endo, zoladex, ivf?

Hi all, im happy i found this forum cos im so confused and disappointed at the moment! After practising natural fertility methods for a few years (as a contraception) and trying to be healthy and free from all drugs since trying to conceive (~12 months), i was really disappointed when diagnosed with endo. what makes me upset is that an ultrasound a couple of years ago picked it up but i recall the doc saying 'its just a bit of endo' and there was no further discussion or follow up.

I just feel like all that work to conceive naturally and be as healthy as possible has now all come undone. Had a laparoscopy a few weeks ago and now they've put me on Zoladex. (im just crying the whole way through my appointments- all this talk of drugs and IVF and all that stuff ive always been against!) Now i feel drugged up to the max, cycles all out therefore balance out- for a female this is vital- and just so disappointed that ive so quickly gone from TTC naturally to lap, to drugs and now gyno is mentioning IVF, i dont want that! doc didnt even explain that that was his intentions before i went for the lap. naive, i thought yeah they will remove the endo then i can just continue on trying to conceive. but its as if IVF ansd drugs is the only choice. they dont give you any other options. in all my disappointment and confusion and lack of options, i said yes to that stupid zoladex implant and ive been upset and in tears ever since. this isnt how it is supposed to be or how i wanted it.

is there anyone else out there who envisioned a natural drug free conception and simple endo treatment, and is now bitterly disappointed that they are now pumped with drugs and big talk of IVF? and how docs just talk about IVF as if its standard and thats what i HAVE to do?

Just voicing my thoughts really, thanks for any comments in advance,

upset and confused

Hiya. Sorry to hear you are going through all that. I had severe endometriosis, and was told after my lap that I would be lucky to ever have kids. My surgeon actually wanted me to have a hysterectomy. I did 6mths of Zolodex. I fell pregnant naturally and on my first cycle of trying with my oldest son Kameron. I had another lapraoscopy about a year or so after having Kameron as I had a ligiment that was tethered to the womb. I went on to have my 2nd born son, Lachlan, and fell pregnant naturally once again on our 4th month of actively trying. 2.5yrs later I gave birth to our 3rd son Ashton, once again on our first cycle of trying and again falling naturally. So anything is possible.

If I had gone with my surgeon and had the hysterectomy, my 3 beautiful boys wouldn't be here today.

Hi Bianeczka. Sorry that you're so upset and confused. It sounds like you've been through a lot and are having trouble making sense of it all. After TTC for 12+ months, and years of painful periods that were treated with BCP, I was diagnosed with endo via a lap earlier this year, during which the endo was burnt.

The first FS we saw said, before we even knew about the endo and without any real investigations, that we should go straight to IVF. We weren't happy with this and wanted investigations as to cause of infertility and other treatment options. We changed FS and subsequently clinics and it was the third FS we spoke to (and continue to see) who suggested investigation for endo. She said we could try naturally for six months after it was removed and then we might like to look into other options. She said we could go at the pace we decided upon and we have done that. We TTC naturally for six months before moving onto IUI, which we tried 3 cycles of. We are now back in the planning stage and will meet with our FS next week. I know she would prefer us to try IVF next because of the success rates, but because she supports our concerns she has looked into doing GIFT at their clinic.

I don't know about Zoladex. I was never prescribed it. But I do want to encourage you that you are in control of the pace and type of treatment you receive. Doctors can advise you, but remember that it is only advice, you don't have to take it. If you can, try to find a FS who you have a good fit with and understands your concerns. IVF isn't necessary your only option, but you need to know about all your options before you can make a good decision.

BB really is a great place to get support from women going through similar things. I hope you find the support you need.

-Sal

Thanking you Astrolady and Sal, wonderful to hear of your experiences which were quite different.

Knowing that you conceived naturally after Zoladex gives me some hope. that is what i would prefer to try and ive told the gyno so (when he mentioned going on the pill and then ivf and how i feel about that, i started crying so i guess he knows how i feel about it!) i then changed his tune to- oh yes well you can try naturally for a few months then. this is what i will do. i am just a little disturbed about the aftermath of taking this drug that is implanted. i was always a believer that all drugs, chemical, hormones need to be out of your system before you conceive. i dont like the thought of conceiving a child pumped full of god knows what. but then if i wait a few months for my system to clear, some endo might come back apparently. this is my quandary.

anyways, thank you for your stories, its helped me greatly.

B.

please get another opinion, did you tell your dr you are ttc? Not a lot of the more "up to date" surgeons use zolodex these days. Many also do a lap, excise the endo and then let you try for a few months before going down the IVF route.

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is there anyone else out there who envisioned a natural drug free conception and simple endo treatment, and is now bitterly disappointed that they are now pumped with drugs and big talk of IVF? and how docs just talk about IVF as if its standard and thats what i HAVE to do?

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I envisioned this but for me I did have to go down the IVF path but that was after surgery and trying for a while. I have no regrets though as my ivf was successful.

Have you done 1 cycle of of zolodex? I can't see why you cannot refuse the rest of the treatment. If the surgeon removed the endo there would be no need for zolodex while you are actively TTC, it doesn't make sense to me.

Docs removed the endo but apparently theres still little bits 'floating around' that they want to target. thats why im on zoladex, to get rid of that apparently. its just weird all this hardcore treatment as i never have felt any pain at all. i used to feel privileged to never have period pain. it was only because i was unsuccessful in TTC that this was checked out at all. surely the endo must have been severe to have a lap and then be put on zoladex?

and yes this is my first cycle on zoladex. id rather not be on it, but what if what the doc is recommending is right? im so confused and over it really. this stuff makes me question whether im supposed to have kids. i was much happier trying and being unsuccessful to now not knowing what the hell is going on and being out of control of my own body, and not knowing what this drug will do to me (or my unborn child).

still confused and upset but just going with the flow......thanks for your words, B.

I understand your confusion and ultimately it's up to you, but if it was me I really would get another opinion.

You can have severe endo and no pain, and you can have mild endo with heaps of pain. I was an unlucky one with severe endo and severe pain and also fertility issues.

Oh and don't question if you are meant to have kids, that's just going to add to your stress. Many of us with endo have beautiful kids with a little help. My Mum had endo too and had 5 of us so it varies, I personally don't believe that there is some sort of mean God out there that decides we should have fertility issues for some *reason*, I think it's just luck of the draw.

Sorry, I hope I don't sound like a bossy boots, I just can't help but think seeing a different dr with different ideas, more in line with your own philosophies would help and they do exist.

Bianeczka: I know how you feel with the Zoladex. I had endo treated earlier this year by lap and then a follow up treatment of zoladex. but my specialist did ask me if we wanted kids straight away before the zoladex was started. we had a choice to start TTC or go on the implant. at that stage i wasnt ready for kids and so went on the implant. I know alot of people on here dont like but personally I think it was the right thing for me. at the moment i am TTC and in our 2nd cycle trying. had a u/s today and all looks good. so there is hope for you. You can go off the zoladex you know, my surgeon did say this to me too. In his experience people have had good success with pregnancy after only a few treatments of zoladex. I would speak to your doc again and tell them your concerns.