Sorry to hear your going threw a rough time. I also don't know what the mean of life for us going threw this problem. Well, the only thing i could tell you that your not alone and you'll in my prayers. Good Luck
and stay strong.

Thanks, this weekend I felt alone. My husband said this weekend he is getting the feeling that I'm giving up but if men lived with this much pain for as long as some of us have I'm sure they would have given up along time ago. Since we are trying to get pregnant birth control isn't an option or hysto... but they are both sounding GREAT about now. I did go to the herbal pharmacy and they suggested I try the progesterone cream for two cycles I think my biggest fear is all the chemicals I've been pumping into my body the negative side effects it could be causing. I am getting tired of feeling like a lab rat that is for sure!

I am so sorry Texas.. I have a similar story, I guess we all do. I am now seeing a non-profit group that focuses on living life in 3-D. 3-D meaning balancing yourself physically emotionally and spiritually. This disease took over my life in all 3 areas. I would like to encourage you to work on lifting yourself spiritually (whatever that means to YOU). It can help you to overcome the physical and emotional battles this disease brings. Love and Peace to you.

Texas, were all here for you! So rant all you want girl! I'm very thankful for this website, so lean on us if you need it. I'm still trying to figure out what were supposed to learn from having this really horrible thing. But just remember you're stronger than most women who are healthy. To go thru this rollercoaster of emotions takes one hell of a woman. And I wish men were in our shoes for even one day! Keep you're head up, lean on us if you need. Were all here for you! *hugs*

Hang in there Texas, I know exactly what you are going through. I was diagnosed with endo about 17 years ago. I did not get married until I was 30 and struggled with infertility for over the past 4 years, the combination of my age and medical history did not help my chances of becoming pregnant. It's bad enough to deal with the endo pain when you are on meds/treatments for it but it is a 100 times worse when you are trying to conceive because you cannot be on any form of birth control and most medications in order to increase your chances.
I went through 4 years of infertility treatment, trying to become pregnant any way possible. In January of this year, my husband and I finally decided to go with IVF. My specialist basically told us that this was the best option, the odds of becoming pregnant with IUI is slim in women with endo. So here I was waiting to get my period so I could start the pretesting to get approval from my insurance company . I was about a week late and did not think anything of it at first, I finally decided to take a home pregnancy test and it was positive. I am now 14 weeks pregnant and everything looks good. My MD was completely surprised that I had a spontaneous pregnancy, they only thing they can think that helped was that I lost about 20lbs recently, I had put on 30 pounds over the past 4 years due to all the fertility meds. Any weight loss can help in regulating your hormones and they think this may have been it.
I would have proceeded with the IVF if this did not happen, my physicial was very positive about the outcome. Infertility treatments are so expensive even with insurance coverage but the odds are so much better with IVF.
The stress doesn't help either, sometimes just taking a break for a few months can help and give you time to research your options and what would be best for you. Make sure you have a good infertility Md, one who sepcializes in women with endo- it makes a world of difference. I wish you the best of luck hope you become pregnant soon. Keep us posted :)

What Colie33 just said, about us being stronger because of what we have to endure - I think I often forget that and tend to feel weak or guilty. I often feel like I complain too much, am a burden on my husband when I am not the happy, pain-free version of myself, and allow the mood swings, pain, etc to infultrate my life - which all reinforces that feeling of disapointment in myself for just not being strong enough to overcome it all.

But, I think Colie33 is right. We are stronger than we, or most people realize. We do LIVE with it, every day. We LIVE with it, as in, we eat, sleep, work, have friends and family, feel things, manage to smile and do the best we can - that is living, and we do all of that with this thing hanging over us. This thing that 99% of the people around us can't really even comprehend.

For the longest time, I thought everything other than the pain (the mood swings, the exaustion, the aches, the bloating, etc...) was just me, not the disease. But then I found this site, and realized it isn't just me... its me dealing, my body dealing, and however I have to deal is OK, its allowed, and it DOES NOT make me weak.

So I just want to say thank you. I have only been on this site for 2 days now, and you have all already helped me realize how alone I really felt.

Another doctor's appointment tomorrow.. not sure if I'm ready for the news.. I'm sure it'll be another round of more homrones and drugs that I'm just already tired of. I went ahead and also scheduled an appointment for acupuncture and looking into more natural ways to find relief. I told my daughter I was in so much pain today if someone said if I cut my thumb off and it would go away I would right now! There is so much information out there just don't know what the right path is and what I'm suppose to do! Good luck ladies... and this is a horrible disease that I think that the public should be more aware of because I'm tired of feeling like its in my head. Doesn't help I work in transportation which is still a man's world so they don't get it... but I suffer through a pain day for work while others call in becaus of hangovers... just makes me mad!

From one Texan to another....((SUPER DUPER BIG HUGS)) I just read your post and I was in your shoes and felt just like you. Please email me and we will talk. I want to share something with you if your interested.

Wishing you nothing but peace tonight and may tomorrow be brighter.

Hello all, Just joined this website today and feel comfort reading other peoples experiences. Its nice not to feel alone. I don't have one other friend that has this disease, so I look forward to learning more. I have stage 3 endometriosis and am on my 3rd round of IVF. Actually they did the transfer of the embryo on Saturday. I have miscarried 2x now after having IVF. I am so trying to stay positive, but we all know how the rollercoaster ride is. I wasn't diagnosed with endometriosis til I was 38. My old gyn just didn't listen when I would tell her about the excrutiating pain I was in. I even asked at almost every appointment "do you think I have endometriosis?" the answer was always "probably not". Well here I am at 40 years old trying desperately to have a child. I try not to "look in the rearview mirror" too much and wonder "what if" I had been diagnosed earlier? I try to stay in the "now" and just hope and pray for success. Just remember, we tend to know our bodies best, dont ever doubt how you are feeling & BE PUSHY if no one is listening! Thanks for listening to me vent :o)

To Tryin: I am so sorry to hear you had been misdiagnosed for so long! It is a very frustrating and awful place to be in. Will keep you in my prayers and hopefully you'll get the outcome you are wishing for! I really am starting to not trust the doctors anymore and just feel like a # especially when they say the only cure is to get pregnant or have a hysto... which the getting pregnant isn't so simple for us!
Good book to read: Living Well with Endometriosis by Kerry-Ann Morris.. I took it with me to my last doctor just to show that I'm researching on my end as well.