Anyone had an endometrioma...and a positive outcome?!

[iwillbepositive]

Discovered today that I prob have a 5cm endometrioma.

Story so far is ttc#2 for 2.5 years (no problems at all conceiving dd who is now 4). All tests on both were fine, so unexplained secondary infertility, and we had just started IUI. Last month's IUI cycle was cancelled due to overstimulation and a 4cm 'cyst'. Back today to see how things are and it looks like this is now 5cm and was probably missed at the start of last cycle when I had my baseline scan.

I have had no symptoms of endometriosis so it is all a bit mysterious. Has anyone had an endometrioma removed and gone on to conceive? Or not removed and had a happy outcome - I would take either! Just desperate to be pg now.

Iwillbepositive-Sorry to hear you are having problems ttc.It's such a desparate time and if your anything like me every second is thinking about ttc!!!
Here is my story:
Last year i was diagnosed with endo,adhesions and a 10cm chocolate cyst on my right ovary.
I had a laproscopy to remove it before christmas but it grew back to the same size within 4 weeks!
The consultant saw me again and wanted to do the procedure asap.
I explained we wanted to ttc our #2 and he told me there was very little hope without having all the problems removed.
I stood my ground and he said he will give me 4 months to get pg but no longer.
Well, here's the good news i am now 13 weeks pg and had a few worries along the way but all is going fine now.
So, please don't give up hope and as your name says stay positive.
I'm sure it will happen for you.

Thanks nobodysfool - really good to hear that you got through it. Not feeling very positive at the mo!

Hope all goes smoothly for the rest of your pregnancy.

Hi iwillbepositive - I too had endometriosis with no symptoms at all (other than not being able to conceive) I had a laproscopy at the beginning of the year, and my husband and I conceived the first month of trying after the operation. Have you been referred to a consultant to discuss having the cyst removed? From what I understand there are several reasons why endo makes it difficult to conceive. Have taken this from my consultants website, which I thought may be useful www.92harleystreet.com/reproductive_surgery.html#4

"Endometriosis can also cause infertility, and this can be both from a mechanical effect due to scarring as well as a chemical effect from the diseased tissue itself. The physical effect of the scarring can stick down ovaries and tubes and make it very difficult for the fallopian tube to envelop the ovary to pick up the eggs. It is also known that the endometriotic tissue can release chemicals which damage the sperm, and even if there is no scarring or distortion of the organs this can still significantly lower the chance of that couple achieving a spontaneous pregnancy."

Good luck

Thanks, helenlouisey - this is where MN really comes into its own (already feeling a bit more cheerful).

Can I ask how you chose the clinic? Looks good and obviously did the trick for you . We are miles away, in Edinburgh, but frankly I am so hacked off with all the faffing around that I would 'happily' pay for some speedy, expert treatment. I don't know if yours was private or not - any ideas (if it isn't too cheeky) how much surgery would cost? And would you recommend your consultant?

Sorry, hope that isn't too many questions!

helenlouisey - your story is almost identical to my best friends, she was ttc 2.5 years and had no symptoms of endometriosis at all.

She has a laproscopy and they said it looked like she had very mild endometriosis which had left a bit of scar tissue, they lazored it off and she felt pregnant the first time they tried after which was not that month as she felt a bit bruised but the following.

Good luck xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thanks, babytime for another encouraging story.

Hi I would definitely recommend my consultant Mr Trew, he was absolutely brilliant. I was very lucky as my operation was covered by BUPA, otherwise I think it would have cost about £2k mark going privately, I was only in hospital for a day and had the op at 9.30am in the morning and I came home at around 5ish, I then took rest of the week off work to recover. I actually found my consultant through looking at this list www.tatler.co.uk/doctors/2007/details.aspx?c=197 There is a list of the 250 best private doctors throughout the country. I know my consultant is also an NHS consultant as well, and the operation took place at the NHS Hammersmith Hospital as they have a lot of specialist laser equipment there. I'm afraid I have no idea what the waiting list is like to see him on the NHS, seeing him privately I got to see him initially for my first appointment within a week then when decided I needed the lap I was told to wait for my next period arrived and then I had to call his secretary and I was offered an operation date a week later (could pick a date but went for the earliest available date as just wanted it over with). I really can't recommend my consultant highly enough and know I wouldn't be pregnant now if it wasn't for him. HTH and good luck

I now have an appt with Mr Trew next week, so thanks again helenlouisey.

Don't want to get my hopes up too much, but it feels like we are making progress at least....

Hello IWBP sounds like you're sorted but I thought I'd share my experience... I was diagnosed with stage three endo five years ago with 4cm cysts on both ovaries. I only had a diagnostic laparoscopy so no lasering but went on to conceive DD who's now 20mo and am now 7 weeks pregnant again.

I know every case is different but I hope this is another positive story to keep your spirits up. Best of luck with your appt.

iwillbepositive that's great news. Hope your appointment goes well, will be keeping any my fingers crossed for you. Keep us updated.

Just to update - had a hysteroscopy and lap & dye last week and they did find endometriosis and an ovarian cyst, which were lasered. I am now on the pill for a couple of months to calm things down and can then try again. Thanks again helenlouisey for your recommendation - I thought Mr Trew was absolutely excellent (unlike most of the docs we have seen so far on this miserable journey!)

Hi iwillbepositive - thanks for the update. Am really pleased that the operation all went well, I remember after my operation I was so relieved that the problem had been found but also in total disbelief at the same time, as like you I had no symptoms! I will be keeping my fingers crossed for you when you starting trying again in a few months. Good luck.

Just another update - I am now 14 weeks pregnant and (touch wood) everything seems to be going fine .

Thanks again helenlouisey - Mr Trew was absolutely fantastic and certainly seemed to have sorted things for us. I got pg the fourth month of trying after the lap & laser, a perfectly reasonable amount of time given that I am now (just!) 40.

So for anyone else with unexplained infertility (secondary or otherwise) as Mr Trew so wisely says, it isn't unexplained until you have been properly investigated and that does include a laparoscopy.

TTC (for nearly 3 years) was by far the hardest thing I have every experienced - heartfelt good luck to all those still going through it - don't give up.

So pleased to have seen this- had a lap and dye in December and have been TTC for 2 years. Endo was found around left ovary and left ovary and tube are stuck to my bowel. Have just been seen by fertility cons who was LOVELY and suggested surgery to laser endo later on. His thoughts are that because my right side is not affected we should be able to conceive successfully (had MC last year so we know we can do it! ) and he is also reluctant to do another lap to laser the left side because he thinks it is too soon since the first and I should give my body chance to heal otherwise more scar tissue will form. For now he wants me to carry on TTC and has done preliminary blood tests (all ok) to put our minds at rest. DH is all fine.

Does this sound similar to advice others have been given? am so eager to carry on TTC but he wants to be patient as he is sure I will do it without intervention. any thoughts much appreciated.

Congrats on pregnancy by the way- love stories like that at the mo- so positive and hopeful!

xxxxx

M2O - In an odd way that sounds encouraging IYSWIM. At least there is a reason. In terms of whether to try naturally or not, I suppose it depends on how desperate you are getting and how old you are. I also had a mc in March 2007 after about a year of ttc and thought that meant I would conceive again over a similar time frame. By Summer 2008 absolutely nothing had happened and it felt as if nothing ever would. We were contemplating IVF so I went for the laparoscopy on the basis that nothing is as invasive/expensive as IVF.

I don't know about the likelihood of scar tissue - it certainly sounds plausible and the consultant sounds pleasant and sensible (unlike a lot of the IVF people we saw who seemed to want to rush us into that). In my case they lasered away some endometrial deposits around my bowel and bladder and cleared out a cyst on my ovary. According to my consultant, endometriosis can have a devastating effect on fertility, partly because all sorts of chemicals get released which are very bad for sperm. Lasering it away gave us a window to get pg - it does almost always come back but at least the odds are improved for a bit.

Anyway, good luck and I really hope it works out for you.

Hi iwillbepositive- just seen your news, so fantastic, am over to moon for you, brillant I am so glad Mr Trew helped and you fell pregnant so quickly. Hope the pregnancy is going well and wishing you lots of luck for the future. Our little bundle is 6 months now and worth all the heart ache and pain and stress we went though