I had an MRI done last week to check for endo
metriosis. It was in a beautiful historical hospital, which really helped my mood as it felt a bit more like a half-day vacation than yet more time wasted on medical tests. Oh the pretty things you discover thanks to infertility! Also, the guy who did the MRI was really good looking and very nice. Aren’t I super lucky?!
Overall, it was no great fun but it wasn’t tragic either. I fell asleep despite the noise of the MRI machine (why does the one in Doctor House make no noise? is it because there are better machines in the US or just because it’s a TV show?). The worst part was actually that after the exam all the gel they had put in came out and the pad they had given me was not at all enough. I ended up walking around with a wet butt, nickers and trousers for hours. Glamorous, I know.. sorry.. but I am saying it for those who will have to do this in the future. Bring your own pads and bring loads!
The discussion with the radiologist (the big Professor) was really annoying: lot of questions and an aggressive attitude. He asked about three times if when it hurts during sex it is more to the left or to the right. He wouldn’t take “I don’t know” as an answer. But how would I know? Normally when it hurts we stop instead of trying to locate the pain.. The big Professor also neglected to give any sort of explanation. He kept talking really quickly to a voice recorder using medical terms and only directed his final verdict to me with a worried look: “it is not easy…”. While I was wondering whether it was not easy to understand the results or to live with what I have, he said au revoir and left.
I received the written results yesterday and they are only a tiny bit clearer:
- My ovaries and uterus appear to be clear of endo (good news, right?).
- My uterus is tilted to the left (after much googling I believe this can be due to endometriosis).
- My left ovary is really high up, which I already knew because my dildo cam appointments are all about finding the lost left ovary.
- The area between the bladder and the uterus seems to be clear of endo.
- The cul-de-sac (pouch-like area behind the uterus) is stuck on the left side, but it is unclear whether this is due to endo implants.
- There are endometrial adhesions in the area between the uterus and the rectum (which explains the pain).
That’s it for now. I don’t really know what to do with this info. What do the endo experts think? Has this affected IVF results? Will I need a lap to check and eventually have the implants removed? Will I need to adapt the IVF treatments? Hopefully the gynecologist will enlighten me!
Today I hope 
Hello dear! I am one of the many in the infertile blog world with some degree of (but I think not severe?… they didn’t actually tell my what “stage” it was…) endometriosis and had it treated in France. The endo was discovered and corrected (i.e. adhesions were removed/unstuck) during a “celioscopie” done at the beginning of my fertility treatments. I know of quite a few women who were able to conceive naturally after having the corrective surgery but this was not the case for me… I think it depends mostly on what precisely the endo has done to your insides. Each case seems to be quite different. In any case, you are being active and that is empowering… and I do hope that very soon all of this exploration will bring you not only answers but closer to your long-awaited baby!! 🙂
Thanks for sharing your experience! I’ll see what the doctor says but I would like to get a colioscopie done. I had already planned to get an ovarian drilling done so I may as well do the, both.
I doubt it’ll get us to natural conception but it may help with the next IVF rounds.. At least I want to hope so..
Didn’t realise you had lived in France. That’s cool!
xx
(Did and still do live in France… :)) I am very hopeful for you, truly. The treatments and the healing takes time but ultimately will improve your chances of success. Again, I am excited and hopeful for you! 🙂
Oh woow, big “French” community. Really didn’t realise that.. Thanks. And I’m hopeful for you that all will continue for the best! xx
The noise is there in the US. House is just quiet so you can hear the dialog of the show.
Sorry the doctor wasn’t very helpful or courteous. *big hug* I know very little about endo but it sounds like your results were not too bad.
Thank you for this. Now I know the truth about the MRI in Doctor House. I also trust the MRI machine a bit more: I was wondering whether it was an old one or something..
xx
Sorry the doc was rather unhelpful but boy that place is pretty! I don’t really have much expertise but when I had suspected endo they whipped me in for a lap and took it out! Xx
Good to know. Thanks! x
The MRIs here are definitely loud!
I’m glad you’ve gotten some answers about the pain. I’m not sure if the endo would have affected IVF results– when you you get to discuss with your doctor?
I read a lot about Lupron when my OB suggested it, and decided against it. I think I mentioned to you that my RE didn’t recommend a lap or Lupron… he felt that the location and severity of endo (stage I/II) wasn’t affecting my fertility much and it was better to move ahead with trying to get pregnant. Lupron would have put me out of the TTC game for at least six months.
I don’t know what the RE will say. I expect he’ll say the same thing. But since I want an ovarian drilling done anyway, I may end up asking for both. I’ll see him in about 2 weeks.
6 months is a lot but we may need a break anyway. I have spent this whole year doing nothing but treatments. A break might be good. Again, don’t know what to do yet, so I’ll see what the RE says.. Thanks!! xx
Hi. I’m not sure it’s big help but here is my story. I suffer from mild profound endometriosis. After 2 years of completely unsuccessful TTC, I went through surgery to remove the lesions. I fell pregnant through our second round of IUI four months later. The doc’s hypothesis is that the endo caused an inflammatory environment that made conceiving much more challenging (probably not impossible but our chances were very low). My husband has a slightly altered spermogram (terato + count just below the 2014 WHO limit) so that might also be the reason why we succeeded through IUI and not naturally, we’ll never know.
I’d say, if you have to go for surgery for the drilling, then go for it in the mean time if it’s possible. At worse, it will not improve your fertility but it will still improve your quality of life (bye bye painful sex!).
Thanks for sharing this. I think if we do the drilling I’ll definitely ask for a lap too. As you say, I may as well improve my quality of life, or if not the whole life at least my sex life.. Thanks!! x
Sorry the doctor was cold and unhelpful, but at least you won’t have to see him again. Hoping that you get some clarity from the gyno on next steps and glad that you at least have some answers back from the procedure. I’ve found that knowledge has helped me to at least have some semblance of control over all this.
Absolutely. all this is good to get more peace of mind and better understand my body. xx
Well, at least that’s over with and you have some information! I have a tilted uterus as well…it doesn’t seem to be too much of a problem, just have to change positions sometimes. Looking forward to hearing what your doctor has to say! and YES, MRI is loud everywhere. Even brand new ones. We give ear plugs and put noise cancelling headphones over people’s ears and they can still hear the clanging, banging, and vibrations.
Good to hear that the tilted uterus isn’t a big problem. I don’t need more problems.. Thanks!
Lucky you indeed with the cute MRI operator and the gorgeous place 🙂 I’ve done an MRI twice and I only got the gel the second one, but for sure, it’s not funny!
I think the only way your endo could have affected your IVF results is by the inflammatory environment. Often the docs aren’t too keen on operating it, but I guess it depends on where it’s located.
I hope you’ll get some answers soon!
I need to better understand this thing of the inflammatory environment. Thanks for pointing it out. Indded let’s see what the doctor says.. xx
interesting results.
During my laprascopic surgery – they found no endo, but my left ovary is also MIA. Interesting…
Silly ovaries 😉
What an amazing hospital.
I used to work with a girl who always told me nothing was easy. I laugh now because she is so right and I laugh harder because now I say it to people. It works in so many situations.
I think knowing is probably a step in the right direction. Your endo is in a similar place to mine but I also have endometriomas in my right ovary. As far as affecting the outcome of IVF I believe I’ve read that there is some speculation that endometriomas in the ovaries can reduce egg quality. I feel that was probably the problem with my eggs although no doctor said that to me. I think the hard thing for the doctors is that they don’t really know if or how it is affecting your ability to reproduce.
I totally understand not knowing where the pain is. I’ve can’t even pinpoint where my cramps are about 98% of the time. They are just there, everywhere.
I hope the gyno can work with the information.
You and your friend are definitely right. Nothing is easy.. oh well, we’ll just have to deal with it as it is…
I don’t know much about endo. From what I have read it seems one of the problems with endo is that it can create an inflammatory environment in the uterus. Your NK cell biopsy results seem reassuring on that front. Have you had any other immunological testing done (antiphospholipid antibodies, antinuclear antibodies, antithyroid antibodies…)? I’m thinking of you and hoping for a constructive appointment with your doc in a couple weeks.
I have done immunological testing and all came back fine. So not sure how much endo is affecting results. I actually thin it’s a lot more to do with bad embryo quality.
Let’s see what the doctor says..
Glad you liked the picture. It is a lovely and peaceful place.
I hope all is going well for you. xx
P.S. I loved the garden pic. It’s always nice to come across little things that help us look on the bright side of this whole process (as challenging as it may be). xoxo
Impressed you fell asleep during that!!!! Glad it’s over with and hope you get some good direction/answers soon!
Thanks hope so too! Looking forward to seeing the gyn on Thursday!
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