Laparoscopy for endometriosis

[Lapforendo]

Has anyone had this to treat endo? If so what was the recovery like and if fertility was affected by endo did it help? I have endo but my only symptom is infertility. I have one child via IVF so just weighing up whether it is worth it.

Sorry OP I don't have any advice. Can I ask you how were you diagnosed the first time? We are struggling to conceive but all tests came back ok, so wondering if I have silent endo

Hi @Lapforendo I had a laparoscopy for excision of deep infiltrating endo exactly 6 weeks ago today. The first week after was tough, physically, but by the end of the second week I was mostly feeling back to normal, except more tired than usual. The advice was also not to do strenuous exercise for 6-8 weeks. The surgery didn't seem to affect my ovulation or period - which arrived the day I was expecting it to - but that might be because I had the surgery only a couple of days after my period ended last month. I'm afraid I can't comment on the fertility side yet, as it's our first month TTC post-op...

My Endo was put down to "just heavy periods", until I had an op after my first child, and they discovered I had widespread Endo. It had completely blocked one of my fallopian tubes and was also on my bowel.

I had laparoscopic surgery, and it helped with the symptoms. They advised me to go on the pill, non stop which I did for 2 years. After surgery, my recovery time was about six weeks. I had to avoid heavy lifting and driving. In myself I felt fine after about 2 weeks, but I understood the healing was taking place internally.

I came off the pill and we tried for almost 5 years for our second child, until I had another laparoscopic surgery and fell pregnant almost straight away after recovering.

I've always believed the surgery (and a course of reflexology) were the reason I was able to finally conceive.

@dormicumema yes I had a scan during infertility investigations which showed a small endometrioma on my ovary. That is literally the only indication that I have it. Never had pain and I would consider my periods to be normal flow. I'd had another scan 5 years earlier and the endometrioma wasn't there then so I really had no clue at that time that I had it at all.

@Rabbitjungle1 thank you, this is very helpful. Best of luck with TTC.

@canofsoup thank you, this is also very helpful. I too think that if I've got any chance at all TTC another then I'll have to opt for surgery. Glad to hear things worked out for you.

Following. I'm not TTC but had a scan that showed loads of endometrioma all over 6-7cm (I think it's cm, they said they had to refer if it was over 5...) and experiencing severe pain on my periods
Got a referral appointment in October

Hi @Lapforendo I have had 3 laps to address endo causing infertility. My was deep infiltrating to the point it penetrated my bowels and had to remove part of (this final surgery was done under a new head gyno who was so much better)

Quite an extreme example I know but after 7 years TTC and 3 failed IVFs I am currently 29 weeks pregnant after only 1 month off the medication given for recovery post surgery. 100% believe I would not be here without the laparscopic surgery!

@KinderCat wow that is amazing, huge congratulations to you! ❤

@Lapforendo congratulations, did you have any symptoms to suggest the endo was on your bowel?

@Barney2009 no bowel symptoms (and apart from ultrasounds I haven't yet had any more investigations so I don't know exactly how extensive it is)