Any STM with severe endo?

KidShrink

I had a laparoscopy in July 2015, where severe endo was found and most of it removed. However, an MRI was done after and an endometrioma was found in my left ovary, along with a few lesions here and there that were missed. I got pregnant the next cycle (now 27 weeks). So hopefully, the endo is now taking a break. However, we sort of know that I'm not out of the woods. Here's my question: for those of you who got pregnant with endo, how was your experience post-baby, and did you do anything to keep periods at bay (continuous oral pill, Lupron, etc.)? We want to try for baby #2 when this little guy is about 1 (mostly for financial reasons, I'm self employed and need to work a little at some point!), but I'm afraid of that setting us back and causing more issues. One of my best friend just had a laparoscopy last week and they found quite the amount of endo. My RE (who performed the surgery) told her to get on Lupron until she decides what she wants to do (she has frozen eggs from a retrieval that happened last year as fertility preservation when they found she had diminished reserve, likely as a consequence of all the endo damaging her ovaries). However, she's hesitant about that because of all the side effects. On my end, I'm hesitant because I was on the pill (although not continuous) for over 10 years and already had symptoms of endo by the time I stopped, symptoms which quickly got worse (affecting my bladder and liver, and leading to my gallbladder being removed). 

andimegie325

I had my lap surgeries 12 years before going through IVF, so I don't know how relevant this will be for you. My OB and RE both have touted the benefits of pregnancy in helping endo sufferers. As I'm only 3 weeks PP, I'm hoping they're right. I was on the depot shot for 6 months after each surgery, and my cycles have been significantly less painful since, though still heavy. However I HATED how it made me feel; going through menopause at 18 and again at 20 (at the same time as my mother ) was horrendous. I had also been on birth control since I was 12 for regulation purposes, but had to stop that as well eventually because of the side effects to my emotional / mental wellbeing. There is a BCP which is made for nursing mothers, and I intend to talk to my OB about that at my 6 week PP visit. I'm hoping the hormones in that one won't have the impact that the traditional methods had. If I had to do the surgeries over, I honestly don't think I'd do the lupron again. I think it led to my other fertility problems by letting them go longer undiagnosed; I may have been able to be more proactive to prevent the conditions present which resulted multiple ectopic pregnancies. This is just my opinion, though, and both you and your friend should do your own pros and cons of that medication... Every body reacts differently. 

KidShrink

Congrats on the little one @andimegie325 ! And thanks for your reply! I have a hard time wrapping my head around going back on BCP, but unfortunately that seems to be the solution with the least side effects (especially the 'mini pill' you talked about, which is progesterone only...but if you've been on progesterone, you know all too well that it doesn't have no side effects). Lupron definitely seems like a bit of an intense med, and I don't know that I'd want to go there now. I was lucky in a way because I experienced little pain compared to others, but that also led to misdiagnosis and endo affecting liver function and other organs as well. I'm more scared of that than anything...there are only so many 'optional' body parts. If it weren't of the financial/business piece for me, I'd just let nature do its thing ASAP after our little guy is born. But the reality being what it is, I need to plan a bit more. I'm going to discuss it with my OB when I see her next and see what she says. I'm kind of curious to ask for an MRI again once baby is born to see if anything shrunked. Maybe that'd help me make a decision. Do keep me posted on what you end up doing! And enjoy your time with your little one!