Question for those with PCOS or Endometriosis

**For clarified question please look six posts down.


I am currently 15 DPO and AF has yet to show. I had spotting at 8 DPO but other than that one incident nothing. My Dr has diagnosed me with both PCOS as well as Endo (though for now she is just monitoring me) so I know to expect irrgegular cycles. My thing is this is my first cycle off of my low does BC pill and I usually keep regular for one to two cycles after taking the pill. I got a positive OPK 15 DPO on the dot. I have been experiencing a constant ache for the past wo days now but still no AF. I am concered that AF will not come. Judging from the 11 negative PG tests I am pretty sure that I am not pregnant (yes I know I have a problem.)

My question is for those that have PCOS or/and Endo. If I do not get AF on my own could this be a sign that what I have has indeed gotten worse? Can Endo and/or PCOS get worse with additional pregancies? I really wanted to avoid taking provera or clomid as long as I could which is why I was on the low dose BC. I am currently waiting to hear back from my Dr. at the moment on when I can be seen.

Just curious, how did your Dr conclude that you have Endometriosis and PCOS?

Quoting Mrs. C:“ I am currently 15 DPO and AF has yet to show. I had spotting at 8 DPO but other than that one incident ... [snip!] ... which is why I was on the low dose BC. I am currently waiting to hear back from my Dr. at the moment on when I can be seen.”

I dunno that it can increase with pregnancies... but--when i was 15, I went 6 months without a period and thats when I was diagnosed with PCOS... I can say this though, I havent had a cyst since LAST July, and now just a month PP, I already have one, and its worse than ever  

Endometriosis is only officially diagnosed with surgery. I don't know of a single doctor who would only monitor you if you had endometriosis, it's a serious "disease". Maybe you should find another doctor.

Pregnancy helps endometriosis..as the pain is caused when the body prepares to shed the endomtrium lining (which does not happen in pregnancy.)

I don't know anything about PCOS, sorry..

Quoting no longer empty arms:“ Just curious, how did your Dr conclude that you have Endometriosis and PCOS?”

PCOS was through blood test results as well as history and symptoms. She concluded the endo through syptoms as well as the fact that since I have had my daughter (5 years ago) I had about 3 years with no period at all . She said that as for now since I am still able to concieve with help that she does not want to do a LAP procedure just observe. Maybe I should correct myself, she wants to go under the assumption that I very well could have Endo. in any case she said that with the PCOS left untreated I am at high risk for developing it.

Quoting Fancy.Pants:“ Endometriosis is only officially diagnosed with surgery. I don't know of a single doctor who would only ... [snip!] ... body prepares to shed the endomtrium lining (which does not happen in pregnancy.) I don't know anything about PCOS, sorry..”

Actually, through the research I have done reguarding endo depending on symptoms there are Drs that just observe. I thought it was odd myself when she suggested endo. I had suspected PCOS but since I was still able to concieve I never suspected endo. She said that she would prefer to act on the cautionary side and observe rather than preform an unnecessary procedure at this time. My Dr seems to be very much on the side that every case is different and should be treated as such.

**Edited to add I had to go through several Drs that would give me something other than, "Lose weight and all will be well because I said so." I actually trust me Dr. When I have questions she answers them, not just with yes or no but she includes a why.

Ok, I have re read my post and it seems that while I tried to cut out things to make it shorter (my posts tend to be long) I cut out some important things.

1. I have been diagnosed with PCOS for sure which is being treated.
2. Because of my history my Dr. suspects that I do have endo. since I am still able to get pregnant with help anf fairly easily she has decided to only observe for the time being. She does not believe that at this point in time a LAP is necessary.
3. Question, I am unable to find if Endo can develop or worsen with pregnancies or in my case MCs?

I don't know if it can get worse, I hear that it's better after a pregnancy, but bad endo, and PCOS, can cause MC. He believes that the Endo is what caused my MC. I never have periods at all, I'm not sure if the PCOS or the Endo is causing it, but something is.

You might consider getting the Lap anyway, it's not too bad (physical wise, dunno your insurance/money situation), it's the only way to FULLY diagnose it and figure out how bad it is. I didn't think mine would be bad, I had pain, but it was normal for me so I didn't know how bad it was, and it turns out that mine was stage 4 and that my right fallopian tube was stuck closed because my ovary was attached to the side with adhesians.

My doc was able to clean up my endo, and yeah I can feel it growing back (or feel what he missed) but that means that any issues I have right now are the PCOS so he can know what to work on.

Also, my PCOS was causing higher amounts of Estrogen in my body, and since Endo grows off Estrogen it was just feeding it like crazy. (hense why I am 21 with stage 4)

I just got an email response from my Dr. (I think that is about the only thing I like about Kaiser so far.) She said that pregancnies do not worsen or cause endo to develop. She also stated that she would like to give me one more week for AF to come on her own before she gives me something to start it. She also put in an order for a blood test in the event that AF does not show up in a week.

So since I cannot delete this post I thought I would let you all know that I got my answer.

Quoting Mrs.Rachael-Avi Pimp:“ I don't know if it can get worse, I hear that it's better after a pregnancy, but bad endo, and PCOS, ... [snip!] ... of Estrogen in my body, and since Endo grows off Estrogen it was just feeding it like crazy. (hense why I am 21 with stage 4)”

I see where you are comming from. Since I have had two pregnancies that are considered sucessful (meaning I did not miscarry) and one of them recently she really wants to hold off on doing the LAP. She said that if I have another pregnancy that ends in MC she suggests that both my husband and I are tested for genetic abrnormalities and she will preform a LAP to rule endo in or out as a possible cause.

With the PCOS when she finally diagnosed me with it a lot of symptoms I have had over the years became so clear. I wonder how different things may be if I had been diagnosed with it earlier in life would the possibility of endo even have entered the picture?

I honestly do not remember all of my results but I do not that she said that my estorgen was high as well as test. was slightly elevated. At this point as far as they can tell on the sonograms I do have cysts on my left ovary but they do not appear to be severe at this time.

Quoting Mrs. C:“ I see where you are comming from. Since I have had two pregnancies that are considered sucessful (meaning ... [snip!] ... as far as they can tell on the sonograms I do have cysts on my left ovary but they do not appear to be severe at this time.”

yeah unfortunately they can think Endo through symptoms (my doctor wrote it as a full diagnosis before I had the surgery) but they can't be sure how bad it was. My doc said he was shocked at how horrible mine was, that when he went in there he wasn't expecting it to be that bad. He said "why the heck didn't you make a bigger deal about how much pain you were in?!?" and I just looked at him and said "this was my life, I didn't know that was unusual." Then I had about a month of bliss of no pain and now even the slightest twinge of pain and I'm doubled over, lol.

My doc was the opposite of yours, I didn't want to do the surgery and asked if I could just try Clomid for awhile and if it didn't do anything, get the surgery. He said in the full scheme of things, it wasn't about me getting pregnant, it was about my health, and that the endo needed to be treated just like any disease. It almost distroyed my ovary and fallopian tube and he didn't think he was going to be able to save them. It also was on my liver, gallbladder, bladder, and bowels, and was causing issues there too.

He said to think of myself as a car. If you have a problem with the oil line, it can cause horrible problems with the engine. yes you can just keep adding a can of oil a day to keep it running, but that eventually it wouldn't be enough and the damage will be so far done that there's no fixing it. (like removing the ovaries, or what happened to my MIL after her 2nd pregnancy, a full hysterectomy because it was so bad and untreated.)

Quoting Mrs.Rachael-Avi Pimp:“ yeah unfortunately they can think Endo through symptoms (my doctor wrote it as a full diagnosis before ... [snip!] ... the ovaries, or what happened to my MIL after her 2nd pregnancy, a full hysterectomy because it was so bad and untreated.)”

I totally get what you are saying. I even asked my Dr if I should have the LAP to be sure and remove any just in case. I remember the last five or six months I went through with out having a period before I got pregnant back in 60 and 07 I had a lot of pain but no period. I kept saying to myself that it will come any day, that is what the pain means. I had no idea that I had PCOS or that not having a period for so long was a bad thing. I just knew that I was not pregnant. When I started the BC pill it got better and my period came back. I stopped taking it and I was pregnant the second month. She said the main reason she wants to hold off is the fact that I still seem to be able to carry a baby and get pregnant. She did say however that she could not stress enough how important it is that I do not go a month without having a period when I am not pregnant.

Quoting Mrs. C:“ I totally get what you are saying. I even asked my Dr if I should have the LAP to be sure and remove ... [snip!] ... that she could not stress enough how important it is that I do not go a month without having a period when I am not pregnant.”

yeah I'm the same way, I went 2 years without one, being young and dumb being glad I didn't, lol. I thought of the PCOS for a blessing for awhile though because I didn't have the painful periods.

I get what your doctor is saying, I think she's trying to get you pregnant and get your family the way you want it while you're still ovulating and still able to conceive, and then once that is done work on ironing out the issues. That way it isn't more of a wait. But if you start getting really irregular, I'd bring that idea back up.

Quoting Mrs.Rachael-Avi Pimp:“ yeah I'm the same way, I went 2 years without one, being young and dumb being glad I didn't, lol. I thought ... [snip!] ... out the issues. That way it isn't more of a wait. But if you start getting really irregular, I'd bring that idea back up.”

At this point I understand what you mean about the painful periods. AF finally showed today and I hate it. I think that was were I went wrong. I figured not having a period for months at a timewas no big deal and definately more convienent for me. Durring my teens I could go a couple of months and not have a period and get a back ache and a few cramps nothing bad. Now when I do get a period and I am not on BC it hurts like hell starting from around ovulation time. I am afraid to take motrin or anything (my Dr. gave me naproxin) until I actually see AF.

I really only want one more child and I have told her that. I even wanted to get my tubes tied after my son was born before I knew how things would turn out. I am just glad that I got AF on my own hopefully I will O on my own this month as well. If I don't she wants to put me on clomid and provera (sp?).

I noticed that you are in your 2WW, I wish you the best of luck!!

Quoting Mrs. C:“ PCOS was through blood test results as well as history and symptoms. She concluded the endo through ... [snip!] ... that I very well could have Endo. in any case she said that with the PCOS left untreated I am at high risk for developing it.”

Go see a different Doc. I have endo and the only way to know for sure that you have it is thru a laporscopy and they remove it the same time. PCOS is very common. Many women have it to some degree. I see that your history shows it but yet, I don't see what treatment your Dr gave you for it. Maybe go to a fertility specalist and see what they can do for the PCOS and actually test you properly. Nothing is more frusterating than being told you have something when it is the other and you could have been treating it all along.

Fingers crossed!!!! Baby Dust to you!!!