TTC #1 with Endometriosis

[MrsDash]

Looking for support since my recent diagnosis. We’ve been TTC since early this year. I had a chemical pregnancy in June.
However I have just had a laparoscopy to check out painful periods which confirmed I have endometriosis on my bladder and bowel. Apparently my uterus and ovaries are clear and of course the chemical pregnancy is a good sign that everything is working but Im really worried. The Endo currently can’t be removed due to location and size but in theory shouldn’t stop me getting pregnant. I’m due to have another gynaecologist appointment to discuss treatment options as one might be to have hormone injections to reduce the Endo and make it possible to remove surgically before then TTC again. But I’m sort of hoping I can get pregnant and deal with the Endo after having children. My other concern is that since TTC (coming off the pill) I spot for a few days before AF which I’m now realising is likely to be another endometriosis symptom and this also worries me. Obviously I will be discussing all this with the gynaecologist but it would be good to hear from women who have had or are experiencing a similar thing as I really wasn’t expecting the diagnosis I got and no one else in my family has Endo (that I know of).

I have Endo and I spot anywhere between 3-6 days before AF. I have a son who’s nearly 3 and I have been TTC #2 since November last year, I had a miscarriage in August. My period is now 1 day late and I’m hoping this could mean I’m pregnant although knowing my luck I will get my period any minute now! Just keep trying and find something to distract yourself with, wether it’s a TV series, bingo, the gym or making a blanket! Fingers crossed for you xxx

Starfish-i hope it goes well with your first clomid round-it must have been great to have an earlier ovulation! My PCO was diagnosed with having a higher AFC on an ultrasound than normal, an elevated AMH blood test result and irregular periods (although they aren’t hugely irregular -more like 20-35 days). I don’t have the syndrome with larger body size, ache etc but I am polycystic. I think perhaps I will try clomid with IUI in 6 months time or so. Right now the docs have told me I’m on my own for a bit post op! I know I do ovulate each cycle from my temps -although on different days each cycle and with a shorter luteal phase (8-10 days) That’s why I wondered if clomid would be good for me to lengthen my luteal phase. Although post op-I’m hoping it’s stretched out a little more this month like last month when I had 11 days for the first time! Hope you don’t get the early spotting too!

Mrs dash -I hope your ovulation comes soon-it’s so frustrating waiting!

Doctors are funny aren’t they -I’m oretty certain you can bleed and not ovulate. I remember my first visit to the doctor with concerns and he got out this text book to show me in a hugely patronising way the rise and fall of hormones in a cycle -like I had never researched that!!

@jack1987 Thank you, that is really reassuring to hear!

We’re back to BD’ing now I’ve recovered from the laparoscopy and ovulation should be approaching. Keeping positive!

I’ve got my fingers crossed for you this month! Really hope you get your bfp.

@mouse1234567 thank you! The signs are right for a slightly earlier ovulation the cycle (by about 3/4 days) but I shouldn’t get my hopes up as haven’t got a positive opk just yet.

Morning everyone!
Yes still can't get my head around that I've ovulated so early!
I came off the pill over 2 years ago so at first I thought that was why my cycles were irregular but they still haven't settled down completely. They improved, 30-39 days this year instead of 40+ but just so different each month. The last few months my periods were very light too. Unfortunately I can't remember what my periods were like before the pill- 15 years ago!!!
Glad to hear you've recovered from your lap Mrs Dash. I'm trying to be positive this month too. Having reflexology this month and sometimes it helps just talking to someone who is positive. She says you have to trust and believe in your body!

Ohhh reflexology sounds interesting -I looked into that -do you think it helps? I do accupture and my accupucturist has been encouraging me to remember to breathe through my belly not chest as I often do! Relaxing is def great-easier said than done tho isn’t it!!

Starfish-I came off the pill years ago but my period were strange for years after -like 2 bleeds in a year for the first year then every 3-4 months for a year or so. Now I’m more regular but still a bit polysytic and they do range. It’s a pain isn’t it!

Period due in a few days -not holding high hopes-as I explained last week I don’t think we dtd Over my most fertile time unfortunately. Kind of want to move on to next cycle as will be the first one we give a good go to after the lap!

Hope everyone is getting on ok.

@mouse1234567 I hope your next cycle comes round quickly.

I ovulated yesterday (according to opk and bbt) and we managed to time BDing well, so fingers crossed! But since I’ve started spotting before AF (after coming off the pill) I now feel like I give up when I start seeing spotting (usually around 8-9dpo). I’m wondering how likely I am to be pregnant if I get spotting again. The last three cycles I’ve had mild af pains on 7dpo which always gets my hopes up as I think it might be implantation cramps... Three cycles ago I had a chemical so it was a good sign then.

I think I ovulated either yesterday or the day before so now in TTW too.

@MrsDash I often get a pain around 7dpo too, and then it goes again. I've had a MC and two CPs and with all three pregnancies the only different sign I've had than my normal PMS symptoms has been a marked increase in burping!
Feeling quite hopeful this month as we DTD around the right time, but trying not to get my hopes up too much.

Fingers crossed for you xxx

@knitkitty good luck to us both! Sounds like we’re at a very similar stage. My LP only seems to be about 11/12 days so I should know by 6th Oct. Interesting that you also experience a bit of pain on 7dpo too. It’s happened all 3 cycles that we’ve been actively trying. I keep wondering if conception is working but it’s just not implanting... I probably need to stop overthinking it. Never heard of the burping symptom! Wonder what that could mean. X

I've presumed that the 7ishDPO pain is just my body gearing itself up for AF. It doesn't last long usually... sort of like a bought of mild periody-like pain for just a couple of hours.

I know! I'd never heard of burping being a first sign either, but it's unmistakable when it happens to me because I never usually burp at all unless I've drunk something bubbly. I've googled it since though and apparently it is a thing, but not really a common first sign. Something to do with hormones.
I noticed it with my first pregnancy, but I just put it down to possible stress symptoms until I found out I was pregnant.
Second time I thought I was imagining it but then took a test and had a CP.
Again, third time I thought I was making it up in my head, especially as symptoms disappeared again before AF, but I had a blood test which confirmed CP so I think it just stopped because HCG was going down again.
All very odd.

I would say my experience is the exact same. On 7dpo I wake up early (3am) to about 2-3 hours or very mild period cramps. I really don’t remember experiencing it before TTC.
Amazing the things you learn! I feel like I’ll be looking out for burping now, just in case! Lol.

Hi all, annoyingly AF arrived today -my luteal phase has gone back done to 9 days -which is a shame as I thought it had gone up after my laproscopy! Hoping they might give me clomid at some point to try and lengthen it. I have a fertility appointment next Thursday so hopefully I can push them forward with IUI etc!

Hope you are all getting on well. Good luck with your cycles. I’m trying to focus on the next now and make sure we time DTD at the right time this time!

Jack1987 I hope your period didn’t arrive.

Sorry to hear AF arrived Mouse
I've only had reflexology twice now. Hoping it will at least help with my circulation as well as everything else. If nothing else it's relaxing and I have soft feet after!
Spotting started though at the weekend. Only very light but annoying as AF isn't due til Fri/Sat.

So it’s the day before af is due and I haven’t had any spotting yet. This has never happened since I came off the pill, not even when I had a cp. I have been taking supplements this month (mostly magnesium and B6) so I guess it could be that helping but it’s so getting my hopes up... I’m going to wait to see if af comes first though as in fed up of wasting pregnancy tests. Anyone else get spotting some months and not others?

Good luck Mrs dash-I hope AF stays away!

Starfish sorry to hear about the spotting.

I had an appointment with my consultant yesterday-he was lovely. He said he doesn’t think IUI is worth it but after a little pushing he is going to prescribe me clomid for 3-6 months as I’m have PCO and hoping it might extend my luteal phase. I could stand the idea of just trying On our own without any help for another 6 months. Bit worried about the side effects of clomid tho!

I also have an initial appointment for IVF in Feb 2019 with a view to doing it in April 2019-it feels good to have an aim at least. Although hopefully won’t get to that! He seemed quite positive about it potentially happening naturally after the operation so trying to remain hopefully. It hasn’t really been long since the op-I just gets so impatient! He also said I look set to ovulate on day 14 which is nice and early for me! So that’s next week I’m on day 9 now.

Don’t know what you guys do but he recommended DTD every two days and we have been doing it daily so gonna take it easy this month-will be easier not having to do it everyday!

Happy Friday!

@mouse1234567 well that all sounds very productive which is good 😊 as you say, something to aim for. In terms of DTD I use OPKs and we really focus on doing it the day I get a positive result and the following two days. Before that we just do it whenever. Definitely not every day. When I had a chemical we had DTD on the day of my positive OPK and the following day. Good luck x

@MrsDash I hope that's a good sign! Fingers crossed for you.

@mouse1234567 sounds like your appointment went well. I'm glad you've got a clear timeline for the next few months. It should help emotionally.

I'm either 9, 10 or 11 DPO today and I think AF is on her way. I've had a facial spot for the last 3 days which usually appears before AF, I've been feeling grumpy and my boobs are heavy. This morning when checking cervix a small amount of old blood came out on my finger, so I reckon I might start tomorrow.
This is one long roller coaster journey. I knew it might not happen quickly and when I started trying last December I really tried to control my expectations, but when I got so quickly in January I got my hopes up. Since MC is just feels like my body has given up trying properly. I feel like it's never going to happen now. Sigh.
Sorry for the moan.

@knitkitty I’m sorry to hear that. I completely understand. Since my chemical, which was only our first proper month of TTC, it’s like something changed in me and all I can think about it conceiving but it increasingly feels less likely. I also hate that feeling during the 2 week wait when one minute you’re trying to have a positive mental attitude and thinking it could be this month! but the next minute you realise you don’t want to feel too disappointed so try not to get your hopes up...

Btw I meant to say I’m sorry about AF turning up @mouse1234567 Lots of luck next cycle.

Happy Friday everyone.

Ahh time for me to go slightly mad again...

Period due today. Still no spotting and no signs suggesting af. I caved and did a test (wanted to wait to see if af comes today) which was negative. I used a Superdrug test and the first two were invalid (remained complete blank), which is now making me hope the negative result may not be accurate.... also I’m only 12dpo so maybe it’s early. Oh dear, I’m clutching at straws now but it’s unheard of for me to not have any spotting and I don’t feel af coming. Sorry, needed to get this off my chest. DH will definitely think I’m going mad.

AF arrived this morning. I started spotting last night so knew it would. Feeling so down. I was at a family party last night surrounded by babies and kind meaning relatives asking if I’m feeling broody... almost cried twice. This is tough. I’ve got an MRI and gynaecologist appointment later in the month to talk about the Endo confirmed at my laparoscopy.

Hi Mrs Dash-so sorry to hear AF arrived -it’s always so crushing -especially after you have got your hopes up as your LP was longer. It’s such a rollercoaster. I hope you can have some time to yourself today to look after yourself. Having to go out to a party and be on good form is so hard too-especially around babies!

So you have had a lap? Did they cut any out or was it a diagnostic? Sorry if you already answered this!

KnitKitty-I hope AF didn’t turn up. It’s so hard isn’t it! It must have been so hard with the MC.

So sorry to hear AF has arrived Mrs Dash
Especially with the awful timing of the family party. I'm quite open with ppl about us ttc so now ppl have stopped asking! It soon shuts ppl up when you say 'actually we've been trying for 2 years so yes fingers crossed it will happen soon for us!'
My spotting has slowed down now and still no AF. Too scared to test though. I'm on holiday so trying to put it out my mind but jet lag hasn't helped.. been awake since 3am Googling 16dpo no af....

Thanks ladies. Support means a lot.

@mouse1234567 I had a diagnostic lap a month ago due to painful urination during af. It confirmed Endo on my bowel and bladder which couldn’t be removed due to size and location. Luckily no Endo was found on my reproductive organs. They also found one of my ovaries was slightly twisted so they did sort that. Tbh the immediate feedback I had after the lap was although it’s quite severe I should be able to get pregnant and that’s the best thing I could do right now. I have an MRI, I think to get further info about the extent and location. I think the gynaecologist is likely to say I could either keep TTC first or the other option is likely to be hormone injections to reduce the Endo followed by surgery. And then TTC again after that.

@starfishy wishing you lots of luck. That’s a good idea being honest about TTC. I think I’m in denial and so finding it hard to be honest. I have told nearly all my girl friend and female relatives about the Endo diagnosis though. So that’s a start.

Oh and I should add that I came off the pill 9 months ago. It took my period 4 months to return, and then my cycles have been quite long (but regular with confirmed ovulation) so I’ve only actually had 4 cycles of properly TTC with one cp. DH keeps telling me that. Saying it’s still relatively early days.

Have you had ovulation confirmed by blood tests @MrsDash ? Or are you using opks or temping? I only ask because I had positive opks so thought i was ovulating but blood tests showed that some months I did and some I didn't.

So I did a test so I could put it out my mind and got a BFP! It's been almost 18 months since my MMC so was starting to feel like I'd never see one again! Feel relieved but also so nervous as it's such early days.
Can definitely say though that spotting and endo doesn't necessarily effect getting a bfp.

@starfishy oh my goodness. Congratulations!! Wishing you lots of luck for the coming months. And it’s so wonderful for us fellow Endo/spotting sufferers to hear.

That’s interesting that you say that about ovulation. Each cycle my temps and OPKs have always made sense in terms of ovulation so have assumed it’s correct. Also I often (though not always) get mild pain on one side of my abdomen which also makes sense as potential ovulation pain. But as I say it’s not even every cycle. So I guess I might be similar to you. Thanks for letting me know. It’s something else to discuss at my gynaecologist appointment. Congrats again!