Well, at least it's an answer...
I went in for a yearly exam/pap last week. At the end when she was pushing around on my abdomen, she hit a painful point and I flinched and burst into tears. She decided to order an ultrasound, as well as a blood test to see if I ovulated, since I've been trying to get pregnant for 19 mos. now. Well, the good news is my hormone levels looked good and I had ovulated. Unfortunately...I was diagnosed with endometriosis and a retroflexed uterus. I've suspected endo since I was a teen based on symptoms, but it was never confirmed. There is a concentration on my left ovary, which is where the really tender spot was. She said some people have a tilted uterus, but mine is tilted really far backwards. Apparently the combination explains some of my lower back pain, as well as why it's hard for me to get pregnant. (Recap-it took 18 mos. to conceive my daughter)
She suggested 6 mos. of birth control pills to make the endometriosis stop growing. I'm not thrilled about that for several reasons. First, I was on the pill in college for "cramps and heavy bleeding" (irritated I wasn't dx then) and had unpleasant side effects. Second, after 19 mos already, I'm not excited about waiting at least another 6 to get pregnant. Third, some people take months or more to start ovulating again following the pill. The only other logical treatment is surgery. I have a good friend that had laproscopic surgery for endo, fibroids, polyps, and cysts (yeah, she had a LOT going on in there) and I'm going to talk to her, as well as research on my own. Basically she said there's a good chance I wouldn't conceive in the next 6 months anyways without treatment.
The retroflexed uterus does not (edit: orig. thought may or may not, edited after reading comment 1 as well as some online info.) contribute to the difficulty getting pregnant, but I was pretty upset when she said it was really tilted. My mom had the same problem and was told she shouldn't have more children (this was before me), then had a prolapsed uterus when I was really young, and later had a hysterectomy before she was 30. I think hysterectomy is less common as a treatment for gynecological problems now, and thankfully medical practice has advanced a lot in 25 years, so that's not my main concern right now.
Both problems can be (and in my case probably are) hereditary. My daughter is only 3, but I don't want her to deal with these issues when she's older. I had already decided after having such horrible periods as a teenager that I wanted to be sure she was well informed about her body and if she has problems that we address them. My other concern is that I may confront these issues each time we want to have a child. I guess at least knowing now we can plan ahead if I will need to go on the pill or whatever before TTC. It's discouraging that I will probably not be holding a new baby for at least 15 mos., and possibly longer. I know timing is not up to me (boy, do I know!), but when I had hoped to have 2 1/2-3 years between kids and am now looking at 5, I told my hubby I feel like I was punched in the stomach.
Another frustration is that (as many of us have expressed) I am surrounded by people that get pregnant so easily. I am constantly asked if I am or when I'll have another baby. Facing another 6+ months of that is not appealing. My husband asked if I wanted to tell people what I'm dealing with so maybe they would know not to ask, but I'm not sure. I told him he can tell whoever, and I may tell friends if it comes up, but I don't know. He is supportive and wonderful, but it's still hard.
I do have a really good friend (the one I mentioned earlier) that I am going to talk to, but she didn't answer yet and I really needed to get things off my chest I guess. If anyone has any great tips or advice, that would be great. It was not fun hearing a diagnosis (I cried half the time I was on the phone with the doctor), but I'm a little relieved to at least know something. I'm frustrated with myself because I didn't push for a diagnosis when I was younger even though I was fairly confident (my sis also has endo, which is what led me to read about it based on symptoms) there was something not quite right. I also put off finding a new ob/gyn after we moved, and I wonder if I would have gone for a check up earlier if I could have been pg by now (I know that's destructive thought, it's just there). I'm also frustrated that I've been to 2 other drs.in the past 9 years and my symptoms were dismissed. Oh well, at least now I can move forward, I just have to decide which direction to go.
Edit a few hours later:
Now that the concept has settled, I'm feeling oddly comforted. I am looking at several months of not having my hopes dashed when I start my period, because I will already expect it. I will have X more months of time to focus on my daughter. My husband and I can enjoy our time together with no pressure. I can do the Tens unit (little electrostimulus device) part of my physical therapy, which wouldn't be safe if I were/could be pregnant. Maybe I will even quit putting off painting "the extra room" upstairs. I can strengthen my core (weak back/abs, part of why I'm in PT right now) and have a wonderful, easy delivery when the time comes. The silver lining is visible again and I am glad, even though I still feel discouraged and bummed out.
She suggested 6 mos. of birth control pills to make the endometriosis stop growing. I'm not thrilled about that for several reasons. First, I was on the pill in college for "cramps and heavy bleeding" (irritated I wasn't dx then) and had unpleasant side effects. Second, after 19 mos already, I'm not excited about waiting at least another 6 to get pregnant. Third, some people take months or more to start ovulating again following the pill. The only other logical treatment is surgery. I have a good friend that had laproscopic surgery for endo, fibroids, polyps, and cysts (yeah, she had a LOT going on in there) and I'm going to talk to her, as well as research on my own. Basically she said there's a good chance I wouldn't conceive in the next 6 months anyways without treatment.
The retroflexed uterus does not (edit: orig. thought may or may not, edited after reading comment 1 as well as some online info.) contribute to the difficulty getting pregnant, but I was pretty upset when she said it was really tilted. My mom had the same problem and was told she shouldn't have more children (this was before me), then had a prolapsed uterus when I was really young, and later had a hysterectomy before she was 30. I think hysterectomy is less common as a treatment for gynecological problems now, and thankfully medical practice has advanced a lot in 25 years, so that's not my main concern right now.
Both problems can be (and in my case probably are) hereditary. My daughter is only 3, but I don't want her to deal with these issues when she's older. I had already decided after having such horrible periods as a teenager that I wanted to be sure she was well informed about her body and if she has problems that we address them. My other concern is that I may confront these issues each time we want to have a child. I guess at least knowing now we can plan ahead if I will need to go on the pill or whatever before TTC. It's discouraging that I will probably not be holding a new baby for at least 15 mos., and possibly longer. I know timing is not up to me (boy, do I know!), but when I had hoped to have 2 1/2-3 years between kids and am now looking at 5, I told my hubby I feel like I was punched in the stomach.
Another frustration is that (as many of us have expressed) I am surrounded by people that get pregnant so easily. I am constantly asked if I am or when I'll have another baby. Facing another 6+ months of that is not appealing. My husband asked if I wanted to tell people what I'm dealing with so maybe they would know not to ask, but I'm not sure. I told him he can tell whoever, and I may tell friends if it comes up, but I don't know. He is supportive and wonderful, but it's still hard.
I do have a really good friend (the one I mentioned earlier) that I am going to talk to, but she didn't answer yet and I really needed to get things off my chest I guess. If anyone has any great tips or advice, that would be great. It was not fun hearing a diagnosis (I cried half the time I was on the phone with the doctor), but I'm a little relieved to at least know something. I'm frustrated with myself because I didn't push for a diagnosis when I was younger even though I was fairly confident (my sis also has endo, which is what led me to read about it based on symptoms) there was something not quite right. I also put off finding a new ob/gyn after we moved, and I wonder if I would have gone for a check up earlier if I could have been pg by now (I know that's destructive thought, it's just there). I'm also frustrated that I've been to 2 other drs.in the past 9 years and my symptoms were dismissed. Oh well, at least now I can move forward, I just have to decide which direction to go.
Edit a few hours later:
Now that the concept has settled, I'm feeling oddly comforted. I am looking at several months of not having my hopes dashed when I start my period, because I will already expect it. I will have X more months of time to focus on my daughter. My husband and I can enjoy our time together with no pressure. I can do the Tens unit (little electrostimulus device) part of my physical therapy, which wouldn't be safe if I were/could be pregnant. Maybe I will even quit putting off painting "the extra room" upstairs. I can strengthen my core (weak back/abs, part of why I'm in PT right now) and have a wonderful, easy delivery when the time comes. The silver lining is visible again and I am glad, even though I still feel discouraged and bummed out.
Comments
Endometriosis, on the other hand: yes. I would get the lap done. I've had one (I don't have endo, it was diagnostic and they removed some cysts) and it is really not a big deal at all. The birth control pill will help keep new endo from growing, but it will do nothing to clean up the endo that you already have. What a RE will usually do is clean up the endo during a lap, and then start you on a fertility drug right away because you'll have about a 4-6 month window where the endo will remain relatively clear. So they want you to get pregnant during that time.
:::hugs::: It's bittersweet. On the one hand, good to have an idea what's going on..but on the other hand, it STINKS! Hang in there!!!