I made my choice to have a lap because it's the ONLY 100% way to diagnose endometriosis. My Dr at the time wouldn't do a lap but wanted me to just keep doing lupron. I refused to keep doing it if I didn't even know for certain I had endo...so I went to another dr who would do a lap. I'm having my 4th lap Nov 5. For me, I personally think it's difficult to decide treatment plans if you don't know exactly what you are dealing with.

Well, i'm meeting with my doc next Tuesday to talk about doing Lap vs BCP. I still keep going back and forth, back and forth on what i want to do.

I'm more than happy I got the lap. The pain hurts so much less and without the lap the doctor wouldn't know what we were actually dealing with.

Had I not had my lap the endo would have spread throughout my bowel and caused more problems than it was already causing. Prior to having a lap a doctor is all but guessing.

The lap was the best thing I have done for myself. I'm now on a BCP regimen to slow the regrowth. And when/if it regrows I won't be hesitant about having a lap again.

If that helps you at all.

Hey there...I giggle every time I see that little girl stuffing "double stuffs". Thank you again for that=)

I can't advise what I did in 1993-1994, because I listened to numerous GYNs and GASTROs tell me that I "just had heavy, horrible periods" or IBS or diverticulitis.

I KNEW SOMETHING WAS HORRIBLY WRONG. So, first and foremost...listen to your body...not necessarily the doctor(s). I trusted well-reputed doctors of women. I shouldn't have. They made me think I was a freak...crazy...loony tunes.

My experience 20 years ago is a thing of nightmares. Yours does NOT have to be. Opinions differ, but the 2 common threads on this forum are to FIND THE RIGHT DOCTOR and to have, without a doubt, a DIAGNOSTIC LAP performed. IMO based on hindsight, I would have an in depth discussion with a TRUSTED doctor in regard to your options. DO NOT procrastinate and "hope" for the best without a definitive diagnosis/treatment plan. Anyone who tells you this is not a dangerously progressive disease is grossly misinformed. Perhaps, at this point (get the lap) yours is in early stages and your ovaries can be salvaged. Again, opinions vary.

~~Pup

Hi, all the ladies have given great advice. You can not effectively treat endo untill you know if you have it for sure. I have had 6 laps and don't regret any of them. Good luck

Ditto to everyone. I had 2 laps in 5 months and only regret the first because my GYN had NO idea what she was getting herself into. She opened me up, said "holy shit", removed a single cyst and then got the hell out of there. So my only advice is to please make sure you have it done by a reproductive endocrinologist who specializes in endo and not just a run-of-the-mill OB/GYN. I love mine but she won't even try to treat my endo anymore and I wouldn't let her even if she wanted to!!

I wholeheartedly agree with all the ladies!!I was poo pooed by my first gyn who only offered me bc w/o even knowing what was causing all my horrible pain and bleeding.I never felt like he listened so i left there and boy am I glad I did!!My new doctor has been so great!!She listened to me and said we should probably have a look.I'm SO glad we did,because besides the endo,she found out I had adenomyosis which was the main cause of my pain,and bleeding.BEST thing I've ever done!!I've since had a hysterectomy and I'm on my way to recovering.It was such a relief to know I TRULY had something wrong with me,and that I wasn't as crazy as my first gyn tried to make me feel!!Sometimes just the validation is worth it;) Good luck to you!!

Why treat something you're not sure you have? To me, it's like treating a possible cancer with chemo before confirming it, but obviously on a different scale. If you miss this diagnosis and it's not treated correctly, the outcome could be very undesirable.
I've had 2 laps- 1 to diagnose and one to confirm/treat during fertility treatments. While I don't have scar tissue in my tubes, it grows every where else in my pelvic cavity. I have chronic bladder infections, chronic low back and leg pain, and constipation. Yay... Had I not had the laps, though, I don't know where I'd be. Prior to my first lap at age 19, I had been on bcp and still had growth. Between that one and my next at 22, I was on BC continuously except for the 8 months prior because we were trying for a family. At that lap, we found more growth and that Endo was spreading it's sticky web. My left tube was connected to my left ovary was connected to my uterus was connected to my rectum with a cyst at the end. Who knows where that would be without surgery and removal.
Long story short, get the lap so you know what you're dealing with and the extent and get it treated correctly. You're insides will thank you. Recovery took me about 3 days both times. My sister had a harder, longer recovery but she was full of it and her tubes were completely blocked.

I say go for the lap. You want to know what you are treating before you treat it. I regret my lap, but only because the GYN was not skilled enough to help me. My lap wasn't really by choice, I had two monster endometrioma's growing on my left ovary that had to be removed. I personally had been on birth control on an off for over ten years, and I still have a very advanced case. I wish I had found out sooner with what I was dealing with, I have after all only been complaining about symptoms for 10 years.
I wish you the best of luck. Do what you feel as though is best for you and your body. You are your own best advocate!

Pups - i love seeing this avatar when i log on. lol! I have so much going on in my head right now, it's a nice breath of fresh air ;)

Thanks again everyone, you are all a wealth of information. I admit, i do worry that i am "over-reacting" at my symptoms, is it REALLY that bad? it hasnt' been long, after all, about a year and a half and surgery is SUCH a big step and what if it's not endo, WHAT then? am i just going to resign myself to having to be on BCP to resolve this pain? I mean, i know it's ridiculous to have these thoughts but i still do. Self doubt is awful. i've had a very good week, no pain... but AF starts in a few short days so i'm sure that will remind me of WHY i want this done.

And when the NP called yesterday to schedule my appt with my doc, she reminded me that he is only back part time (he was in a horrible car accident several years back and has severe back issues) so he doesn't do these types of surgeries at this time. I would be seeing his partner who i have to say i do not care too much for. My doc is really sensitive, listens to my concerns and opinions whereas i feel his partner is always rushing, not really hearing what i have to say. when i was pregnant i saw him once and when i told him i planned to have a natural, drug free birth, he laughed at me. (imagine his surprise when i was induced 6wks early and STILL went without pain meds. ha!) So anyway, Long story short (sorry, i do ramble on) i'm not sure if i WANT his partner to do my surgery if that's what i opt to do.

decisions, decisions.. my husband is supportive but keeps telling me it's totally up to me since i have to go through it.... i've only been here for a few days but i'm glad i have you ladies for support!

Trust me, I understand I'm terrified they'll go in and find nothing and than it really will be all in my head and I'll look crazy. I have tried just dealing with birth control pills they work for a while and than fail. I just changed again to put off surgery, but I have a feeling I'll be headed in soon too.

Even though I was unhappy with the outcome of my surgery I'm glad I had a laparoscopy. I got photos and a surgical DVD from it to take around with me to consultations. And I finally had an answer for what was causing my pelvic pain. Also, I had an ovary twisted behind my uterus that was untangled. Man, I felt so much after it was untwisted!

I don't regret having a laparscopy, but I do regret the surgeon I had it with. I was rushed into a lap because everyone was telling me it was cancer and that I had to move immediately. I should've taken my time and researched the surgeon better.

So if you do have a lap just make sure your surgeon is experienced/skilled enough. And just because he says he's a specialist doesn't mean squat. You've got to look at his track record (i.e. reoccurrance rate, SUCCESSFUL surgeries, credentials, etc...) Because any doctor can really call themselves an endo specialist.

Good luck! And take care!