Endometriosis excision (and adenomyosis)

[girljulian]

Hello all -- especially my compatriots from the July/August IVF thread, I hope you're all well!

Just to say I've recently been approved for endometriosis excision surgery. Has anyone had this? My consultant said it's likely that my low AMH is just a result of having had endometriosis for so long that it's reduced my ovarian reserve. I'm not really sure how this could happen. He doesn't think endo surgery will make my response to the IVF drugs any better (last time I only managed to produce two eggs) but says it will be easier to get to the ovaries to collect eggs. At the moment, my ovaries are both stuck to my uterus.

I'd had a vague hope that having the surgery would actually force my left ovary (which was unresponsive) to do something, as I'd assumed maybe the tube was blocked by endo, but he didn't seem to think this was likely.

I've also apparently got adenomyosis, which I'd never even heard of!

I'm a bit worried about recovery from the surgery and how long it will take, as I hadn't really clocked that it will actually make me unfit for work for a couple of weeks.

Has anyone had IVF, then had this surgery, then done IVF again? Did it make any difference? Obviously, the first time didn't work, or rather I had a chemical pregnancy with what was apparently an excellent embryo.

Hi, I haven't done IVF (yet) but I have had excision surgery and also have adenomyosis.

A lot of my symptoms that I thought were endo, were actually adeno. I thought my op would help my pain. It helped some specific pains but not others.

My ovaries were also stuck with adhesions so they freed them. I also had endo patches on my ovaries, bladder, posterior vagina and all throughout my pouch of Douglas. My specialist excised it all but said it will always return. It's just a matter of time.

Endo can also harm eggs in the final stages of development (last 3 months before conception) so having any patches removed from your ovaries may help egg quality.

In terms of recovery, everyone is different. I was off work for 2-3 weeks from what I remember. I was so sore and kept getting faint. I've put on loads of weight since as my want to exercise went downhill. I had a miscarriage of twins the month after my lap, so it can really help with getting pregnant but not necessarily preventing miscarriage for some. However, this could be the adeno. It makes it harder for embryos to implant, and also can cause higher than normal natural killer cells.

I hope this is helpful and not too overwhelming.

Thanks @iRawra, this is useful! I didn't know about endo harming eggs -- my egg quality apparently was very good last time, it was just that I didn't make many eggs.

It's interesting to hear that so many of your symptoms were the adeno. My consultant did say he thought that was the primary cause of my very heavy painful periods, not the endo.

@girljulian I think it depends where they find the endo. Good to hear that your egg quality was good. That's a good sign there may not be spots on your ovaries :)

Yep, adeno is definitely the cause of my clots and heavy, painful, gushing periods. It almost got worse after my lap. I'm going to ask for an ultra-long down regulation when I do IVF as apparently it can help calm adeno and endo inflammation before transfer.