Endometriosis - West Hartford,CT

I was only "cured" of endometriosis after a hysterectomy. By that time it had spread to one of my ovaries, so my uterus and affected ovary were removed. It changed my life - I was pain-free, didn't have horrible menstrual periods, etc. Friends who had it had worse situations - they left it too long and it spread to other organs like the bowels, and this creates all kinds of difficulties. As others have advised, consult your doctor, get a second and third opinion if necessary.

I had surgery for endometriosis and was told I would have to be on the pill forever or the symptoms would return. I got off about a year after surgery to try and get pregnant and my symptoms came back (pain) severly. I did not get pregnant and did get back on the pill.

This is certainly comething you should be asking your doctor about.
Too much depends on the severity of your endometriosis, etc.
I definitely don't think you should just arbitrarily stop taking the pills.
The pills won't cure you, but they will keep the endometriosis at bay to an extent.
I suffered with endometriosis for years and did the pill therapy because I was young and really wanted to try to have a child.
I followed my doctor's instructions to the letter.
I also had numerous surgeries.

Make an appointment and go over these things with your doctor.
Best wishes.

Birth control is never going to cure you endometriosis. It will only easy your symptoms while you are on it. Basically is masks the disease. Get with a doctor that uses Naprotechnology. Dr. Hilgers created it and is world renowned for his work in the reproductive area.
www.naprotechnology.com/infertility.htm
www.fertilitycare.org

Have you considered having surgery to cure the endometriosis? My doctor was worried that was why I was having trouble conceiving a number of years ago, and did an exploratory laproscopic surgery with the intention of "zapping" it if he found it. He said that the surgical treatment is very effective, at least in the short term.

Sorry, I know that's not exactly the advice that you are looking for at all, but just wanted to bring up another alternative to birth control (in case you are trying to conceive.)

Good luck.

I had my first surgery for endometriosis when I was 18. I'm sorry to say that even that was not a cure. I was on bc pills until a few month span when my husband and I tried to conceive when I was in my later 20s. After that and the pain during those few months, I had another surgery at 32 before we tried again. My doctor took out the scarring as well as a clump of nerves ( presacral neurectomy?) to lessen period pain. The combination really helped during the year we took to conceive. I've also heard that some women have a lessoning of symptoms after childbirth. I haven't started cycling yet, so I can't tell you if that worked for me.
Good luck and I hope you find a way to be pain free that you are comfortable with.

1- This is definitely a conversation you should be having with your midwife or OB/GYN. You should not start or stop a prescribed medication without agreeing to a plan with your doctor.

2- Ten or so years ago, I was given a diagnosis of endometriosis. At that time, the doctor said that there isn't a "cure"...only treatment. I believe that still stands true. There isn't a cure, just treatments that lessen the symptoms.

If you don't want to be on BCP, then you should consult with a midwife or naturopath on alternative therapies.

Sorry...it doesn't sound like that is what you wanted to hear.

Have you considered boosting your immune system to give your body all that it needs to help do what it wants to do naturally, which is to heal itself? You can mask the symptoms, as others have suggested, or you can combine meds with immune system boosting nutrition (patented products, unique, safe) and eventually your body will balance. I'm talking food, not drugs. let me know if you want more info. Happy to help. Maybe you'd like to talk to others who got relief - I can arrange that.

there is no cure for endometriosis. you will have to take the pill until you are ready to rid of everything (you know what i mean). i am on pill. i took loestrin first but it was awful on me and my body. now i take ortho tri cyclen lo. much better. i have had two surgeries for endo and apparently from what was seen inside i must have had it for over 15 years. my periods were from hell from day 1. i now breathe freely when i get them even though 2-3 days prior to them i am so scarred for life that i freak out thinking about the last.

First of all endometriosis is not curable it can only be controlled/treated. This is something you are born with. Endometriosis is defined as ectopic endometrial tissue throughout the pelvis or anywhere in the body, but usually in the pelvis. I would follow your doctors instructions about the pill and consider laproscopic surgery if it is severe enough. And people with endometriosis can get pregnant. Sometimes it may take a little more work, but many people have a hard time getting pregnant for many other reasons. Good luck with it and talk to your doctor.