Endometriosis.

[Opossum My Possum]

I'm eighteen, nineteen in May, and I have endometriosis.
I've had it for a long time, I had surgery in December 2011 for it, and I had it burned off.
I have it again, and I'm getting the same surgery for it tomorrow.

I've been reading online that it doesn't ever go away completely.
I could get everything removed ( Uterus, ovaries, ect ) and I wasn't totally sure, but I don't think it will go away, even with that.

I'm supposed to get this surgery and then an IUD in, but this won't make it go away forever.
It'll only keep it at bay- MAYBE..

If you have it, or know someone who has it, or maybe you just know a lot about it,
please, help me with these questions:


1- If I get everything removed ( uterus, ovaries, ect ) will endometriosis disappear completely?

2- With an IUD, will it keep the endo at bay? Or will it not help at all?

3- What IUD should I get? I've read bad things about Mirena.

4- What should I do? I'm not old enough to get everything taken out, but I'm scared, because if it spreads to my bowels and gets me blocked up enough, I could die.

 

[TorTracyn]

I can help you with one of these questions...

3- What IUD should I get? I've read bad things about Mirena.


I actually had the Paragard IUD for a while. Hurt a little bit getting it uhh...put into place...and it hurt getting it removed, too. They don't tell you that the side effects (perforation, etc) mostly happen when it's being inserted. It's a thing your doctor has to do and it's a really awkward procedure. Measuring your uterus is involved. It's just flat out uncomfortable. And if they mess up, it can perforate the uterus and cause all sorts of horrible things including death, blah blah blah. Then, if you do get pregnant, death of the fetus, maybe you, all worst case scenario things.

What you're hearing about Mirena is law firms getting excited just like they did with Yaz. Yaz has the SAME side-effects as ANY OTHER PILL but because it was popular, there were more of the bad cases, people started suing, it got taken off the market. Which sucked because it worked REALLY WELL for some women (like my sister). Didn't work so well for me. But, now you're seeing commercials about how a little plastic thing wrapped in copper can "OMFG KILL YOU AND RIP YOUR UTERUS OUT!" or whatever. It's just lawyers trying to get money.

My problem with the paragard was that I've been on the pill so long, I forgot why I got on it in the first place when I was 17. To calm down my crazy period. Regular, but very painful. Then, with the IUD they tell you that if you feel cramping worse than you've ever felt before to go to the ER, and I did and they pretty much laughed me out of there despite all the pain and everything...they didn't check for an infection or anything, just kinda took a look, shrugged, and sent me out... (it was also a really crappy hospital...but the best in the city I was living in at the time...)

IUDs work for some people and don't work for others. I'm back on the pill now because my cramps without the hormones suck lol

The only difference between Mirena and Paragard is that Mirena also has hormones like the pill does that slowly release into you over the course of the 5 years you have it implanted and Paragard is wrapped in copper. I've forgotten why, but it isn't going to like...poison you or anything. But the Paragard has no hormones.

That's all the help I can give, really...I know my grandmother had endometriosis and was told she could never have a kid, then my mom happened...but I don't know anything else about it, sorry. Hope I was at least a little helpful :)

 

[Opossum My Possum]

I had to stop taking my birth control, because i'm not supposed to have the hormones, and i'm not supposed to have a period.
I'll try Mirena, but if anything happens, I'm getting it out.
My gyno is a really good doctor, and he listens, so I'll be fine.

Thank you though!

 

[TorTracyn]

:) No problem. Glad I could help some!