Endometriosis/Fibroids/Appendix

[paris29]

I have been having a serious pain n my right side for two years. I went to a new doctor a few days ago and she said it is either endometriosis, fibroids (I have family history for both) or my appendix due to area, symptoms, etc. I want to start ttc in the next couple of years with my FH. I had a miscarriage a year ago and they looked for fibroids during the ultrasound then but found nothing. So I'm guessing there is a problem with my appendix or I have endometriosis. If anyone has had endometriosis I would love to hear from you. I'm worried about ttc?

 

[split_shank]

I've had endometriosis, removed and some recurring, and got pregnant with barely trying. This more than likely isn't the norm, but hopefully reassurance that an endo diagnosis is NOT reason to believe it won't/can't happen. Unfortunately endo is usually only definitely diagnosed via laproscopy, which wasn't as bad as I thought it would be (three tiny 1/4 in scars, one of which remains) and it can be removed at that time. I believe that most doctors will have you just start or keep trying for awhile if it is in your near future, and then they will intervene if you are having troubles TTC. If the pain is unbearable now, I'd look into it sooner.

I'd be surprised if it was your appendix if its been this long, and that can usually be caught on an US if it is inflammed or irritated. They actually removed mine while they were in for the lapro just because 'it didn't look right' and it was inflammed from mono I had a month before that.

P.S. If you are fortunate enough to get pregnant, the endo symptoms usually go away while your pregnant.. no periods=no endo growth

 

[gemgirl]

I had severe chronic Endometriosis for many years. I had six Laparoscopies specifically for the treatment and removal of Endo. Endo does cause nagging long term pain until it is either treated by drugs that put you temporarily into chemical menopause, or by removal during a Lap. I did both and my Endo didn't really go away until real menopause. If it is in fact Endo, it would be a good idea to have a Laparoscopy and have it removed before it progresses to the point of adhering your organs to each other.

 

[paris29]

Split and Gem,

Thank you so much for responding. I've been freaking out about the situation lately. My doctor has be scheduled for an ultrasound in a month (soonest available appointment) to rule out problems with my appendix and/or fibroid. Last night the pain was horrible. I heard that they sometimes recommend going on birth control pills to treat it, is this true? Is the Laparoscopy to remove the endo invasive. What exactly causes endo? Good to hear the symptoms can subside during pregnancy. Can endo cause miscarriages?

 

[ilovethiswebsite]

Split and Gem,

Thank you so much for responding. I've been freaking out about the situation lately. My doctor has be scheduled for an ultrasound in a month (soonest available appointment) to rule out problems with my appendix and/or fibroid. Last night the pain was horrible. I heard that they sometimes recommend going on birth control pills to treat it, is this true? Is the Laparoscopy to remove the endo invasive. What exactly causes endo? Good to hear the symptoms can subside during pregnancy. Can endo cause miscarriages?

Hi Paris,

I have actually had symptoms very similar to yours over the years. I still don't have a definitive diagnosis because I have not yet had a laporoscopy. Basically, the doctors think it could be 1) cysts (when the burst they hurt really bad), 2) fibroids (do you have really long periods?) 3) or endometriosis (pain is usually specific to menstruation and ovulation time). I also doubt it's your appendix since it would show up on imaging scans but it's important to rule that out if you haven't yet. Yet another possible explanation for your pain may be a nerve entrapment in the pelvis, which could be due to injury or inflammation in the area.

If it is endometriosis and you are in severe pain, and you have trouble with ttc, I highly recommend a lap. They can diagnosis and treat the endo, and also help with other fertility issues like blocked fallopian tubes. Endometriosis is correlated with miscarriages, but MANY women have miscarriages so it's not necessarily the case. Also, diet changes can really help your endometriosis and fertility. I recently bought this book and it has been really helpful. I have taken dairy (bovine) and wheat out of my diet. It's not as bad as it sounds. I have felt a bit better but you have to try it for 3 months before you notice a big difference. Other forms of treatment include hormone therapy, and also the birth control pill. But if you are ttc, these aren't great options for you. Again, the lap would be your best treatment option.

http://books.google.ca/books?id=fLM...ook_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA

 

[paris29]

ilovethiswebsite

My doctor said the cause is hormonal and that it probably is a fibroid or endometrosis. And the area where I have the pain also made her think it could be my appendix which I don't think it is. I also don't think it fibroids because they didn't see any fibroids during my ultrasound after my miscarriage and by that time I had already been having the pain for a year or two maybe more. Is it possible to miss a fibroid with an ultrasound. I had two different ones. When I did have the ultrasounds the lady did say that my endometrium was thick but that was most likely caused by the pregnancy. But now I'm thinking it might have also been a sign of endo and my old doctor just missed it. I don't know just an assumption, might be wrong. I was surprised my doctor didn't mention anything about cyst being the cause. My mom had a fibroid and my nana had endo, so I'm predisposed to both.

I don't have long periods 5-6 days but I do have some spotting 3 or 4 days after my period has ended. Is that normal?

What is the healing time for lap. My mom had the same procedure but to remove her colin, she had colin cancer. I'm sure that was more invasive though.

I cut out dairy, red meat, white sugar, table salt, anything with corn syrup, all grain products, etc out of my diet for good about 4 months ago. I definitely feel healthier but unfortunately still have the pain which lately has been really bad.

I'm not a huge fan of taking any hormonal drugs like birth control for many reasons but especially since I am a migraine sufferer.

I'm very nervous about ttc especially after the miscarriage. And the fact that we won't be ttc for another two years makes me even more nervous, because I don't want to wait till then to find out I need the lap and that the situation has gotten worst. Do they usually only recommend lap if your ttc or can I get it now.

Sorry for all the questions. I'm just so concerned. I tried to read up on endo but there is a lot of jargon in the articles. Thank you for the link. I will definitely check it out.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

Hi Paris

I can only give you my experience on endometriosis and lap surgery.

I had an explorative laporoscopy when i was about 23? I used to have heavy long periods when not on the pill, being on the pill definately lessened the symptoms. After the laporoscopy I was diagnosed with endometriosis and blocked tubes. The Dr cortarised (sp?) the endo which was over the outside of my uterus, tubes and bowel. I was told that if i planned to have any more children that the next 3 months were going to be the best time for me to fall pregnant due to a 'fresh' uterus and blocked tubes that had been loosened.

My periods have been fine up until about a year ago, they were light with no pain and have not caused me any problems for about 6 years. I can feel the symptoms returning slowly. If we do decide to have a baby, i will probably have another laporoscopy before we start trying to get rid of any endometriosis that has returned.

As far as the actual lap went, it was fine. It was day surgery, i had one hole through my belly button and 3 holes along my ceasar scar. I think i had 3 days off of work. I was sore/tender for a few days, most of the pain came from the gas that they use to blow your stomach up that then gets trapped up around your shoulders and neck. It really wasn't that bad as far as ops go.

 

[split_shank]

Ditto to the gas/back pain. The lap area itself was nothing, felt like you overdid an ab workout for a day or two. The residual gas bubbles get up into your diaphragm under you lungs and hit a nerve, causing upper back pain. They may say moving around will help the body reabsorb the gas, which is how it is removed, but don't over do it. I made that mistake and got really achy. Overall my lap was a good success, and yes, it did recurr after a few years, but BC therapy worked for me since I was only 21 and nowhere near ready for TTC. I tried several types of BC, and found that continuous (3-4 months at a time w/o breaking for periods) helped tremendously. I went off BC for about 3 months before TTC to see what my cycles were like and did not have a problem regulating back to normal. Again, this is different for everyone. I hope you get some answers and most of all get rid of the pain and frustration!

ETA: I am definitely not one to push BC therapy, especially since they cause their own problems sometimes, but I noticed that you said you have migraines too. I did too until I went on BC. The sudden drops and surges in the body hormones sent my migraines into attack mode. The BC (low dose of course) did the trick. Again, not saying this works for everyone, but the hormone drops may be a trigger for those darn migraines. It will end up coming down to what you can live with , and what you struggle with. For me, I took the slight libedo (sp?) drop over the migraines, endo, and pain that made me more unlovable than not being in the mood 24/7.

 

[ilovethiswebsite]

Ditto to the gas/back pain. The lap area itself was nothing, felt like you overdid an ab workout for a day or two. The residual gas bubbles get up into your diaphragm under you lungs and hit a nerve, causing upper back pain. They may say moving around will help the body reabsorb the gas, which is how it is removed, but don't over do it. I made that mistake and got really achy. Overall my lap was a good success, and yes, it did recurr after a few years, but BC therapy worked for me since I was only 21 and nowhere near ready for TTC. I tried several types of BC, and found that continuous (3-4 months at a time w/o breaking for periods) helped tremendously. I went off BC for about 3 months before TTC to see what my cycles were like and did not have a problem regulating back to normal. Again, this is different for everyone. I hope you get some answers and most of all get rid of the pain and frustration!

ETA: I am definitely not one to push BC therapy, especially since they cause their own problems sometimes, but I noticed that you said you have migraines too. I did too until I went on BC. The sudden drops and surges in the body hormones sent my migraines into attack mode. The BC (low dose of course) did the trick. Again, not saying this works for everyone, but the hormone drops may be a trigger for those darn migraines. It will end up coming down to what you can live with , and what you struggle with. For me, I took the slight libedo (sp?) drop over the migraines, endo, and pain that made me more unlovable than not being in the mood 24/7.

Hi Split Shank,

Which BC pill did you take continuously? Also, did you notice if the side effects of the BC were worse taking them continuously?

 

[ilovethiswebsite]

ilovethiswebsite

My doctor said the cause is hormonal and that it probably is a fibroid or endometrosis. And the area where I have the pain also made her think it could be my appendix which I don't think it is. I also don't think it fibroids because they didn't see any fibroids during my ultrasound after my miscarriage and by that time I had already been having the pain for a year or two maybe more. Is it possible to miss a fibroid with an ultrasound. I had two different ones. When I did have the ultrasounds the lady did say that my endometrium was thick but that was most likely caused by the pregnancy. But now I'm thinking it might have also been a sign of endo and my old doctor just missed it. I don't know just an assumption, might be wrong. I was surprised my doctor didn't mention anything about cyst being the cause. My mom had a fibroid and my nana had endo, so I'm predisposed to both.

I don't have long periods 5-6 days but I do have some spotting 3 or 4 days after my period has ended. Is that normal?

What is the healing time for lap. My mom had the same procedure but to remove her colin, she had colin cancer. I'm sure that was more invasive though.

I cut out dairy, red meat, white sugar, table salt, anything with corn syrup, all grain products, etc out of my diet for good about 4 months ago. I definitely feel healthier but unfortunately still have the pain which lately has been really bad.

I'm not a huge fan of taking any hormonal drugs like birth control for many reasons but especially since I am a migraine sufferer.

I'm very nervous about ttc especially after the miscarriage. And the fact that we won't be ttc for another two years makes me even more nervous, because I don't want to wait till then to find out I need the lap and that the situation has gotten worst. Do they usually only recommend lap if your ttc or can I get it now.

Sorry for all the questions. I'm just so concerned. I tried to read up on endo but there is a lot of jargon in the articles. Thank you for the link. I will definitely check it out.

I have not had a lap yet but I hear it's pretty minor surgery with little down time (maybe 1-3 days)? You can get the lap done any time you want. You could also get another done before you TTC again if you are having problems conceiving.

Here is a sites about endo:

www.endometriosisassn.org/

 

[paris29]

Thank you so much ladies from the bottom of my heart I really appreciate all your replies. I'm starting my doctorate program Monday, as well as planning my wedding, Jan 1, and I was stressing as well about this whole situation, but you ladies have made my a little less stressed. Depending on what the ultrasounds reveal I want to get the lap asap, just so I can have definitive answer about what is going on with my body. I want to be a mom so badly, and when I hear that something might cause a issue with us having our own child as well as my past miscarriage, I cannot help but worry and stress. But I'm glad to know that those of you who have had lap had a positive experience (as positive as gets). I'm on the younger side, 21 so is my FH but as I stated being a mom is very important to me. I just want to do all that I can to make sure that I am able to have children in the next few years.

Split _shank-what b/c are you on if you don't mind me asking. I have a lot of friends who are on it. I just don't feel it is personally for me. I've been using the calendar method for the past few years.

 

[split_shank]

Well we bounced around a lot of different kinds/formulas.. for awhile before and immediately after the lap, I was on a Loestrin 1/20 and an additional norethindrone pill. At the time all I was interested in was smothering the endo, and I was not sexually active at the time so the libedo thing was not really my concern. As my now DH and I got together, I noticed it was a little 'too much', and was switched a few times, and ended up doing Seasonale (Seasonique) and then Yaz I believe. Worked great. Actually as soon as I started taking BC continuously, whatever the type, worked for me. We mostly switched it around to see if the other side effects could be taken care of without awakening the endo beast.

 

[split_shank]

Ditto to the gas/back pain. The lap area itself was nothing, felt like you overdid an ab workout for a day or two. The residual gas bubbles get up into your diaphragm under you lungs and hit a nerve, causing upper back pain. They may say moving around will help the body reabsorb the gas, which is how it is removed, but don't over do it. I made that mistake and got really achy. Overall my lap was a good success, and yes, it did recurr after a few years, but BC therapy worked for me since I was only 21 and nowhere near ready for TTC. I tried several types of BC, and found that continuous (3-4 months at a time w/o breaking for periods) helped tremendously. I went off BC for about 3 months before TTC to see what my cycles were like and did not have a problem regulating back to normal. Again, this is different for everyone. I hope you get some answers and most of all get rid of the pain and frustration!

ETA: I am definitely not one to push BC therapy, especially since they cause their own problems sometimes, but I noticed that you said you have migraines too. I did too until I went on BC. The sudden drops and surges in the body hormones sent my migraines into attack mode. The BC (low dose of course) did the trick. Again, not saying this works for everyone, but the hormone drops may be a trigger for those darn migraines. It will end up coming down to what you can live with , and what you struggle with. For me, I took the slight libedo (sp?) drop over the migraines, endo, and pain that made me more unlovable than not being in the mood 24/7.

Hi Split Shank,

Which BC pill did you take continuously? Also, did you notice if the side effects of the BC were worse taking them continuously?

I can't really say if going continuously made it worse/better, I know my PMS-like symptoms, headaches, and endo symptoms were pretty much resolved. The libedo thing is a tough one to decipher. I know the BC can definitely interfere with it, but other things I had to consider was our life compared to the carefree college days. We were(now) are full time+ jobs, bills, house, lack of sleep... not always the most romantic time of life. I think the combo of real life and BC just kinda drains you from time to time.

 

[paris29]

Hey ladies, I know its been a while.
Update after an ultrasound my doctor believes I do have endo. I went in for another appointment and the doctor doing the exam kept stating how difficult it would be to conceive with endo, etc. He really freaked me out. I know it's possible but its still in the back of my mind that I will have trouble, especially after already having a miscarriage. My other doctor wants to put me on hormones for the endo but I am uncomfortable with that would you suggest making sure it is endo with the lap before. What are the options to manage endo?

 

[gemgirl]

paris, I would do a lot of research on the most current treatments for Endo before I tried anything, but from a long time sufferer, I can tell you that when I had it, the choices were either surgery to remove it, or any of a variety of drugs that put me into "chemical menopause" that suspended my monthly cycle. I took both Danacrine (absolutely horrible) and Synarel (the lesser of two evils). Each depresses the production of estrogen, and since it's estrogen that "feeds" Endo, it gives your body some down time and the growths shrink. Ordinarily when a woman goes off any of the pseudo-menopausal drugs, she is super fertile because our hormones boomerang, and that's the best time to try to get pregnant if you want to.

 

[paris29]

paris, I would do a lot of research on the most current treatments for Endo before I tried anything, but from a long time sufferer, I can tell you that when I had it, the choices were either surgery to remove it, or any of a variety of drugs that put me into "chemical menopause" that suspended my monthly cycle. I took both Danacrine (absolutely horrible) and Synarel (the lesser of two evils). Each depresses the production of estrogen, and since it's estrogen that "feeds" Endo, it gives your body some down time and the growths shrink. Ordinarily when a woman goes off any of the pseudo-menopausal drugs, she is super fertile because our hormones boomerang, and that's the best time to try to get pregnant if you want to.

Thanks Gemgirl,

I'm trying to learn as much as I can about endo. I'm really freaking about the whole thing, and waiting for test results isn't helping. I wish my FH and I could ttc now, it would be more reassuring. My doctors make it seem like endo means im infertile. I'm glad to hear about the the boost in fertility after coming off the pseudo-menopausal drugs. Hopefully I'll hear back soon from my doctor and get a better idea about what's on.

 

[lili]

paris--
having endo doesn't necessarily mean infertile.
it depends on where the scarring occurs and the severity of the scarring.
the fact that you were able to get pregnant is a good sign.
both my sil and i have endo.
we didn't have any [pain] symptoms other heavier periods (7 day of bleeding) in our younger years and unable to conceive.
dr ran some diagnostic [hsg test] and found that my tubes were swollen and blocked -- possibly due to endo.
so a lap was scheduled to confirm endo and to remove the scarring tissue.
like the other ladies said, the lap is a out-patient surgery.
recovery isn't too bad -- worst part is probably the gas escaping.
anyway, we both conceived the cycle after the lap.

from what my dr told me, you can have a lap done if your endo is bothering you.
you don't need to wait until you are ttcing.

possible options for endo is lap, hormone therapy, or you can even try acupunture.
my dr told me that lap will remove the tissue, but it can recur again and most often get worst with age.

good luck to you.
hope you get some definitive answers soon.