Endometriosis Discussion Group

Hi! I have endo. AFter TTC for a year and a half, I had a diagnostic lap back in June after I had an HSG in Feb that revealed tubal damage. During the lap they found tons of endo and inflammation, along with pelvic adhesions. My tubes were kinked up really bad and my left one was removed and all the endo was able to be removed. My right tube is still in and open but its banged up pretty bad. I never had any noticable symptoms, my periods were always regular, the only thing I noticed (after the fact) was occasional rectal pain with bowel movements during and right after AF which I found out is a sign of endo. I honestly thought it was a digestive issue. Oh, and ever since I was about 18, I would get very sharp pains in my upper right quandrant of my abdomen and random times or if I moved a certain way. My mom even took me to the hospital once and they couldn't find anything, just told me that I might be getting ready to pass a kidney stone. Over the next few years I was still having the pain, I had CR scans and MRIs and nothing was found. During the lap, my RE found that I had endo all around my liver and that my liver was "glued" to my ribcage by scar tissue. He removed it...no more pain! My RE was surprised to see it as bad as it was. We were given a less than 5% chance of conceiving on our own b/c of the condition of the remaining tube and are planning on IVF next spring.

Oh, my RE also has done alot of research on women with endo that have headaches/migraines. Turns out that most women who have endo are magnesium deficient which can cause moderate to severe migraines. I suffered horribly with them. He put me on magnesium supps and I have not had a migraine in months. = )

Wow that is crazy that it affected your other organs..... I have always had digestive issues. I get really constipated,but go the other way around AF. I have found that the only thing that helps the constipation is magnesium, which is interesting that you say there is usually a deficiency.....My RE thinks that he removed it and that is end of story. I am wondering if there are DR who specialize in ENDO? Thanks for your info.

I always had the constipation as well. I was even suspected of having irritable bowel syndrome. Not anymore though. I was floored with the whole magnesium thing though. When he first told me that about the headaches, I was skeptical but figured hey why not try it. I was amazed that after a week and a half on the mag. supps that the headaches were gone and my stomach was alot better.

When I was filling out the paperwork for his office, there was a whole page of questions asking about headaches and digestive issues and I'm sitting there thinking what the heck does this have to do with infertility. LOL Now I know.

Carolyn Dean MD, ND, author of numerous books including “The Magnesium Miracle” and Medical Director of the non-profit Nutritional Magnesium Association www.nutrtionalmagnesium.org has this additional information to share that I thought you and your readers may find useful.

1. PMS and endometriosis are considered to worsen with constipation and toxicity. Exercise just puts that much more strain on the body sapping vital minerals through sweat and physical stress. One of the minerals that is drained is magnesium which is vital to women's health.

Carolyn Dean MD, ND, author of numerous books including “The Magnesium Miracle” and Medical Director of the non-profit Nutritional Magnesium Association www.nutrtionalmagnesium.org has this additional information to share that I thought you and your readers may find useful.

2. Magnesium is a natural detoxifier and muscle relaxer and helps with constipation and painful cramps. If the bowel doesn't empty once a day, toxins can be reabsorbed back into the body from the colon. The longer debris sits in the colon, the more fluid is reabsorbed, making stools more solid and difficult to pass.

3. A variety of symptoms of edometriosis are exacerbated by a deficiency in magnesium including dysmenorrhea; painful, sometimes disabling menstrual cramps; pain may worsen over time and include lower back pains linked to the pelvis. Chronic pelvic pain; often accompanied by lower back pain or abdominal pain. Dyspareunia; painful sex and dyschezia; painful bowel movements. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea especialy just prior to or during a period, frequent menses flow or short menstrual cycle, heavy or long menstrual periods and some women may suffer mood swings and fatigue

4. As a supplement, one of the most absorbable forms of magnesium is a powdered magnesium citrate that is taken with either hot or cold water. It's a gentle laxative, helps support our energy and supports the liver's

natural detoxification pathways.

For more information contact The Nutritional Magnesium Association http://www.nutritionalmagnesium.org

Very interesting! Thanks!

Hi,

I have severe endo...I was diagnosed in February '09.

I always knew I had it (my mum had it and I had all the symptoms) but it took a lot of convincing to get a doctor to finally do the surgery and dx me. I have adhesions that have fused my uterus to my colon (this was not removed for fear of damaging the organs) and a large endometrioma was removed from my left ovary. Fortunately my tubes are not blocked at all, my FSH levels are normal and my cycles are fairly regular (29-33 days). Hubby has super sperm too :)

Due to the colon endo, I've definately had bowel issues. Very constipated all the time and painful bowel movements. I don't get migraines but I do find I get headaches from light sensitivity...I wonder if the magnesium would help with this....

My mum had a full hysterectomy but she always had and still gets migraines...I'll be sure to give her this information.

I've been ttc since March 2008 with zero success. Had an IUI done in September but failed. I am now on CD12 and waiting for IUI number 2 some time next week...praying this will be our month!

Really happy to join this thread...I was looking around for any hopes of an endo woman conceiving and haven't had much feedback from any doctors about iui/ivf sucess rates with endo that hasn't blocked the tubes.

babydust!

forgot to say that since my lap, myperiods are much less painful...the endometrioma on the ovary was the worst for me...and now that it's gone I find a few naproxen on CD1 and 2 is enough....

pre-surgery I was taking percocet for the pain and it didn't always work.

Hi I am 23 years old and I was diagnosed with endo October 2008 and I had the lap surgery at the end of October. Before the surgery I always had irregular periods after the surgery my periods were on time for a complete year. I went to the doctor in October 2009 due to my period being late and my Doc told me that a few cysts were trying to come back and my test hormone level was too high and that was one of the reasons the endo was returning. I told him I was ttc so he gave me metformin and told me to take provera for 10 days. I started both, when I finished my provera my period came, I continued the metformin and when my next period came it was on time, and completely painless. I was like wow, so now I'm wondering if I am ovulating correctly now and I hope that means I will be pregnant really soon. The only thing about metformin is the side effects but the results so far have been worth it. If I am not pregnant soon I will ask him to test my tubes.

how much magnesium do you take?