Yes, from what I have read, excess estrogen produced by the body is believed to be a factor in endometriosis.  So it would follow that a medication providing too much estrogen (or an estrogenic substance) would likely cause the same complications.   BCPs are often recommended  for endometriosis because a portion of each month's medication is the progesterone-type drugs that counter the estrogen produced by the body.

There is a lot of "tweaking" of dosages that  often goes on for years after medications are released for sale.  It goes back  to  medicine being a "practice"!  It is just too bad that we have to be the guinea pigs in part of the process.

My doc told me yesterday that after my lap if finds extensive endo I would have to go on some form of birth control to control it.

MickeyVicki-I was on the patch. I know there is controversy on this now. They says it releases to much estrogen when first applied. Do you think this could have made the endo worse. I say this because I had my last child 4-3-03. And was put on the patch. Well in 2005 I stopped taking the patch. And now am in pain Lower Left Side mainly. I've been thinking scar tissue mainly because I didn't think it could have come back this quick. First lap 3-01. Pregnant right after had 2 periods and pregnant again is the history.

Well, Lupron will essentially make the ovary stop functioning as long as a woman takes the medication.  If the ovary is not functioning, then the ovary is not making estrogen, which in turn means that the endometriosis will stop growing.  The theory is that while the ovary is "on hold", and thus the endo is also "on hold", then perhaps the body can work on finally destroying the endometrial implants.  (You see -- in a very simplified version of the process -- part of the problem with endometriosis is that while it is being shed inside the body each month, the body treats it like an infection or inflammation, attacking it with blood cells that fight such infections,  and the result is the scar-like adhesions that form in the abdomen.)

Now the other medications that I mentioned are progestines, which work to counter the excess estrogen believed to be a major component of the endemetriosis.  So this line of treatment is more to counter the endometriosis than an outright attempt to destroy it.  

At the time of your surgery, while the surgeon is working inside your abdomen, he or she will be able to see the 'current' endometrial implants as well as the old implant adhesions.    The surgeon will likely remove (usually by laser) as much of the current implants as can  removed, as well as some of the old adhesions, so you will wake from the surgery with a head start on fighting the condition, regardless of which medication course you are taking.

So is this something that they would just recommend for endo?  That is what they say I have.  Are they lots of different ones?  Why would one doctor prefer one over the other?

After my surgery and the discovery of my terrible case of endometriosis, my doctor recommended six months of Lupron to inhibit the normal ovary function.  However, the side effects of Lupron can be quite bad, like instant menopause with some other added affects that can last long after the medication is stopped.  I decided not to take the Lupron.  I did take several progesterone medications, including Prometrium and Aygestin.  However, if I take these medications for more than three months at a time, then I start gaining weight.   My cholesterol levels also went awry, probably from the Aygestin.  So, I alternate with a few months of Prometrium, then  take a few months off with nothing.

I have tried the progesterone cremes, and despite what some doctors will tell you,  they probably do work - they also make me gain weight just like the pills!