Endometriosis - Zoladex before IVF (advice please)

[Joanne.Stewart]

Hi everyone,

My husband has a low sperm count. abnormal morphology etc due to testicular cancer. We were advised to have ICSI because of it. We had our first cycle in June which was unsuccessful - this was devastating.

During our first treatment cycle, the doctors also discovered that I have endometriosis. I have a recto-vaginal endometrioma, it extends behind my uterus on the left and up to my left ovary. Apparently stage 4.

I am due to go for a laporoscopy on 2 Aug to have a look-see and remove the endometriosis. Now the doctor is talking about inserting a hormone implant, Zoladex. This puts you into menopause for 6 months and then apparently you try again with the ICSI after this.

My concern is that 6 months feels like a long time to wait before trying again. I am almost 34 and worried that the longer I wait till my next try, the older I get and therefore, the less the chances of the ICSI working.

Also, it sounds pretty hectic going into menopause. I am afraid of messing up my normal hormone levels. I also saw something about how occasionally, your normal periods may not return. That scares me too.

Mu questions are:
1. Has anyone had the Zoladex and then IVF? Did it work?
2. Has anyone chosen not to have the Zoladex and instead had the IVF straight after the laporoscopy? Did this work?
3. Does anyone have some information about if the Zoladex first, followed by IVF increases your chances of pregnancy? If yes, then by how much? Is it worth it?

I would appreciate any advice or stories from others who have been in a similar boat (or should I say sinking ship?).

Thanks so much.

Joanne

[hopealways]

Hi Joanne,
I was diagnosed with endometriosis early this year and went on with laproscopy to remove them. I had a shot of zoladex every month for 4 months. Zoladex puts you on temp menopause and suppose to tame the growth of endo. Endo will shrink when we on menopause state. Also apprarently laproscopy cannot remove endo completely due to the risks of damaging other pelvic organs like the bowel, bladder, etc (depending how severe the endo is).
I was also stage 4 endo. I'm now waiting for AF to come (anytime now) before starting my 1st IVF. I had my lap done in Feb, so it's been 5 months and by the time 1st hormon shot it's gonna be Aug. I believe the chances of IVF is greater when we are "endo-free", at least the embryo has a clean wall to implant!
The "menopause" was no fun. Terrible hot flushes and back pain, but I survived... All the best in your surgery and good luck in our IVF!!!!

[wendy30]

Hi Joanne

I also have severe endo and have been through 8 cycles of ivf but am happily now due my first baby on Monday.

Unfortunately my endo was so bad that none of it could be removed with the laparoscpy so we were left with only drug treatments.

At least on my last 2 cycles I was given Zoladex for 3 months to dampen down the endo. I was never very sure if it made the endo better or just stopped it getting worse. To be honest my periods have always been so bad that I was always happy to try anything that made them go away for a bit. I've also taken Zoladex for longer to stop my periods and treat the endo.

As for the side effects from Zoladex, they are not pleasent but not really that bad compared to the actual ivf drugs. In my experience the first stage of drugs they put you on to close down your hormones has much of the same side effects. In fact in my last cycle they just used zoladex to down regulate me and it meant I didn't change on to the actual injections as quickly.

I don't think there is any getting away from it, if you are going to do ivf it messes with your hormones anyway. As for your period not coming back, mine always have.

34 is not old, we started this when I was 28 with no joy, its a lottery.

I also used Reiki this time to help me relax and I feel that really helped me cope (who knows if it helped with the result) We also luckily for the first time managed to do a day 5 blastocyst transfer which I think helped.

Anyway, the best of luck to you and to hopealways in your cycles.

Wendy x

[KM0803]

Hi Joanne- I just found this thread and don't know if it's too late to respond but I also have stage 4 endo. I had a lap done last August 2006 and started doing IUI shortly after that. After 5 failed IUI attempts I decided it was enough and to set up an IVF consultation.

During the apt, the RE did an u/s and found an endometrioma on my left side. He was worried that side producing eggs and put me on b/c for two months to try to get it smaller. If it didn't get any smaller he wanted to schedule me for another lap before doing IVF. Luckily the endometrioma shrank a little bit but is not stagnic and he approved me to start IVF.

My left side has actually produced more than double what my right overy has produced. I am now scheduled for ER this Friday and will let you know if I get my BFP here soon. I am so excitied to move on and hope that the embroyo's don't have a hard time implanting as someone mentioned.

Good luck to all
-Kelly