Pregnancy after endo stage IV diagnosis

[Dolfynkis]

Hello- I am not sure if I am in the right forum for this but I am going to ask anyways. I had laprascopy 2 1/2 weeks ago to treat stage IV endometriosis. After the surgery when the Dr. spoke to my husband she told him everything was "cleaned up" and we could start TTC as soon as I felt up to it. She told him that my uterus and ovaries are healthy and I can get pregnant BUT we should also save up and consider IVF.... fast forward to my post op appointment 4 days ago, the Dr. told me she doesn't think the surgery really cleaned much up and the only way she believes we will be able to get pregnant its through IVF. We asked about trying other methods first (hormone therapy) before going straight to IVF and she said she believes everything else would be a waste of time and will not prescribe anything. I have an appointment next week for second opinion. But I am looking for some more insight to this. I am having a hard time with her saying nothing but IVF will work. I understand she is the Dr. and this is her profession, but I also feel she is pushing IVF on us because it is what she personally had to do. Anyone with stage IV endo experience that has gotten pregnant naturally? Any advise or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am starting acupuncture for infertility this week... again trying to exhaust any and all methods before spending $$$$$ on IVF. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!

[pokie_pea]

I can tell you that I understand that it is frustrating, having one doctor tell you one thing and another doctor telling you the complete opposite. I say exhaust all of your options first, before IVF. you are so smart with getting a second opinion, now I wish we did.  I'm only telling you this through personal experiance. I also had a lap done to remove all the endo, cycts, fibroid tumour and he repositioned my overy. I had two Hysteroscopies done, those actually were painful during the dye injection but everything was clear as of this march. we did three rounds each of cholmid, and fertility injections with IUI. Now we are on to IVF. so i say dont give up and you are doing the right thing for yourself, never second guess.  

[91becca]

Have you been trying to get pregnant naturally and failing?

You could request to have a hysteroscopy which puts dye through your tubes to check they're clear - a normal laparoscopy doesn't do this.

So your surgeon/doctor told you and your husband that it cleared up really well and then she changed her mind and that that you will most definately need IVF? This being the same Doctor? Weiird..

If you continue to try naturally and are not taking birth control to manage the endo, it will grow back fast :( and because it's such a severe diagnosis of stage IV, it could end up damaging your chances further.

I have stage III and mine has grown back enough to cause constand bleeding and pain again, after only 11 months since my laparoscopy/hysteroscopy and I have been through medically induced menopause for 6 months, and the contraceptive pill every day with no placebos! So it didn't slow it down very much, even after all that effort.

Just think about if you try these other methods and the time wasting ends up meaning that the IVF chances could be diminished because of the endo growing back and doing more damage, would you be able to cope? Maybe you could save up for IVF whilst trying to do some of these other things, but if it's your surgeon that's saying this, then I'd believe them as stage IV is quite severe.

On the brighter side, my Grandmother and two of my Aunts all had different stages of endo and had a bunch of kids :)

One aunt in particular had it very bad and needed a hysterectomy, but she'd had two kids :)

Good luck!  (Sorry for asnwering even though I'm not a mum, I'm only 19, but it's all through my family!)