ENDO plus IVF

[*Nikki*]

Sorry if this is in the wrong section but just after some info

Has anyone with ENDO (the endo hasnt been cut out etc) had IVF??? I'm just abit confused atm as all the stories i have read the endo is removed before starting IVF... I'm starting my first IVF cycle very soon and have severe Endo

If you have ENDO and do IVF did it cause any problems???

Was IVF successful or did you try IVF a few times then had to go for surgery to remove the endo before trying IVF again???

I'm hoping someone can help (am just so confused)

TIA

xox

[Bengal]

I am not speaking from personal experience. A IRL friend of a friend (that I have met) had 3 IVF's with Endo, had the Endo removed and now has twin girls. She was annoyed, to say the least, that they did not remove the endo first. This was a year ago.

I hope some one who has experienced this can help you

Best of luck

[JellyBean]

Hi there,

As an ex-endo sufferer who has had repeated surgery I can only imagine that NOT removing the endo would mean the pregnancy and labour would be extremely painful- given all the stretching of tissue and squishing of organs that goes on!

Have you tried a strictly alkaline, organic, dairy-free, anti-candida diet? Most women who suffer with endo have undiagnosed systemic candida.
Anyways, this diet approach, teamed with probiotics (thank God for Naturopaths), was my ticket off the endo train after years of banging my head against a wall with the 'conventional' medical field who seem to be able to offer nothing but repeated surgery and synthetic drugs which address mere symptoms, but not the cause of the problem.

All the best in your journey to beating the endo and TTC. I hope you find lasting relief like I have.

Jellybean X

PS- I was once told it would be highly unlikely that I would ever conceive naturally. Thanks to Natural Medicine I proved them wrong!!

[nic]

Nikki, I was diagnosed with endo, after TTC#2. My FS said my endo wasn't the typical chocolate cysts, but the white stuff and it was a complete sheet, that he was too afraid to remove, for fear off breaking through it and then doing damage to my reproductive organs.

I went on Synarel for 3 months! Then we started on IVF. We were fortunate to have a BFP from our first cycle. I spent the first 11 weeks using crinone (for the TWW) then switched to the pessaries, along with taking Progynova and Provera tablets.
I had read that women with endo issues, usually need some progesterone support during the first tri.

Nic

[*Nikki*]

Thanks ladies

Wouldloveabubba - yeah i guess thats what im scared of too..... going through a few IVF attemps and it not working then having to have the op to remove the endo

Jellybean - wow that is amazing that the diet worked for you... i'll have to look at some info on that for sure

Nic - thankyou so much for your post..... you have given me some hope ... With the Synarel my FS didnt say anything abt that to me..... i wonder why... obviously we are 2 different cases but still makes me wonder why
I wonder if it'll do more damage to remove mine also??? (the endo i mean) he didnt really say...... oh so many questions lol

Anyway thanks again ladies....... gosh i'd be so lost without BB

[nik h]

I have endo quite serverly, I have done 6 rounds of IVF without surgically removing my endo with no success. I am thinking of having an op to have it removed before trying again. Have been told that it does help

[Niki1]

Hi Nikki,

first of all - have you noticed how many 'niki/nic' people (and I'm another!) are on this thread?...weird!

I have severe endo that could not be completely removed at surgery because my pouch of douglas was obliterated, bowel stuck to uterus. So I have endo still all around and over my bowel. I then went on zoladex (to put me in a menopause state) plus hormone replacement thearpy for 3 months. Then we went to IVF.

I have just had my first IVF cycle. Yesterday I found out I am pregnant!! We are quite shocked (I think we'd been preparing to not be!)..BUT very excited.

I have/am having problems at the moment - something called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Its where the ovaries are overstimulated and fluid starts to pool in your abdomen. It has been painful and uncomfortable....but it is not something that is limited only to endo and IVF - its just an IVF thing. One in 20 women will get it.

My understanding is that surgery can make IVF sucess a bit better - but from everything I've read it is still possible to conceive with endo present....take me as an example!

I wish you all the very very best !!

[nik h]

Hi Niki1,

Just as a matter of interest how long did you have to wait to do IVF after your drug treatment & surgery? Also what IVF clinic do you go to?

[kimwalker]

Hey, need some help from you. I have undergone laparoscopy for endo in May 09 and took 2 zoladex injections to reduce the recurrance. I want to start IVF now. Was there any time recommended by the doctor for you to wait before starting IVF? I eman was there any wait time between your first cycle after taking zoladex and IVF? If I do IVF in Sept/Oct 09, due to some practical reasons. I am just concerned about the effect of this in between time on chances of IVF success. PLeaseeee help.

Hi Nikki,

first of all - have you noticed how many 'niki/nic' people (and I'm another!) are on this thread?...weird!

I have severe endo that could not be completely removed at surgery because my pouch of douglas was obliterated, bowel stuck to uterus. So I have endo still all around and over my bowel. I then went on zoladex (to put me in a menopause state) plus hormone replacement thearpy for 3 months. Then we went to IVF.

I have just had my first IVF cycle. Yesterday I found out I am pregnant!! We are quite shocked (I think we'd been preparing to not be!)..BUT very excited.

I have/am having problems at the moment - something called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Its where the ovaries are overstimulated and fluid starts to pool in your abdomen. It has been painful and uncomfortable....but it is not something that is limited only to endo and IVF - its just an IVF thing. One in 20 women will get it.

My understanding is that surgery can make IVF sucess a bit better - but from everything I've read it is still possible to conceive with endo present....take me as an example!

I wish you all the very very best !!

[Niki1]

Hi Kimwalker,

I can only speak for myself but my impression on how my treatment was managed is that you should go from zoladex straight onto IVF. This is what was recommended to me. One week after my 3rd implant I started my IVF cycle. I thought they'd wait until I had my first period after or something, but the head guy at the IVF said this was the standard done all around the world.

I would guess from everything I know (and please take my opinion knowing that you should seek specialist advise, because of course I'm no specialist!), that if you wait a few months it is a potential for the endo to 'come back' to some extent with hormones and your menstural period etc.

I wish you all the best

[Niki1]

Hi nik h

I had surgery 2nd Dec 08, then started zoladex Dec 23rd 08 - had to wait for Dec 23 to wait for my next period. I was perscribed zoladex for 3 months. Whilst on treatment I went to IVF appointment. I thought I'd have to wait until after the 3 months and until I got a period off the zoladex, but they said the standard around the world is to start IVF during the last month of zoladex ( I think they normally used some kind of hormone suppressant anyway). Anyway, so I started IVF injections one week after my 3rd zoladex implant.

I'm in Adelaide, so I am with a place called Repromed.

cheers

[*Nikki*]

Niki1 - lol yeah i did notice how many nikki's/nic's on here.... its a good name
HMMM you see i only had my opteration done on the 11th of march and moving onto ivf now.... i had no drug treatment or anything... now i feel like im missing a step
Congratulation on your pregnancy .... i hope you have a wonderful 9 months

Nik H - so sorry that the IVF hasnt worked for you yet.. i got told if IVF hasnt worked for us within a year to have my Endo removed

Endo truely sucks .... something i never really new about a month ago now my life is comsumed by it

[Niki1]

Hi Nikki
Was any endo removed during your operation? Or did they just look and confirm it?
Don't feel like you missing a step - from everything I've read there is no one recommended treatment for everyone. For example lots of people on forums have said to me I have to have it removed - but this is not appropriate for me as it would involved a major operation that would risk scarring on my uterus which is not good for fertility. Also, my gyny put me on the drug treatment because she said that the endo I had at the back of my uterus was of a type that would respond to it. So everyone's endo is different and therefore are different recommendations...unless of course you don't feel confident in you dr - for eg. are they specialised in endo? if not than it may be worth a second opinion. Either way keep positive - i still have endo in me and look at me - pregnant now! I CAN and WILL happen for you!!

And yes endo sucks - this is all new to me too - such a horrible thing.

Sending you lots of baby wishes !