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Post by Laura on Mar 2, 2006 9:47:45 GMT -5
I had an appointment with my Dr. in October, explained my symptoms, and I was told he's 99% sure I have endo. So I went in for a u/s, and am going in next week to meet with my Dr. about it. We agreed to wait until after my Feb. wedding, so that we'd have time to make the decisions we need to make. My doctor told me that after we schedule the lap, we need to prepare for a) going on Lupron, or b) conceiving. We've decided that Lupron is Not for us, due to all of the side effects we've heard about. Are there any other alternatives? I'm dying for a baby, and that would be my choice, but I want to be fair to DH and know if there are any other ways to control endo after a lap.
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Post by ouchy on Mar 2, 2006 11:17:04 GMT -5
Hi, there. For hormonal options other than Lupron, you can also go on the Depo Provera birth control shot (osteoporosis risk as with Lupron), or you can go on a high-progestin combined hormone birth control pill (also contains estrogen), which is taken continuously anywhere from 3 months to a full year without a withdrawal bleed. I have to give you my experience with this method; although this method is wayyyyyy more gentle than Lupron, it can still cause vaginal atrophy --which leads to painful sex, and other signs of menopause, such as your face becoming older more quickly. I did this continuous method for about 5 years, and I feel sooooooooo much better now that I have just recently quit the synthetic hormones. Sex isn't painful for me anymore, and the skin on my face is becoming more supple. I still found this to be a better option for me than Lupron. My side effects also might not have been so bad if I hadn't taken them continuously for 5 years!!!
There is also the option not to do any hormonal treatment--Lupron or otherwise, depending what stage the endometriosis might be in and just watch for signs and symptoms that the endo is coming back. I guess this is the method I am doing now, along with herbal supplements to counter-act my body's own estrogens. If you wind up choosing this method of "watch-and- wait," and contraception is an issue, you can use condoms or monitor your fertile times with biofeedback and a really cool thing called a saliva ovulation microscope. It is a small 50x microscope about the size of a lipstick tube that shows you when you are nearing ovulation and actually ovulating by the salt crystal formations that form in your saliva in relation to the elevated estrogen levels. Pretty cool, huh!
Good luck in your decisions, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!
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Post by Janet on Mar 2, 2006 13:00:59 GMT -5
My dr talked to me about Lupron, birth control pills to control it, or nothing. I am doing nothing. I have been basically pain free since the lap in october. When it comes back I'll decide how to proceed then. It is totally your choice on what you want to do, not the doctors. Good Luck to you, and I don't recommend having a baby if you aren't ready, controlling endo is not a reason to have a baby as I'm sure you know.
Congrats on getting married! Good Luck on the lap.
janet
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Post by ouchy on Mar 2, 2006 13:44:55 GMT -5
oh yah. i forgot to add that having a baby was another one of my villainous options...and as we have all seen...a baby is NOT a cure for endo, just temporary relief like all the other hormonal options!!! although, babies are are sweet and adorable oops. it's already march, so i guess you're already married, well, congrats still!
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Post by kdavidson on Mar 2, 2006 21:29:53 GMT -5
Hi, I have had endo for a number of years and am now in "remission". One thing you might want to try is Evening Primrose Oil. Try the 500mg. which is available at any health store. It should be taken with milk every day at least one time a day. It will take about 2 months to see if it is helping. Or if you get any reaction from it. Eventually, you can work up to an EPO that is 1300mg, and take that once a day. Remember that the LA (linolenic acid) should have more milligrams than the GLA (gamma linolenic acid). Hope this helps.
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Post by lynette on Mar 3, 2006 23:24:47 GMT -5
Congratulations on the wedding. I did the Lupron and then the nuva-ring and the pain still came back, had a second lap and the pain never went away. I would try the natural supplements that others here have recommended. I think those would be the best way to go. Good luck Lynette
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