to be married at 23, have my first child at 24 and my second child before I was 27. I am not married yet, been dating for 7 years (feels like we have been married for 40 :o)) and obviously, no kids yet. I am waiting till I am married to have kids but so many factors are making my dream less and less likely. 1. Who knows if my boyfriend will ever pop the question and 2. The big one, endometriosis.
I guess I am really stressing out now because of some news I received last night. My step sister, who is 16, is pregnant, she is 4 months along. Her older sister, who is now 19, already has 2 kids. The oldest planned it, she wanted kids since she was 13 but physically wasn't ready for them. The 16 year old however, well it wasn't exactly planned. I guess what upsets me most is they are so young, I don't want to say it will ruin their lives, I don't like to think of children that way, but it certainly puts a hault in receiving a decent edjucation. Some young parents still manage to keep school going, but I know my sisters, the oldest dropped out in her freshman year of high school and the 16 year old will drop out as well. Ok, enough of being nice, I am really upset. Here I am, 25, I would do anything to be able to have kids, I have been wanting them since I was little but knew I needed to wait until I was mature enough and financially stable enough to have them. Now I have a medical condition that is going to make it that much more difficult to have kids. Then I have my 2 younger, much younger, siblings who, oops, look what happened, "oh well s#%t happens". It angers me that so many people just take it for granted, like it's not a big deal, they don't understand what a blessing it is to be able to have kids. Then there are people like me who would do anything but can't. ARG! I just want to scream it angers me so much.
I am sorry, I just needed to vent to someone who might understand. I saw the topic on this site, read some of your stories and thought since I have this condition, as others do, someone might have something to say about my rant. Again, I apoligize this is so long and somewhat derails from the main topic but I don't know where else to go. Thank you all for listening and if anyone has any advice or words of encouragement or wants to tell me to shut up, I am up for anything. Thank you again!

Hi ladies,

I was diagnosed with endometriosis at age 15, so I feel quite like a veteran. I don't know about painful sex because I have never experienced that. But my symptoms were hemorrages, 2 week long, heavy periods every single month, and pelvic pain. I had a laporoscopy done at age 16 where they removed lots of endo. I was afraid that I would never have children or would have lots of problems conceiving. I am now 24 - my husband and I were "not preventing" in May and I got pregnant IMMEDIATELY!!!! Unfortunatley, I have since lost the baby. It was a totally normal miscarriage, it had nothing to do with my endometriosis. If you have it - DON'T GIVE UP HOPE! It happened very easily for me and I'm counting on it to be that way with my next attempt! Best of luck to you all.

S5,

I just read your story all the way through. I can imagine that since you've had a laporoscopy a year ago, it could be that your body is just not ready to conceive yet. I wouldn't give up hope just yet. You are still young, and otherwise healthy, and will have lots of opportunities to try. It could happen just as easily for you as it did for me. In response to your frustration about your sisters - AMEN! It does seem so unfair, doesn't it? That some women, young and irresponsible, can get preganant by accident and the ones who are grown and ready to handle them can't? I thought the same thing when I had a miscarriage a month ago - Why can some women get to choose to abort babies, and here I am, wanting nothing more than my precious baby to be healthy, and I don't get a choice? Life is full of too many unpleasant surprises. I do wish you all the luck in the world and want to encourage you not to give up!

I was diagnosed with endo. after trying to conc. my daughter now 4. I did not have pain however my periods were heavy and lasted a long long time (18 to 20 days) it was horrible. After my larparo. I conceived in 6 months. I was told pregnancy can cure endo. many women who carry a baby to term does not have any sign of it later. I hope that is true. I've been ttc for 14 months with a mc in April. I'm just praying it doesn't come back. I hope that is not what is preventing me from conceiving. Good luck to you. The surgery to clean out the endo does wonders and is relatively painless. I was back to my old self in two days. I was mainly down from the anestesia and not so much from the incision. I hope this helps

Hi. i have had endo and didn't realise I had for up to a year. i suddenly started getting a localised pain a couple of days before periods and during, during sex it use to hurt. i would go and see your GP, and get referred to gyni especially if you are trying for a baby. i know how you feel.

Yes I had the same problem and go trid of the evil.

Kim it sounds like it is very possibly endometriosis. My uterus is retroverted meaning it tilts back so I have noticed the lower back pain with my periods. I did have very bad endometriosis went to the doctor and had laser surgery and a hystosalpingogram and the symptoms did subside but I still did not get pregnant for 5 years. BUT don't get discouraged I got into yoga and was doing about 8 hours of yoga a week and BAM after a year I was pregnant even my doctor was shocked. I would recommend researching endo a little bit more and also maybe your significant other needs to be checked if there are infertility problems. Good luck.

hi everyone my name is bee and ive just found out that i have endo after 3 years of ttc and dicided to go and see a specialist and after 5 minutes of haveing an internal ultrasound he told me i have it ,i have to go for a laparoscopy and hysteroscopy (flushing of tubes)in april ,i would like to here from someone tthat maybe going through the same thing in regard to what i am ,i also suffer from derpression which the specialist told me is one the the things that women with endo can suffer from ,so please if you have any advise to give me please dont hesitate

Hi Bee33:

I also have endo. I have been trying to conceive for about a year and my husband was tested and he is perfect. This is the reason why I was not becoming pregnant. I had an endometrioma and endo back in 2001 and had a laparotomy to remove the endometrioma since it was too big for a laparoscopy. I just had another surgery by laparoscopy to remove endo from the side of my uterus, outside beside the tubes and bladder. I also have it between the intestines and the uterus and the appendix. My doctor was not able to remove those because he is not a general surgeon for an ob/gyn specialist. I have to be put now on lupron shots for 6 months (this puts you like on menopause mode) and then after I am done with the shots, I go for another surgery with my ob/gyn and a general surgeon. The shots help soften the endo I have between my uterus and intestines so that they can remove it successfully and it also prevents me from getting my period so that I do not build up any more endo. I have been having some depression as well because it is not so easy to conceive. My doctor told me that after my next surgery I need to get pregnant within 1 year if not then I have to try IVF. But he gave me a 70% chance of pregnancy and I have severe endo. Once the pelvic anatomy is restored back to as normal as possible, then I can try to get pregnant. I don't have it inside the reproductive organs which is a good thing. I also had a hysteroscopy when I had my surgery which checks your uterus for endo. Thankfully, my uterus is perfect and so are my ovaries and tubes. My problem is outside the repro organs. What did the doctor tell you? Did he advise you to do a laparoscopy? This is the best way to know how severe it is and your possibility to conceive. Let me know. There are so many people who suffer from this, but we have to have faith and try everything we can. Good luck and keep me posted.

hi joy ,i just read your post and yes i have to have both the lap and hysteroscopy where my endo is ,is on outside of uteris and stuck to something else ,i cant remember what the gyno called it but hopefully he will get it all when i have the op,im just a bit nervess about the op cause ive never had it done before and i hate needles ,but i know its for the best,hope to hear from you soon by for now

Hi there...I was diagnosed with endo when I was 15 yrs old and had a laparoscopy when i was 16. they got alot of the endo but I had been on hormone therapy (birth control) for about 16 years. I wanted to let you know that there is hope! My husband and I started TTC in May and it was so painful for me to be off the pill...super heavy periods and insane cramping. My OB said it would be v. hard for me to conceive. I started seeing an acupuncturist and my cramps totally stopped, my period normalized (less bleeding, only 4-5 days) and I was ovulating on the 14th day. I was able to be off the pill for 4 months no problem and we conceived in November. I am now 8 weeks pregnant and feeling great. So, there is hope! Acupuncture and alternative medicine really, really helped me.

wow ycl ,your post has given me hope and congratulations to by the way that must be great news for you to be expecting ,i think i will think about what you have had done for my self ,its worth a try :)

I had those same symptoms. Especially the extreme pain when going to the bathroom during a menstrual period. A laparocopy in Feb 2003 comfirmed Stage 1 endo in/on the cul-de-sac, utero-sacral ligaments, etc. - which explained why I was having so much intestinal pain. After the surgery, I went on Lupron for three months. If the pain was a 10 before surgery, it was a 1 or 2 after the surgery & Lupron. I took continous birth control pills after that until TTC in February 2004. I was able to get pregnany right away and gave birth to my daughter in Nov 2004. After she was born and my periods came back, some of my endo pain returned. I finally decided to try Lupron again and started the shots in Aug. 2005. The side effects of Lupron were really tolerable to me, but your body may react differently. I'm on my 5th shot now. ***My advice is to be persistent in finding a doctor who listens to you, is respectful of you, and acts as a partner in your health care. Good luck! You can get through this!

i dont know symptoms really because thank god i dont have it, however my mom has it and was told she would never have a baby she tried for 10 yrs and was blessed with me. Also my best friend has it, and she is now 5 months pregnant. So even if you (heaven forbid) have it, dont give up hope on having a blessing