Ladies - keep fighting, or call it quits?

[LipstickVogue]

Ive struggled with this endometriosis for years. I cant even remember a single pain free day, at least not in a very, very long time. "hysterectomy" is a very scary word to me, but.. im just so tired. i dont want to do it any longer. It means i will never be able to have kids of my own, possibly affecting my sex life, but as it is i dont have much of a life now anyway. and sex is most often painful too, so i dont really have much of a sex life right now either.

ive missed several classes already and we're only a few weeks into the semester. either i cant sleep at night because of the constant aching and im too tired to get out of bed and function the next morning or my pelvis is just screaming at me too much.

i desperately wanted to keep my uterus and my ovaries, but im starting to think that keeping my "female parts" isnt worth it. sometimes i think. "if i just died, i wouldnt have to deal with any of this, it would all go away." and dont be concerned: i am extremely anti-suicide. its not a suicidal thought.

i just think it might be time for me to give up fighting the disease the way i have been and i have my lady parts removed. what do you ladies think?

[Rensul]

my best friend has struggled with the very same issue since she was 18 (she's 32 now) -she is about to have yet another laproscopy ( i have lost count as to how many she has had) at the end of the month. she had considered a hysterectomy previously, but her dr wouldn't do it b/c she was so young. She has been doing acupuncture for a few years as well as seeing an herbalist. She also cut out meat hoping that would help.

What are your doctors telling you- will they even dicuss it with you? Have they given you any other options?

I am sorry that you are going through all of this.

[tinkerlion]

i know that this is something you have or will talk to your doctor about indepth. it's a big decision that in the end only you can make.

that being said here are my thoughts. quality of life is really the first and biggest thing that comes to my mind. if it's affecting you daily then something must be done about it. you hope that there are other ways, but if that's the only option, then it deserves serious consideration. it might also mean that you cannot give birth to a child, but it doesn't mean that you will not have "your own children."

i present to you an wonderful example. delany

http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/6159/img0547mu3.jpg

my cousin angie also has endometriosis, and because of it wasn't able to get pregnant. she is such a wonderful loving person who i always thought would be the best mother. she decided to adopt, and was so lucky to get delany from russia. anyone who was not told would never, and i mean never know that angie did not give birth to delany. it's amazing how much of angie we see in delany as she grows.



it's a difficult decision, but i think you should weigh the effect it has on your daily life. hopefully there will be another answer.

you'll be in my thoughts dear.

[Amy_Luvs_G]

I have to agree, quality of life is very important, and just because you can't give birth doesn't mean you can't be a mother, and a very good one. Plus you would be in less pain everyday of your life. Good luck and I wish you nothing but the best, you are a strong woman for dealing with this.

[lietuvaite]

wow, what a difficult decision to have to make, especially at such a young age (i think you're in your early twenties, right?). My initial thought was what if you change your mind about having children when you're older, after you are unable to do so. i wouldn't want you to regret the decision you made. But i am also an advocate of adoption and have always thought that there is no greater gift you can give a child, than giving them a family. Only you can decide what is the right decision for you, and i wish you strength for that.

[LipstickVogue]

thanks, guys. i think the next step is probably lupron which is also scary to me, but i just cant seem to kick this thing.. and i know it doesnt mean i cant have kids, i know it only means i cannot give birth if i end up having it done. it just scares the hell out of me, you know?

i went to the doctor on campus today. i lucked out and found a really awesome general doc. he gave me tylenol w/ codene for the more intense pain and an even stronger dosage of naproxen for the less intense pain with 1 refill of each to hold me over until my appointment with the specialist.

this semester has just been a rough start. plus i think i have a stalker now. scary! anyway, thank you all for your kind words and support, i really need it right now.

[tinkerlion]

yeah i was that blog on myspace. do you have any neighbors close by that you can talk to about keeping an eye out?

[Rensul]

I'm glad you saw a good doc- and have an appt with the specialist...my friend has done the lupron in the past a well- and it did help her. I hope you get some relief soon.

[the duke]

hmmm, i think everyone's right...it's something you have to decide. I'm thinking if it was me (and it's not so maybe don't listen here!!) I'd get the surgery and worry about kids later. I'm not sure that I even want them though, so it'd be an ok decision...

Follow your heart...only you know what you feel inside and how much you think you can bear the pain...

Or, there's always frozen eggs, right?? (J/K)