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Jolie's surgery...

I just returned home from Georgia, bringing my daughter home with me.  Turns out that she has stage 4 Endometriosis, including a basketball size tumor called an endometrioma.  The drs think that the tumor is benign.  Haven't received the final path report yet.

My daughter had no clue that these things were growing inside of her.  She was slender, but always had bloating problems.  She has been to the drs many time, but was never correctly diagnosed.  It is so bad that the dr. said she can't ever be allowed to have a period again.  So they are putting her on bc pills.  She will take them continually, with no breaks in the cycle.  It is doubtful that she will have children.  We are so very grateful that it wasn't anything worse.  However, this is
all so sudden and sad for her still.

Thanks for all of your support, and has anyone heard from
Anne Marie yet?  I'm really worried.  Kaci
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Avatar universal
Nearly every women in my family has endometriosis, and some have terrible cases of it.   I am talking the types who bleed so heavily they could not leave the house during their periods, and others who were essentially bed-ridden with pain and bloating from the start of their cycles.  Despite all the dire predictions on the part of their respective doctors, they still managed to have children.   As long as your daugher has a uterus and at least one ovary, then there is still hope.
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Avatar universal
So glad to hear that surgery went well for Jolie.  AS for not having children, tell her not to give up, I know of at least two friends who went through the same things as your daughter and they both have children (2 and 3 each).  The pregancies actually helped the endo issues until they were in their 40's.  Have your daughter do some research (once she's fully recovered of course).  We're all praying for her - for her recovery of today and for her joys of tomorrow.  Blessings.  Spice (Patty)
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117289 tn?1391712825
Great news for both of you and your whole family.  She is where she needs to be, with you.  There are always alternatives to having children.  Look at all of those in need of parents.  It will all work out, so Keep the Faith.  Godspeed
~Tascha
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Avatar universal
That was such good news!  I am glad that your daughter is home with you in Georgia.  I know that you will take good care of her.
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119341 tn?1232563757
I had a lap for endo March 2001 and in Dec 2001 I had my first child. I think anything is possible. I know you don't want her to have a child that fast. But stay positive it can happen. I have 2 children now. And I will be having another lap 4-7-06 for scar tissue and endo the doctor thinks.
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Avatar universal
Hi - That's good news for your daughter.  I never heard of an endometrioma that large!  Though usually the pain of the endo or fertilitly problems bring people in to the GYN earlier maybe?  I have had endo since my 20s and I'm now 44.  The cyst I recently had removed had grown quite a bit in just the last month. Not sure how big it was until I see the Dr for the f/u.  Tell your Dr that I never thought I would have children, but I have 2 now.  Really the endo can significantly improve if you get the large active sites of it out as your daughter just did.  There is also research showing that - excluding obstruction or mechanical problems that endo may cause - the infertility often associated w/ it is because of the inflammation caused by active lesions - it causes problems w/ sperm viability and implantation.  Many studies have measured inflammation in peritoneal fluid and serum before and after removal of endo lesions (the red active ones and large cysts as your daughter had are the ones they discuss in the research).  The research showed that when these lesions are removed successfully, the inflammation goes down significantly.  

That was exactly the case with me.  And then getting pregnant really knocked the endo out until just recently.  

I also know that at least a few infertililty Drs have successfully treated patients w/ endometriosis/infertililty w/ anti-inflammatories and these women were able to become pregnant and deliver healthy babies.

I just wanted to share this w/ you since while your daughter got some good news, I realize that being told you won't ever be able to have children is not entirely good news. I don't think this is necessarily true.  Finally some progress is being made in understanding endometriosis and hopefully when and if the time comes that your daughter wishes to have children, she will benefit from the increased understanding of it.

Best wishes to you and your daughter
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