Unfortunately there are not too many options other than what you've listed. I am on BC pills continuously following my second surgery. My dr told me continuously taking the pill was my best option to keep the endo from returning- plus no periods! Lupron did not work for me unfortunately because my endo was too advanced at that time. I had hot flashes/trouble sleeping and concentration/mood issues on lupron personally. I know that Lupron can be very beneficial for some without the same side effects.

I don't know yet. I haven't done anything other than pain relievers during the flare-ups. I was taking Ibuprofen and Tylenol #3, but that stopped being effective this week. Now I have an Rx for Percocet too.

I'm starting to consider BC pills, except I'm hesitant because I had bad post-partum depression 14 years ago.

I'm very interested to hear what others are doing too.

I was taking bio-identical progesterone in troche form for 1.5 years and it greatly decreased my pain. In some months I had no pain. But I had a problem with the troches starting to irritate my gums, so I switched to cream form and then all went bad and I had much worse pain for 3 months and now I just started a new progestin-only pill called Visanne (new in Canada, had been available in Europe for two years). It was tested to be as effective as Lupron, but without all the bad side effects and it doesn't cause bone loss, so you can take it long term (it's been studied up to 18 months). I've only been taking it for 17 days though, so I don't know how it will affect my cycle. Don't have any real side effects that I noticed. It can have the same side effects as any other progestin pill. It just depends on the person.

Other than that, surgery worked for me. I had an ovarian endometrioma removed in 2003 and the symptoms were totally gone after that and I never had another ovarian endometrioma. But then I did grow an endometrioma in my liver and some endo on my colon in 2005. But I never had symptoms, so I didn't know it was there until it ruptured. I then had surgery to remove that and it hasn't returned in that location (thank god).

Then in 2009, I started getting symptoms again in my right side below the rib cate and you can see something there, some growth on my abdominal wall (on ultrasound). That is where all my endo symptoms are now, just in my right side (not in my pelvis). So surgery has worked for me, but then I grow a new endometrioma in another place!

I'll post again on my experiences with Visanne as soon as I have my next cycle (should be next week).

the only thing that has worked for me is mirena iud. ive been on EVERYTHING else and with this is didnt have a period and very few flare ups and break through bleeding. i did however have side effects to everything that i used including mirena but im glad i tried everything. right now im done treating my endo and just taking care of the pain with pain meds. i hope you find the best treatment for you :)

Hi,

I've tried everything. I did lupron twice ... the 1st time it helped alot but left be with some short-term memory loss and only had minor hot flashes (i took the double does so was on it for 3 months). The 2nd time it didn't work and I didnt have any side effects either. I've had 6 laps. The last one was done with robot assisted devinci method and Im still pain free (that was 11/5/10). I'm on continous bc so only have period every 3 months. SInce last surgery they have been good ... i only need one 800mg a day versus tordal throughtout the day for 3 days before the last surgery. Acupunture worked great the two times I tried that and pelvic floor therapy worked wonderfully also. I think everyone should try it. I know different things work differently for everyone but everyone should try everything to see if it works for them.

I really havent gotten any relief aside from my excision surgery...so i guess the best aside from surgery would be continuous BC, although after about a year it would not even stop my cycle!
The best thing for me was ibuprofen and a heating pad and my Bible.
I hope you feel better soon hun!

I have been on everything except Lupron..which is my next step. I am on mirena right now, and have been since september. It depends on the month with my periods. I havent had a real period since december...but that was after i had it for 5 months. I get extremely bad cramps still, and still have all of the normal endo pain..and my periods are bad when i get them.
As bad as it sounds...this has been the best treatment i have had since i was 10.

Well I was on Femara for a year and 5 months and after the year I cut the dose in half. It decreased my pain immensely! I was taking 100mg of Morphine with 6-12 Norco and 10mg Methadone a day. I am now on 2 10 mg methadone a day and decreasing...i just had surgery so im at a standstill but I feel like I may be able to decrease to1 or 1 and 1/2 a day, maybe even more.. I also feel that having the robotic surgery is better based on my experience. I just had one using the Da Vinci Robot and I feel amazing I have NEVER done this well after surgery although im sure that it has alot to do with the Femara. I did really well and I had no New endo it was all old and fibrotic which is good it means the femara killed the endo.
I highly suggest doing Femara and having lap excision or robotic surgery and I highly suggest you to fight your insurance and force them to cover one of the Nezhat brothers which are in California, Georgia, and New York.
I also am being put back on the Nuva Ring which I had before and didnt have any problems with it!

Havent been lucky enough to find a treatment that works for me, but trying a hollistic approach. Also of course pain meds, but thats a necessary "bandaid". Cant take hormones.

I've been on Cryselle for a few years now. It's as high of a dose as I can handle, and even so, it's right on the edge. I don't take it continuously, that doesn't work for me.

I also take natural vitamin E around my period to help with cramps. Natural vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol) decreases prostaglandin synthesis, which is responsible for uterine contractions. This can help reduce cramps, which it does. I start it three days before my period, and continue for two days after it starts, and I feel it does make a difference in my debilitating cramps.

Hi Tlahue,
I've heard about Femara and wanted to ask you about your use of Femara. After reading several research articles about Femara and Aygestin together as an effective treatment for endo pain, I' ve been trying to get my daughter's doctor to prescribe it for her, but to no avail (she already takes Aygestin, would just need to add on the Femara). Did you take the Femara with any add-back (e.g., Aygestin), or by itself? Did you have any side effects? Any information you can provide would be much appreciated.
thanks!