https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:03:12 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bees-with-endometriosis-help-pls#post-1554767 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 16:24:16 +0000 LAZB 1554767@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lilyofthewest: I hope you are right, and next month will be better.<br /> I also have stage IV endo, and like a couple of the ladies above said, without having a lap, my doctor said that I would have never gotten pregnant. I had no idea that I had endo until my lap, which I had seven months after we started TTC.<br /> As far as tips to help the pain, I wish I had some, but it sounds like you are doing everything that I could suggest. GL, and I hope your pain was a one time thing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bees-with-endometriosis-help-pls#post-1553892 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 12:35:47 +0000 turquoisemama 1553892@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lilyofthewest: I agree, you shouldn't wait if you are that uncomfortable and it's effecting your daily life. The only thing that helps my horrible cramps is 3 Advil liquid gel capsules. I don't like taking that much medication, but I can't function without it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bees-with-endometriosis-help-pls#post-1552980 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 08:51:08 +0000 lilyofthewest 1552980@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@septca: Thank you! I think I'm going to hang in for one more cycle largely because I know of several acquaintances and coworkers who had brutal first cycles after Mirena (who definitely don't have endo). </p> <p>Also, I passed a decidual cast last night (gross, painful, but kinda cool. Mine was not anywhere near as dramatic as the one in these pictures! - <a href="http://ispub.com/IJGO/9/1/11420)" rel="nofollow">http://ispub.com/IJGO/9/1/11420)</a>. Was probably related to stopping a long-term progestin therapy. I think that likely contributed significantly to my level of misery yesterday.</p> <p>However, if my optimism isn't all it is cracked up to be and I have this level of pain again next month... There is no way in hell I'm waiting past cycle day 2 to be on the phone with my OB's office. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bees-with-endometriosis-help-pls#post-1552898 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 08:32:33 +0000 septca 1552898@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lilyofthewest: As promised, more info and advice from me:</p> <p>If you are having that severe of pain and you and your doctor are fairly confident that you have endo, I would NOT wait to do a couple of minor things. First, I would have an HSG to see if your tubes are open, and second, I would ask for an ultrasound. An u/s won't show endo, but it can give your doctor more information about what is going on in case you are also dealing with cysts or fibroids (which can also cause a lot of pain around AF).</p> <p>I TTC unsuccessfully for a year before giving in and having a lap. I thank my doctor and my husband every day for pushing me into it - without surgical intervention I, like @CatchAFallingStar, would not have been able to get pregnant. Both of my tubes were blocked by endo growth. My doctor was able to clear one, and I got KU the next month that I O'ed from that side.</p> <p>I understand your feelings of not wanting to seek intervention so soon, because I felt exactly the same way. But both the HSG and u/s are easy, quick, and totally non-invasive. Those tests can give you a lot of information about what your body is doing. If both come back clear, then you, your husband, and your doctor can determine whether it's time to do the lap.</p> <p>Making the decision to move forward with surgery is scary and annoying, especially when it means that you have to put TTC on hold momentarily to recover. I can't speak for CatchAFallingStar, but I can tell you with 100% certainty that I wish I had sought help sooner. Those 12 months of TTC were very hard on my body, my mental health, and my marriage.</p> <p>Now that we are TTC #2, I have been much more proactive about taking care of myself and getting answers. Endometriosis is a scary, unpleasant condition, but there are things you can do to alleviate your pain. ((hugs)) Please feel free to wall me anytime you need a bit of support during this process. :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bees-with-endometriosis-help-pls#post-1552674 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 07:00:52 +0000 lilyofthewest 1552674@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catchafallingstar: @mrswin: @blackbird: @aqualov: @septca: @happygal:</p> <p>Thank you all for your replies. Though I didn't respond yesterday, just feeling validated and less alone in my misery was really helpful. </p> <p>The plan was to try to 6 months before worrying or planning any kind of interventions. I told sweetie yesterday that if I have this kind of pain again next month, I am not going to make it to 6 months. So, no worries about waiting and wasting time.</p> <p>For the next couple months, I'm trying to stay positive that hopefully I am just a pain wuss and don't have too much extrauterine endometrium. I've had my cycles completely suppressed for 15 of the 20 years since menarche, so, hopefully that counts for something. </p> <p>Thanks again!</p> <p>I welcome more suggestions about TTC. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bees-with-endometriosis-help-pls#post-1552129 Mon, 07 Apr 2014 19:47:00 +0000 CatchAFallingStar 1552129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lilyofthewest: So sorry you're feeling so awful. I recently had a lap and was diagnosed with stage 4. I've been dealing with awful periods since I was about 14. Heating pads help, but there's not much else that helps me, unfortunately. Advil and Aleve make me sick, so I can't take them. Have you considered having a lap? My RE said it would have been impossible for me to get pregnant without it. The endo was blocking the egg from exiting the ovary. He removed all the endo, so it's gone for now. Not trying to worry you, just want you to make sure you receive the right treatment and don't waste too much time like I did. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bees-with-endometriosis-help-pls#post-1552112 Mon, 07 Apr 2014 19:39:13 +0000 mrswin 1552112@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had severe pain but not as bad as what you are describing. I have been seeing a naturopath and the diet changes as well as supplements I have been taking have made a noticeable difference in my pain levels. If you are open to it maybe see if there is a provider with experience dealing with endo </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bees-with-endometriosis-help-pls#post-1551944 Mon, 07 Apr 2014 18:04:52 +0000 blackbird 1551944@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My dr prescribed me Vicodin and it took the edge off. He also had me start ibuprofen the week before my period to lessen the inflammation</p> <p>I've had two laps and they were very helpful in reducing pain </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bees-with-endometriosis-help-pls#post-1551911 Mon, 07 Apr 2014 17:50:13 +0000 Aqualov 1551911@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My Endo has been getting worse since I came off the pill to TTC also. I began taking low-dose/baby aspirin for my Endo once a day 3-4 months ago and it has done wonders for my pain. It also stopped the 3-4 days of spotting I had before my period. Having a lap will also reduce the pain and help increase fertility (for 3-6 months) if you have Endo. I'm actually having my second lap in a few weeks since my pain has become severe and we're moving on to cycle 11 of TTC. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bees-with-endometriosis-help-pls#post-1551879 Mon, 07 Apr 2014 17:34:15 +0000 septca 1551879@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi! I am so sorry you are dealing with this. Endometriosis is a real and terrible condition. If you need to, don't feel bad about taking a sick day or working from home if you need to to manage your pain.</p> <p>I have lots more advice on the TTC front, but have to post and run - I will post more later! :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bees-with-endometriosis-help-pls#post-1551875 Mon, 07 Apr 2014 17:32:10 +0000 Happygal 1551875@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lilyofthewest: I'm so sorry! My periods were rough when I was younger, but birth control really helped with all of that. I like taking hot baths and will drain and refill a number of times. It sounds like you're doing just about all that you can do. And while my instinct when it was really bad was to curl up, I do think stretching and moving can help as well.</p> <p>If you don't get pregnant this cycle, might you consider a lap? I just completed one and am already grateful for pain relief. Pregnancy is a temporary solution to it all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bees-with-endometriosis-help-pls#post-1551844 Mon, 07 Apr 2014 17:06:07 +0000 lilyofthewest 1551844@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've never had a lap to formally diagnose endometriosis, but both I and my care providers have strongly suspected it based on the symptoms (mostly horrible pain with periods, also sometimes blood in my stool when I'm on my period). </p> <p>I'm currently having my first period in more than a decade, and I'm really struggling. I'm using heating pads, taking 500mg of naproxen every 12 hours, plus adding on tramadol when I'm at home and Tylenol when I'm at work. It is helping some, but, I'm still having significant enough pain that it is affecting my ability to work. Also, I threw up twice at work today -- which was both embarrassing and really unpleasant. </p> <p>I used Mirena for the last nine years and didn't have a period at all during that time. For the three years before that, I used NuvaRing continuously -- also no periods. I used depo for a few years before that -- no periods. Those methods worked really, really well for me, but....</p> <p>Since I'm trying to get knocked up, hormonal birth control isn't a management option right now. Other than getting pregnant this cycle if possible, what can I do to be more functional? The last time I had to deal with this I was a teenager; I don't remember what to do! </p>