Dr. Andrea Vidali

I think that he may be taking over the immunology stuff while Vidali oversees and focuses on endometriosis. I liked Dr. Thornton but didn’t interact with him very much. Also - pro tip... email them with questions versus scheduling a call with the doctor. Email is free, the scheduled calls are billed as appointments.

Jumping in to let you know I’m happy to answer any questions about Vidali that might help you feel better. I was super hesitant as well... the thought of spending that much money made me sick but I do feel the care I received was worth the cost. Truly hoping you get the answers you deserve!

I did ReceptivaDX before seeing him. I had a very positive experience with Dr. Vidali. After all my own research, I felt strongly that there was something going on with my immune system. It was a relief that testing gave me a clear path and protocol. I would do anything to avoid any more loss. Here if I can help at all!

Hi! I’m a patient of Dr. Vidali’s. I came very organized, like you have, and emailed a summary of our history prior to the appointment. The consultation went as expected - lots of questions about our losses. One of my main questions was about the treatment of silent endo after positive ReceptivaDX. He was able to create a plan for me to move quickly (at my request) and I scheduled the immune testing for the next week. It takes a while to get results, so my follow up wasn’t until 6 weeks later. That is when we discussed his recommended protocol. Hope this is helpful - let me know if you have any other specific questions.

Not the same, but similar - I had a nightmare fallout with my RE when I was asking simple questions about a laparoscopy and he became super defensive and egotistical.... it hurt really bad because I thought he cared about me as a patient. I fired him and subsequently fell into the hands of the perfect doctors - Vidali and a new RE who I wish I would have found sooner. Not trying to be toxically positive, but sometimes these ugly situations lead us to the beautiful things we may not have found otherwise! And I’m always here to offer punches and Kung fu style kicks as needed!

Thanks for paging me, u/theangryovaries . My story is similar to OP. 4 early losses. My last one tested genetically normal. All standard RPL testing came back normal. Found an RE to test ReceptivaDX and BCL6 came back high. NKC came back high. These 2 factors had me pursue Vidali and my experience has been really good. OP - happy to answer any questions!

Today after 3rd positive ultrasound, I have graduated from my RE. It was anticlimactic and to be honest, I don’t want to leave the comfort of that office. I hope to continue contributing to this sub where I can (especially if anyone has questions about Vidali/Reproductive Immunology). I’m staying close as you are my friends and I want you close, in case I need you! Edit to say - you guys are the freaking best! What in the world would I do without this community?!! I wish I could personally deliver a basket of puppies to each of you and hug you for an awkwardly long time!

Hi! I am a patient of Dr. Vidali with BRI. After 4 losses, I became obsessed with finding answers. Local RE’s were only willing to test to a certain extent. I did find one of the missing pieces was a high BCL6 through ReceptivaDX. When I finally decided to become an immune patient of Dr. Vidali, it was during Covid, so I was able to be seen remotely. His fees weren’t covered by insurance but all the lab work has been (he sends through LabCorb and ReproSource). While I don’t understand it all, he was able to identify a few things that are essentially “red flags” and tailored a protocol for me. He has done follow up testing as well, to ensure meds are administered at the correct therapeutic doses. Happy to answer any questions about his office.

I go to BRI and have had a great experience with Dr. Vidali. I suspected immune issues and local REs would only test up until a certain point. I am pleased with the protocol that was provided and the consistent follow up testing. Also, I recall someone on here consulted with Vidali and he gave her back her consultation fee because after reviewing records, his recommendation was for her to use a surrogate. I don’t find reproductive immunology to be “snake oily”. There is a ton of science and research behind it - just because the studies are not as robust doesn’t mean they aren’t valid.

Responding to the call of u/theangryovaries! Dr. Vidali is definitely able to consult virtually. I see him as an immune patient and have done everything remotely - haven’t been to his office at all. I think it may be different as an endo patient, but I’m sure that the first appointment could be virtual. I visited 8 REs before landing on Vidali and my current RE. In fact, I moved my one and only embryo to a new RE because I just didn’t feel that my old RE was addressing all my concerns. He did oblige to do the ReceptivaDX text (which came back high) but was adamant about doing a lap and would not use Depot Lupron. I strongly wanted to use DL, even if he felt he had excised any visualized endo. I had no endo symptoms and was also worried he wouldn’t find any. Vidali was actually supportive of my doing 2 months of DL instead of the lap (with the logic that it wouldn’t cure potential endo, but it would be a bandaid to get me to FET). I know how exhausting this all is, but don’t give up and find someone who will listen and address every concern. You are the expert of your body! Let me know if I can answer any other Vidali questions. Here for you!

Hi! I’m homozygous for MTHFR C677T and also PAI-1 4G/5G. I’ve suffered RPL. None of the numerous REs I’ve seen have really provided much insight or support but I feel these are pieces to my bigger puzzle. Dr. Vidali (Reproductive Immunologist with BRI) has provided me a protocol taking these genetic variants in consideration with other immune responses.

Hi Hufflies! Fellow RPL. I saw Dr. Vidali in September and honestly wished I would have seen him sooner. Because of Covid, I was able to do everything virtually and didn’t have to travel to NY. My testing ended up being covered by my insurance (through LabCorp and ReproSource). My protocol includes 10mg prednisone, which I started at the same time as Estrogen for FET. I’m on another drug called Tacrolimus (also called Prograf) and the levels are checked to ensure I’m in the therapeutic range. I just feel like some REs are willing to empirically prescribe meds for unexplained RPL, but I have this sense of confidence with an RI actually investigating why I need these drugs and carefully monitoring levels. With that said, it’s freaking expensive to see and RI - I get that! I just wish I would have trusted my gut and seen him sooner. Wishing you lots of luck and happy to answer any Vidali questions!

Of course my mind is starting to spiral with “have I done and checked enough” before our FET. I know my TSH is nice and low. We’ve done SIS and endometrial biopsy (both clear). We’ve done immune testing and the protocol was designed by Dr. Vidali. Are there any other test/labs that you personally found valuable before FET to make sure you have covered all of your bases?

Update from AM Thread - my TSH saga! So, I’m preparing for my first FET and my TSH was 3.19 about a month ago and I’ve been on 25 mcg of Levothyroxine. I’ve also been on Lupron for about 9 weeks (2 Lupron Depot shots and a week of daily shots). I had my TSH rechecked yesterday and it went UP instead of down (to 4.48). My RE is off this week but doc on call has increased my dose to 75 mcg and wants to recheck in 2 weeks. I’m supposed to start Estrogen on Monday. I’m really worried that if my TSH doesn’t decrease by enough, and my FET gets cancelled, have I just ruined all the work that the Lupron has done to calm the endo by starting back on estrogen? Clinic says that if I want to postpone, the next availability isn’t until February. Would I have to stay on Lupron until then? That sounds absolutely miserable. My RE is back on Monday and I have a baseline appointment, so I can speak to her then. Anyone have a similar experience and how did it play out? Edit - To anyone on the fence about seeing Dr. Vidali, I think he and his team are amazing. I emailed his nurse earlier and shared the situation... all of it. She responded after hours to tell me she would speak with him and then emailed back this evening to share that he said I should move forward with estrogen start, but recheck TSH in one week instead of 2 to make sure it’s trending down. I’m having her double check if 75 mcg is enough. Going to exhale for a moment and enjoy some turkey tomorrow!

Just rechecked TSH yesterday afternoon being on 25mcg of Levothyroxine for about a month. It went up from 3.19 to 4.48. I’m supposed to have my FET in about 3 weeks and Vidali said he wanted it at 1 or below. I think my RE wants it 2.5 or below. I’m so confused as I’ve never really had thyroid issues before. I’m going to read through the new wiki post, but open to any helpful advice. Waiting to find out my new dose of Levo. Is it even possible to get it low enough to transfer in 3 weeks? I’m really tired of Lupron (2 months on Depot Lupron and now a week of daily injections). I’m in full panic mode... I am so sick of these side effects.

Hello! Happy to help. I live in FL and he is in NY. I have not had to travel there for the immune management - everything has been done remotely. The immune management is $3k and does not include the actual lab work. They sent me scripts to take to LabCorp and also had a lab called ReproSource send me a collection kit. Luckily, my insurance covered all the labs (even though the doctor was out of network, the labs were considered in network). Results take 6 weeks. He asked for my local RE to write the scripts, but there were 2 drugs she wasn’t comfortable writing the scripts for because they weren’t part of her protocol (Prograf and Prednisone) so Dr. Vidali’s nurse sent them in for me. She is overall supportive of me working with him. If/when I achieve pregnancy, there is a $3k pregnancy management fee and I will repeat the immune testing a few times. Please let me know if I can answer any other questions - I’m very happy to help!

Hi Middle! I am seeing him for immune issues/RPL. I know his specialty is endo surgery. His predecessor, Dr. Braverman, was the guru for immune causes, so the clinic and Dr. Vidali have a big focus on that. While I don’t know if he can help, I can share that he is very down to earth and listens very well. The initial consultation was $300, I think?! And I got in within about 3 weeks without paying the “fast track” way in (essentially paying all the fees before the consultation). I am kicking myself for not going to him sooner. I hesitated because of the cost and because I didn’t want to travel to NY. I wish I would have gone to him sooner!

Calling anyone who has used IVIG as part of an FET protocol!! I got blindsided yesterday with the potential cost. Vidali initially said that my case would not warrant IVIG necessarily, but he would support it if I wanted it due to my history and because I have only one embryo. The dose he prescribed was 1g/kg. We are trying to get insurance to authorize but that is a total long shot. Out of pocket, it will be $6-7k per treatment with 3 to 4 treatments required (possibly more). Unless we win the lottery, I don’t think I am comfortable spending this. But will I wish I would have down the road? Idk - it’s bananas! Wondering if there is some magical way to get insurance to approve? Or, just someone to commiserate with on the freaking cost of all this treatment! Would be fun to know what dream item you would have bought with all the money you’ve spent on treatment!

I have my SIS and endometrial biopsy today with the new RE who I haven’t met in person yet (only Skype). Thankfully, she gave me a little Valium, which I’m excited about. I’ll be meeting with her as well to talk about the protocol provided by Dr. Vidali (Reproductive Immunologist). Vidali’s nurse shared that they expect my local RE to prescribe the meds in their protocol. Why do I feel like this will not go over that smoothly? Would love it if both doctors could talk to each other and leave me out of it. Here’s hoping it goes better than I think it will. Oh, and still no resolution yet to if the new clinic will accept my only embryo (as my husbands STD testing was one week expired when my embryo was created). Trying to get the old clinic to send paperwork has not been fun. Perhaps I’ll start a company where I can be the “go between” for other women in this situation so they can focus on being stress free before an FET... a novel idea!

Hi friends! My appointment with Vidali to review immune test results went well. I’m going to update my post in the Reproductive Immunology wiki post once I get his full report and digest it a bit. I consider myself pretty well researched but some of the items we discussed today I’m not following totally. Basically, there weren’t many red flag, but there were enough to warrant an immune focused protocol for FET. My meds will be Tacrolimus, Prednisone, Lovenox and possibly IVIG. He said my case would not necessarily warrant IVIG, however, we have only one embryo and he said he would support IVIG for that reason (essentially it cannot hurt anything). I will share that he called 2.5 hours after my scheduled appointment. And I can appreciate that I never feel rushed when I talk to him and he will answer any and all of my questions... but man, the wait was killing me. I don’t feel like I got any solid answers to why we have lost 4 pregnancies, but I can say I feel like I have done all I can to set us up for success and have left no stone unturned! Oh!! I almost forgot. My TSH was high for the first time ever (3.19) so I start Levothyroxine tomorrow morning. He said ideally, he would like to see 1 or below. I was looking at the TSH wiki earlier... feel free to teach me anything you know about TSH. I’ve celebrated today’s accomplishment with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and it was a delicious reward for getting this far! Edit - I forgot this detail.... one of the tests showed that my immune system targets male embryos! My body is a man hater!

My appointment to review my immune testing results with Dr. Vidali is in ONE HOUR. I feel nervous but also kind of excited. Will I finally have the answers as to why we have lost 4 pregnancies? In my mind, I want to find out something is wrong... but not too wrong! Wish we could fast forward right now!

I am a new patient of Dr. Vidali. In our first consult, I shared my history of RPL and high BCL6 but lack of endo symptoms. I shared that I had planned on lap surgery but was not comfortable with my doctor and would prefer to take the Depot Lupron approach. Based on my case, he shared that DL would would be an acceptable approach and he would support it. He shared that ultimately, the DL will not cure endometriosis - it’s a bandaid to achieve pregnancy. If I begin to have endo symptoms in the future, a lap would be recommended at that time. I have been on DL for 5 weeks and have my follow up with Dr. Vidali this week to discuss my immune testing.

Some of my testing went through ReproSource as well. I’ve consulted with Vidali and I really like him - very down to earth! At the end of our call, he was like, the number I’m calling you from is my cell phone so you can save it and text if you have questions. Whaaaattt??? So amazing!!

Dr. Vidali with BRI charges $3k for immune management. This includes ordering and interpreting all the tests and designing your protocol. The labs are not included and we don’t fully know if my insurance will cover all of them. We are in a place where I know I have unexplained RPL and we have one PGT embryo so we went all in! If pregnancy is achieved, he charges $3k for pregnancy management where he keeps a close eye on tests and adjusts treatment accordingly.

I started my immune testing with BRI (Dr. Vidali) a week ago. Fully expected that I wouldn’t hear anything till our follow up in 6 weeks. Today I received a report of my “free fatty acid profile”. It shows my different ranges (I’m slightly high in a few areas) which I guess indicates an intermediate risk of inflammation and oxidative stress. I’m directed to increase my EPA/DHA intake and repeat in 2 weeks. I am in LOVE with this report. For the first time, a doctor can actually show me scientifically why I should be taking X amount of a supplement.

It was a big day over here... completed all of Dr. Vidali’s immune testing (will get my results in 6 weeks) and had my first Depot Lupron shot. I’m really excited to relax a little... and then I need to figure out how to move my embryo from the old clinic to the new clinic. Any advice on where to start with that? It’s a local move - maybe 45 minute drive. Oh... and the nurse who administered my DL shot, very pregnant. Sigh.

Somehow the clouds have parted and I’m feeling like I’ve made it to the right path! After my RE was a complete douche and decided to cancel my laparoscopy (basically because I was asking too many questions), I consulted with Dr. Vidali from Braverman and a new local RE who both support 2 months of Depot Lupron instead of the surgery (and I know there are conflicting views on this, but I should mention I don’t have any endo symptoms but tested high BCL6). The DL prescription was covered by insurance ($150 copay) and they were able to overnight it!!! Then, Vidali’s office sent my immune testing and I thought for sure it would all be OOP. 75% of the tests go through LabCorp (awesome... totally in network) and 25% go to a lab called ReproSource. I got the CPT codes and called my insurance company and about fell over when they told me ReproSource was IN NETWORK and the tests were FULLY COVERED based on the diagnosis code! I can’t help but feel like I’m exactly where I need to be and it is so incredibly refreshing!

This is my thought... if I’m ultimately going to want 60-90 days of Lupron before transferring our only embryo, can I just skip the lap?! Part of me wants to know what’s in there ... part of me is terrified they find nothing. I have my medical clearance tomorrow morning and will speak with my doctor. Then I actually have a virtual appointment with Vidali right after, so hoping he will give good advice.

I have suffered RPL via unassisted conception - 3 chemical pregnancies and 1 missed miscarriage. I started fertility testing after my first loss and completed a full RPL panel of tests after my second. Everything was coming back normal (except homozygous for MTHFR C677T, which doctors at that time assured me was not causing my losses ... perhaps true but definitely a piece to the puzzle). I spent a lot of time researching and wanted immune testing but none of the doctors I was seeing would provide it. My husband and I completed karyotype testing (normal) and continued on to have two more losses. It wasn’t until my MMC where the products of conception tested genetically normal that a doctor finally agreed to test my NKC (even though she directly told me that she does not see studies that definitively show NKC as a treatable diagnosis). My NKC came back high at 13.84% (I believe they like to see this below 10 or 11). She shared she would offer intralipids but I was not convinced that we had solved the puzzle. We did DNA frag testing which showed slightly elevated SDAD and husband was diagnosed with a slight vericocele (urologist advises against surgery and he began a supplement regiment). Additionally, prior to starting IVF, I completed ReceptivaDX (high BCL6 of 2.8) and ERA (receptive). At this point, I have completed 2 rounds of IVF with ICSI which has yielded 1 euploid embryo. I have a laparoscopy scheduled for 9/29. Currently RE is willing to treat with intralipids and empirical Lovenox for our transfer. I have consulted with another 3 REs to see what their stance on immunological causes is and if they would recommend any additional testing or treatment. All have said that I’ve completed more testing than they would have recommended and all but one agreed to the same treatment plan (the last was very old school and would not treat further). It feels like none of the REs I’ve seen are truly supportive of treating immunological causes. I have one additional local consultation this month and I also have a virtual consultation with Dr. Vidali. I was able to get in about 2.5 weeks after I called and I think the consultation is around $300. I believe the testing he requires in addition to his fees is quite expensive, which is why I have put off seeing him until now. It just feels like a lot of pressure for our one embryo and I have come too far not to make sure we are doing all we can to fully solve this puzzle. At one point I researched another RI, Kwak Kim in Chicago, however I am located east coast and Vidali is in NY. Fully open to any suggestions or feedback! Edit - my consultation with Dr. Vidali went very well. He’s incredibly down to earth. I was able to get my $350 consultation fee waived when I told them I saw their website mentioned a free consultation (however I believe they have stopped that). I paid the $3k immune management fee. I was sent lab reqs for both my husband and I to take to LabCorp. I also received a kit from ReproSource for 3 additional tests that I brought to another lab to draw and process. They scheduled my results appointment for 6 weeks later and I will update then.

Just curious how you are feeling post-op with Vidali? I am scheduled for surgery in a few weeks. I had a lap last year to remove a cyst and endo was found. I saw Liu and Vidali who both said I would need to return to the OR to have the endo removed properly as I am back in pain. I ended up going with Vidali because he actually did a physical exam along with my consultation and a friend of mine saw him last year and went with him. As the weeks approach, I definitely have been driving myself crazy with what if its not endo pain, am I doing the right thing, etc.

I’m having surgery with Vidali in a few weeks. I know 2 people personally who went with him and were very happy with the overall experience and are feeling 100% - 1 is a year out already from surgery. If it is a Nook surgeon then I don’t think you can go wrong. I saw Dr Liu as well for a consult and though I know she is a thorough surgeon, I went with Vidali because he’s older and has done tons of these.

I just had excision surgery with Dr Vidali 2 weeks ago. He is the best. I met with another Nook NYC surgeon before and such a difference when I met with Vidali. He spent almost an hour with me, included a physical exam/ultrasound and then we discussed surgery. He is confident and knowledgeable - and I am so happy I went with him. I had the surgery at Hoboken Hospital and had to stay overnight - the nurses were incredible.

Yes I have Aetna and the hospital was in network for me. I had to call them a few times and had to make sure they received something from Vidali’s office stating in was scheduled for the surgery so that it was on their calendar. You should follow him on IG - he has a lot of info and you can see his dedication.

He is - but Hoboken University Hospital was in-network for me. I had my procedure there. I met with a few docs in NYC - none take insurance. Personally I like Vidali - he is confident and knowledgeable and I find his instagram account helpful bc he is really passionate about treating endo. When I had my daughter 10 years ago no one talked about endo, infertility, recurrent miscarriages etc. I’m happy for women who want families to have such an outspoken advocate!

I had surgery with Dr Vidale last month. I had it at Hoboken hospital - which was in-network for me - so that is covered. If you have questions, PM me. I had a great experience with Dr Vidali. I met with another self-pay specialist but Dr Vidali was confident, listened and spent close to an hour with me in person. I opted to skip the initial phone meeting (which I believe is no cost) because I had a lap last year and had already been told I needed a proper surgery. He is excellent, dedicated and thorough! I wish there was a Dr Vidali in every health field!

Unless they changed that policy in the last 60 days the phone consult with Dr Vidali is free. I met with 2 nook recommended surgeons and I am glad I did - I don’t think you can go wrong with a vetted excision surgeon but you do need to talk and see who you are most comfortable with.

Hmm maybe I am wrong then. I thought I saw it was free. It was my second so I skipped the phone consult bc I am close by and I knew I needed a second surgery. My first lap was done by an gyn oncologist last January. I had elevated CA-125 and my OBGYN thought it might be ovarian cancer even though the other two markers were not elevated. Now I know it is usually endo-related. The surgeon said doubtful it was cancer - she was right - and that she could remove any endo - she was wrong. Literally left lesions behind - never told me and just said go on Lupron which thankfully I didn’t as I have read varying reports. I was in pain 9 months later - like weird nerve pain in my thighs down to my feet. My MRI was negative but Dr Vidali saw lesions on my MRI (if you follow him on IG that video about MRI negative is me!! 😂). My body was riddled with endo - including laying near/on arteries in my pelvis that supply blood to my limbs. Okay sorry for the looooong answer! I would pay for Dr Vidali again if I had to - he is top-notch professional, passionate and dedicated to treating endo. I wanted someone who listened and gave me confidence going into surgery and he was that! He is accessible - gives you his cell, his team was always responsive, I will sing referrals for day in and out! 😊

Hello! Feeling really great. My surgery went well - had a lot of endo lesions removed. Overall my recovery was pretty easy! I would recommend Vidali - he has done over 1000 surgeries. He is thorough and knowledgeable and I’m thankful I was his patient! Let me know if you have other questions!

Dr Vidali is the best! Caring, compassionate and confident. Yes, he is out of pocket but like comment above you get what you pay for. And I love that he communicates and educates on IG - if IG was around 10 years ago I probably would have sought out endo treatment then instead of being gaslit and ignored by doctors - even with my mom and aunt having had endo I was always dismissed. Love Vidali!

I’m sorry you had that experience. I had a lap last year and the doc said the cyst in my ovary probably wasn’t cancer (I was referred to an oncologist OBGYN surgeon) and if they found endo they would remove it. Fast forward and I found out they didn’t remove the endo at all: when I questioned them they said birth control is sufficient to treat endo. I was in referred nerve pain 9 months after my surgery. I saw 2 nook surgeons and went with Vidali in NYC - he removed over 20 lesions, nerve bundles and my appendix bc it was starting to show signs of endo infiltration. It is really upsetting that we put our trust in docs who say they are knowledgeable only to pay the price later! I’m thankful for Nook bc I was able to find Vidali. I’m sorry that was your experience - I’m sure you have reached out and reported to the hospital but doing your small part posting here will hopefully prevent someone from going to her and getting another opinion.

It went great. Honestly Dr Vidali is hands down the best. He removed over 30 endo lesions along with my appendix which showed some signs of endo invasion. He spoke with my husband and I before surgery, he saw me when I woke up and he called my husband too. I also received the USB video of my entire surgery. Dr Vidali and his team were responsive following questions that popped up post surgery and my post op call went well with him too. I really admire Dr Vidali because he is so committed and passionate about treating patients - he is such an advocate for this disease and I’m thankful I was able to see him. Not sure where you are on your journey but if you are able to meet with Dr Vidali, make that appointment!

Dr Vidali - he is in the city. One of the best - and he did my surgery a few months ago. Extremely thorough. I met with 2 surgeons and went with him because he has done 1000s - and when I told the other doc I was going with him she said he is one of the best. Some people on here don’t like his approach or his IG posts - but to be honest I wish he was posting 10 years ago so I wouldn’t have had to suffer and be gaslit by docs. He is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about advocating for this disease. He is professional, kind and accessible.

I'm sorry that you had that experience. I had surgery with Vidali and I had a great experience. He is one of the best. I met with another Nook doc who is consistently referred here and I was not impressed. She didn't even do a physical exam and was like email me when you want to get rolled into the OR. I would never say not to go to her because I think people click with different doctors and let's face it we all have good days and bad days. I just chalk up my experience with her as her having a bad day. You have to meet with doctors you feel most comfortable with - only you can make that decision.

I had excision surgery with Dr Vidali in April. Aetna covered my hospital stay at Hoboken University hospital. He is $10k - paid a week before surgery. My 3 calls with him 2 before surgery and 1 after was an additional $1300. He is excellent - caring and knowledgeable! I felt extremely comfortable with him. I met one other Nook doctor before him and when I left my appt I felt confident I was making the right choice. No regrets!

Good. It took a few months to be honest but Vidali explained to me it would take up to 6-9 months as there was so much endo in my pelvic cavity, stick on top of my colon, appendix, sitting on nerves and both iliac arteries which I had to look up and are veins that carry blood to your legs! My body had to learn to function disease free! My recovery was very easy - I was able to walk around the next day - a 180 from my lap that removed an ovarian cyst a year before with a surgeon who said if they found endo would remove it only to find out they left it all in there! I have heard good things about Siverno too.

I had excision with Dr Vidali in April. I met with another Nook surgeon a month prior and to be honest I’m relieved I decided to go with Vidali. As one commenter posted - yes social media posting can be divisive but I appreciate his videos because for years I was told there was nothing wrong with me. Even when I had a complex cyst on my left ovary I was told I was too old for endo - I was 41 at the time - and I live in the NY/NJ metro area where I’m seeing supposedly the best doctors. I had a lap that removed the cyst found endo and closed me up. I then had crazy nighttime pain in my thighs down to my soles of my feet. Dr Vidali did a thorough exam, listened to me and declared a solution. The other nook doc didn’t even give me an exam - was actually auto breast pumping during our consultation - which hey I get we are all women but I’m paying you out of pocket lady. Dr Vidali is no nonsense, he is deeply committed to endometriosis in an almost fanatical way and I appreciate his family who probably sacrifice a lot for him to do his job. My body was riddled with endo - even laying near my iliac arteries which was giving me those sensations. I get he’s expensive but my friend had a tooth/gum repaired and replaced - it was $4k with insurance. For $10k - lap surgery - I don’t think that is crazy. Don’t get me started on women’s health in general because we are so far down on the totem pole in general. If you want to chat, pm me. Good luck and advocate for yourself!! It’s harder than you think.

Agree. I saw and had surgery with Vidali in April. Making judgment calls bc of his social media presence is just plain wrong. Like I have said in previous posts, Vidali’s life is endo - I would prefer seeing a surgeon who has devoted his life, education and teaching to endo - he is very committed and to make blank statements like that even saying he might come after her for posting this - kind of strange and makes me think this is just an attention grab that potentially hurts women struggling with endo!!!

I agree. Mandy is a scammer by posting this vague warning - women’s health is hard to navigate with doctors as it is and to post this without any details is just plain wrong. It really infuriates me because what she is accusing Dr Vidali of is what she is actually doing with her post! I saw and went to Dr Vidali and had surgery with him in April. I had a great experience - and would go to him again if I had to. I met with other surgeons who lacked interest - if you don’t like him, find someone else! The whole he might come after me shows she is just looking for attention - then signs her name. Really makes me mad!

Hi - just reading this - and not sure if you are on Reddit anymore! But I had pain mostly at night for months following a lap that removed an ovarian cyst and endo was found (and found out later not removed!). I went to my GP and thought I had cancer or some kind of neurological issue but nothing. I went and saw two endo specialists who both confirmed from my surgery notes that endo was probably left behind and sitting on nerves that could create this pain. I was referred to a physiatrist who prescribed gabapentin which sometimes worked. I ended up getting surgery in April with Dr Vidali and sure enough I had endo all over my pelvic area including lesions which had grown and were sitting on nerves and my iliac arteries -they supply blood to your legs. Don’t give up - it stinks advocating and communicating with doctors who might dismiss you as all in your head but keep going. No one knows your body like yourself.

What a great article - thank you so much for sharing. This is what I love about being in this Reddit community. I think Nook originally sprung from a place of need - and to be honest I think it is another resource - not the *only resource* \- for women who find themselves dropped into the lonely land of endometriosis. As a former patient of Dr. Vidali - yes I sometimes cringe myself on his IG stories - yet he was the only surgeon who spent time with me and really listened and declared a solution. He wasn't surgery-hungry and we did several tests prior to the commitment of surgery. I also found him deeply passionate about endometriosis. A video of a portion of my surgery was his first "viral" post...I look at these stories - cringe or not - as another way people, patients, endo sufferers, doctors, etc. are able to get information that was once rarely discussed. I wish IG existed when I was dealing with miscarriage after miscarriage - despite a family history of endo and seeing some of the top doctors in the NYC metro area - I was always laughed at or dismissed when I brought up endo as a possible culprit. For that, I will always welcome and support articles, forums, discussions like this and yes, even Dr Vidali promoting an educational summit for fellow doctors, patients, physical therapists with reindeer ears and a Santa hat.

First I think it is great the first surgeon told you he/she couldn’t do it because it was beyond their scope! Countless women find themselves needing another surgery bc their surgeons didn’t do that. It is hard - listen to your gut. I met with another surgeon who was highly recommended and even knew someone personally who went to her but when I met her we just didn’t click. There will always be lovers and haters about doctors - if they are qualified, listen and you feel comfortable - go with your gut! If you have any questions about Dr. Vidali will be happy to chat!

Just curious how you are feeling post-op with Vidali? I am scheduled for surgery in a few weeks. I had a lap last year to remove a cyst and endo was found. I saw Liu and Vidali who both said I would need to return to the OR to have the endo removed properly as I am back in pain. I ended up going with Vidali because he actually did a physical exam along with my consultation and a friend of mine saw him last year and went with him. As the weeks approach, I definitely have been driving myself crazy with what if its not endo pain, am I doing the right thing, etc.

I’m having surgery with Vidali in a few weeks. I know 2 people personally who went with him and were very happy with the overall experience and are feeling 100% - 1 is a year out already from surgery. If it is a Nook surgeon then I don’t think you can go wrong. I saw Dr Liu as well for a consult and though I know she is a thorough surgeon, I went with Vidali because he’s older and has done tons of these.

I just had excision surgery with Dr Vidali 2 weeks ago. He is the best. I met with another Nook NYC surgeon before and such a difference when I met with Vidali. He spent almost an hour with me, included a physical exam/ultrasound and then we discussed surgery. He is confident and knowledgeable - and I am so happy I went with him. I had the surgery at Hoboken Hospital and had to stay overnight - the nurses were incredible.

Yes I have Aetna and the hospital was in network for me. I had to call them a few times and had to make sure they received something from Vidali’s office stating in was scheduled for the surgery so that it was on their calendar. You should follow him on IG - he has a lot of info and you can see his dedication.

He is - but Hoboken University Hospital was in-network for me. I had my procedure there. I met with a few docs in NYC - none take insurance. Personally I like Vidali - he is confident and knowledgeable and I find his instagram account helpful bc he is really passionate about treating endo. When I had my daughter 10 years ago no one talked about endo, infertility, recurrent miscarriages etc. I’m happy for women who want families to have such an outspoken advocate!

I had surgery with Dr Vidale last month. I had it at Hoboken hospital - which was in-network for me - so that is covered. If you have questions, PM me. I had a great experience with Dr Vidali. I met with another self-pay specialist but Dr Vidali was confident, listened and spent close to an hour with me in person. I opted to skip the initial phone meeting (which I believe is no cost) because I had a lap last year and had already been told I needed a proper surgery. He is excellent, dedicated and thorough! I wish there was a Dr Vidali in every health field!

Unless they changed that policy in the last 60 days the phone consult with Dr Vidali is free. I met with 2 nook recommended surgeons and I am glad I did - I don’t think you can go wrong with a vetted excision surgeon but you do need to talk and see who you are most comfortable with.

Hmm maybe I am wrong then. I thought I saw it was free. It was my second so I skipped the phone consult bc I am close by and I knew I needed a second surgery. My first lap was done by an gyn oncologist last January. I had elevated CA-125 and my OBGYN thought it might be ovarian cancer even though the other two markers were not elevated. Now I know it is usually endo-related. The surgeon said doubtful it was cancer - she was right - and that she could remove any endo - she was wrong. Literally left lesions behind - never told me and just said go on Lupron which thankfully I didn’t as I have read varying reports. I was in pain 9 months later - like weird nerve pain in my thighs down to my feet. My MRI was negative but Dr Vidali saw lesions on my MRI (if you follow him on IG that video about MRI negative is me!! 😂). My body was riddled with endo - including laying near/on arteries in my pelvis that supply blood to my limbs. Okay sorry for the looooong answer! I would pay for Dr Vidali again if I had to - he is top-notch professional, passionate and dedicated to treating endo. I wanted someone who listened and gave me confidence going into surgery and he was that! He is accessible - gives you his cell, his team was always responsive, I will sing referrals for day in and out! 😊

Hello! Feeling really great. My surgery went well - had a lot of endo lesions removed. Overall my recovery was pretty easy! I would recommend Vidali - he has done over 1000 surgeries. He is thorough and knowledgeable and I’m thankful I was his patient! Let me know if you have other questions!

Dr Vidali is the best! Caring, compassionate and confident. Yes, he is out of pocket but like comment above you get what you pay for. And I love that he communicates and educates on IG - if IG was around 10 years ago I probably would have sought out endo treatment then instead of being gaslit and ignored by doctors - even with my mom and aunt having had endo I was always dismissed. Love Vidali!

I’m sorry you had that experience. I had a lap last year and the doc said the cyst in my ovary probably wasn’t cancer (I was referred to an oncologist OBGYN surgeon) and if they found endo they would remove it. Fast forward and I found out they didn’t remove the endo at all: when I questioned them they said birth control is sufficient to treat endo. I was in referred nerve pain 9 months after my surgery. I saw 2 nook surgeons and went with Vidali in NYC - he removed over 20 lesions, nerve bundles and my appendix bc it was starting to show signs of endo infiltration. It is really upsetting that we put our trust in docs who say they are knowledgeable only to pay the price later! I’m thankful for Nook bc I was able to find Vidali. I’m sorry that was your experience - I’m sure you have reached out and reported to the hospital but doing your small part posting here will hopefully prevent someone from going to her and getting another opinion.

It went great. Honestly Dr Vidali is hands down the best. He removed over 30 endo lesions along with my appendix which showed some signs of endo invasion. He spoke with my husband and I before surgery, he saw me when I woke up and he called my husband too. I also received the USB video of my entire surgery. Dr Vidali and his team were responsive following questions that popped up post surgery and my post op call went well with him too. I really admire Dr Vidali because he is so committed and passionate about treating patients - he is such an advocate for this disease and I’m thankful I was able to see him. Not sure where you are on your journey but if you are able to meet with Dr Vidali, make that appointment!

Dr Vidali - he is in the city. One of the best - and he did my surgery a few months ago. Extremely thorough. I met with 2 surgeons and went with him because he has done 1000s - and when I told the other doc I was going with him she said he is one of the best. Some people on here don’t like his approach or his IG posts - but to be honest I wish he was posting 10 years ago so I wouldn’t have had to suffer and be gaslit by docs. He is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about advocating for this disease. He is professional, kind and accessible.

I'm sorry that you had that experience. I had surgery with Vidali and I had a great experience. He is one of the best. I met with another Nook doc who is consistently referred here and I was not impressed. She didn't even do a physical exam and was like email me when you want to get rolled into the OR. I would never say not to go to her because I think people click with different doctors and let's face it we all have good days and bad days. I just chalk up my experience with her as her having a bad day. You have to meet with doctors you feel most comfortable with - only you can make that decision.

I had excision surgery with Dr Vidali in April. Aetna covered my hospital stay at Hoboken University hospital. He is $10k - paid a week before surgery. My 3 calls with him 2 before surgery and 1 after was an additional $1300. He is excellent - caring and knowledgeable! I felt extremely comfortable with him. I met one other Nook doctor before him and when I left my appt I felt confident I was making the right choice. No regrets!

Good. It took a few months to be honest but Vidali explained to me it would take up to 6-9 months as there was so much endo in my pelvic cavity, stick on top of my colon, appendix, sitting on nerves and both iliac arteries which I had to look up and are veins that carry blood to your legs! My body had to learn to function disease free! My recovery was very easy - I was able to walk around the next day - a 180 from my lap that removed an ovarian cyst a year before with a surgeon who said if they found endo would remove it only to find out they left it all in there! I have heard good things about Siverno too.

I had excision with Dr Vidali in April. I met with another Nook surgeon a month prior and to be honest I’m relieved I decided to go with Vidali. As one commenter posted - yes social media posting can be divisive but I appreciate his videos because for years I was told there was nothing wrong with me. Even when I had a complex cyst on my left ovary I was told I was too old for endo - I was 41 at the time - and I live in the NY/NJ metro area where I’m seeing supposedly the best doctors. I had a lap that removed the cyst found endo and closed me up. I then had crazy nighttime pain in my thighs down to my soles of my feet. Dr Vidali did a thorough exam, listened to me and declared a solution. The other nook doc didn’t even give me an exam - was actually auto breast pumping during our consultation - which hey I get we are all women but I’m paying you out of pocket lady. Dr Vidali is no nonsense, he is deeply committed to endometriosis in an almost fanatical way and I appreciate his family who probably sacrifice a lot for him to do his job. My body was riddled with endo - even laying near my iliac arteries which was giving me those sensations. I get he’s expensive but my friend had a tooth/gum repaired and replaced - it was $4k with insurance. For $10k - lap surgery - I don’t think that is crazy. Don’t get me started on women’s health in general because we are so far down on the totem pole in general. If you want to chat, pm me. Good luck and advocate for yourself!! It’s harder than you think.

Agree. I saw and had surgery with Vidali in April. Making judgment calls bc of his social media presence is just plain wrong. Like I have said in previous posts, Vidali’s life is endo - I would prefer seeing a surgeon who has devoted his life, education and teaching to endo - he is very committed and to make blank statements like that even saying he might come after her for posting this - kind of strange and makes me think this is just an attention grab that potentially hurts women struggling with endo!!!

I agree. Mandy is a scammer by posting this vague warning - women’s health is hard to navigate with doctors as it is and to post this without any details is just plain wrong. It really infuriates me because what she is accusing Dr Vidali of is what she is actually doing with her post! I saw and went to Dr Vidali and had surgery with him in April. I had a great experience - and would go to him again if I had to. I met with other surgeons who lacked interest - if you don’t like him, find someone else! The whole he might come after me shows she is just looking for attention - then signs her name. Really makes me mad!

Hi - just reading this - and not sure if you are on Reddit anymore! But I had pain mostly at night for months following a lap that removed an ovarian cyst and endo was found (and found out later not removed!). I went to my GP and thought I had cancer or some kind of neurological issue but nothing. I went and saw two endo specialists who both confirmed from my surgery notes that endo was probably left behind and sitting on nerves that could create this pain. I was referred to a physiatrist who prescribed gabapentin which sometimes worked. I ended up getting surgery in April with Dr Vidali and sure enough I had endo all over my pelvic area including lesions which had grown and were sitting on nerves and my iliac arteries -they supply blood to your legs. Don’t give up - it stinks advocating and communicating with doctors who might dismiss you as all in your head but keep going. No one knows your body like yourself.

What a great article - thank you so much for sharing. This is what I love about being in this Reddit community. I think Nook originally sprung from a place of need - and to be honest I think it is another resource - not the *only resource* \- for women who find themselves dropped into the lonely land of endometriosis. As a former patient of Dr. Vidali - yes I sometimes cringe myself on his IG stories - yet he was the only surgeon who spent time with me and really listened and declared a solution. He wasn't surgery-hungry and we did several tests prior to the commitment of surgery. I also found him deeply passionate about endometriosis. A video of a portion of my surgery was his first "viral" post...I look at these stories - cringe or not - as another way people, patients, endo sufferers, doctors, etc. are able to get information that was once rarely discussed. I wish IG existed when I was dealing with miscarriage after miscarriage - despite a family history of endo and seeing some of the top doctors in the NYC metro area - I was always laughed at or dismissed when I brought up endo as a possible culprit. For that, I will always welcome and support articles, forums, discussions like this and yes, even Dr Vidali promoting an educational summit for fellow doctors, patients, physical therapists with reindeer ears and a Santa hat.

First I think it is great the first surgeon told you he/she couldn’t do it because it was beyond their scope! Countless women find themselves needing another surgery bc their surgeons didn’t do that. It is hard - listen to your gut. I met with another surgeon who was highly recommended and even knew someone personally who went to her but when I met her we just didn’t click. There will always be lovers and haters about doctors - if they are qualified, listen and you feel comfortable - go with your gut! If you have any questions about Dr. Vidali will be happy to chat!

Hi! I am 17F, I have had two endometriosis related surgeries! Diagnostic Lap - November of 2023 Excision surgery - Done by a Specialist - May 2024 I was told that I would not need another excision surgery for a long time (Not sure what that means but It took 7 years to get this bad. So I am assuming somewhere around the 10 year mark.) I intend on getting a radical hysterectomy after I have children, (I know this is not a treatment for endo, but I also have mild adenmyosis). I will tell you that I got significantly worse after my diagnostic lap, since nothing was excised and only diagnosed. This is all in my personal experience, my body did not respond well at all to being messed around with and having nothing removed. I was told by my first doctor that it wasn’t that bad. Once I got with a specialist who decided to do excision surgery, I found that I in fact had stage three — to the point that the endo had begun to form nodules over my large intestine and crush it. They also found endo in places that they did not find during my first surgery (ie. Diaphragm, Flanks of Abdomen) So, in my personal experience exploratory surgery is incredibly unreliable. Yes you can get diagnosed — but if it is not done by a specialist you risk not getting reliable answers. If you think you have endo, please don’t let a doctor just do exploratory surgery. Before getting diagnosed, and before getting excision surgery I tried lots of other interventions: I also have a testosterone imbalance (elevated) — and birth controls tend to make me very sick. Birth control (Progesterone-only, Combination) ⁃ The one I found that was best for my nausea and didn’t make me as sick as the others was Nextellis — (I swear by this one) Anti-convulsants (Gabapentin) I was offered the option to be put in chemical menopause through Lupron or Ellagolix I had no quality of life prior to my excision surgery, I missed over 60% of my senior year of high school because I was bedridden and constantly in flares. I was in pain and violently nauseous 24/7. I only got temporary relief and like you — I feared the damage that taking pain medications (NSAIDS) was doing to my body. I will not go into detail about how awful it is to live with endo, because I am sure you understand. I am happy to help you find a specialist in your area. I personally worked with Dr. Andrea Vidali for my excision surgery. I am three weeks post op and my life has completely changed. (Recovery is 4-8 weeks, but even this far out I can feel a difference) You do not deserve to live like this and I am so sorry. As for pain interventions things I found that worked for me included — Tens Unit, For Nauesa (Relief Band, Zofran, Acupressure), Lidocaine Patches, (NSAIDS did NOT work for my pain at all), I found a specialist who prescribed me Oxy and Torodol for especially bad flares. (Some flares used to send me to the ER, and there was nothing they could do for me so having access to stronger pain medications at home was important.) I know a lot of people have a tough time with Gabapentin, but I have found that it very much so has worked for me. Now that I have had my excision surgery I am moving to work with an integrated medicine doctor to make lifestyle changes that can possibly further minimize my pain / inflammation. Also, Pelvic Floor Therapy. (These interventions I did not attempt prior to my excision surgery because of the nature of the severity of my endo. Genuinely, no matter what I did. Things were only getting worse.) I give my love and prayers to you. Please let me know if I can help you find resources. Or if you need to talk. There is more for us than living like this! I promise.

Hi! I just had excision surgery with Dr. Vidali two weeks ago. He is incredible. I have stage 3 endo, suspected adeno, bowel endo, and diaphrmatic endo. I did not believe him when he told me that my life would change after the surgery, because I’ve been in pain for so long. I am only three weeks out. My recovery is 4 to 8 weeks. However, I can tell you that my life is completely changed. I’m 17 years old, I did not think that there would be a day where I did not feel absolutely crippled by endo. I am still in surgical pain, but it has made a world of difference and I can’t wait to see how I feel once I’m fully recovered. Dr Vidali is incredibly knowledgeable and well-rounded, I had an incredible experience. My surgery was done at Jersey City Medical Center. My postop experience was incredible. He had my mom record a video of him explaining what he found because I was drugged up on anesthesia. Prior to my surgery when I was in bad flares that would send me to the ER. He would prescribe me pain meds, like oxycodone and Toradol. He understands the extent and pain that people like us are in. Gives you a video of your surgery after, and photos on a flash drive for you to look at. I had a diagnostic laparoscopy in November and I was told that I had minimal endometriosis. Dr. Vidali found that i had three endometriosis. He found it on places that were not originally found in my diagnostic surgery. Like on my diaphragm and the flanks of my abdomen. The Endo had begun to crush my large intestine form nodules around it. Honestly, honestly, I think bedside manner comes down to what hospital you are in. Dr. Vidal himself is incredibly kind understanding and knowledgeable. He explains everything thoroughly and is very very good at answering questions and concerns. I felt very comfortable speaking to him before my surgery. he made me feel comfortable that I was in good hands. Let me know if you need any more information about him, my experience, payments, and the timeline of things.

Of course. I primarily have endo on my bowel and rectum. Vidali brings in a bowel specialist (I forget his name) — he is also wonderful. That is what I was most worried about also. I was worried that I would need a colostomy bag.. etc. They put stitches in my bowel, which is a type of resection. Genuinely, the bowel/rectum pain is so awful. I am so sorry you’re also going through this. There’s more for us, and hopefully in years to come there will be better options 💕💕💕

hi there!! when i had my excision surgery the worst of my endo was on my sigmoid colon. i also had rectal bleeding. we have very similar symptoms. Keep fighting for answers. colorectal endometriosis is horrific. And that sounds like what is going on. If they are able to see something on scans that means you have deeply infiltrating Endo if it is Endo. when I had my surgery, they showed that Endo had begun to strip the muscle on my intestines and nodules over it. I like you had been told that this was completely normal. IT IS NOT NORMAL. It was not until I saw endometrial specialist that someone finally validated that the pain and the bleeding that I was having was wrong. They even said to me that if I let it go untreated, I might need an ostomy bag. I worked with Dr. Andrea Vidali. He’s an endometriosis specialist. I highly recommend him. they should not be brushing you off the way that they are and if they didn’t send anything for biopsies then they don’t know if it’s endometriosis. I’m so sorry this is happening. Don’t stop advocating until they officially rule out endometriosis. i’m happy to talk about this with you and give you advice on things that I’ve done to get some thing of relief prior to having my surgery. I always feel like symptoms like these are straight out of a horror movie.

That is totally your call. My GYN said the same thing but if she saw it, she would take it out. That’s why I was shocked that she actually didn’t. The statistic is something like 83% of doctors aren’t comfortable treating endometriosis. I worked with Dr. Andrea Vidali. Who did my excision surgery. If she isn’t an excision specialist, then I would go and find one. You’ll figure this out 💕

i never had anything come up on ultrasounds! the post mortem comment is INSANE! you can’t see endo on ultrasounds unless it’s a cyst or endometrioma and as for MRI’s it’s very rare that you will see anything even with the presence of endo. oh and doctors love waiting a couple months to see if things change and then they don’t. it’s my favorite game to play. like yes we knew nothing was going to change! i got diagnosed through a obgyn who specialized in pelvic pain, my family history (mother and maternal grandmother both have endo, and generally the fact that nothing else explained my pain (i had other tests and surgeries to rule things out). i’m so sorry! i know some specialists require a referral from a GP but some don’t! it’s always worth it to go directly to a specialist for treatment, since someone has told you that you have endo. i know some of the specialists in NY do free consultations to see what your options are. i personally worked with dr andrea vidali (LOVE HIM!) unfortunately as women when we are in pain it is blamed on simply being an emotional woman! it’s tough out here, but you will find someone who will listen. 🥰

hiii! i also have a family history! my maternal grandmother had a radical hysterectomy at 32 for endo! it’s such a tragic world we live in that our options now aren’t much better than the options they had then. but boy does that family history help in getting a diagnosis. if you’re not happy with this clinical diagnosis, i would go straight to seeing a specialist. especially if you’re looking for surgical treatment. your OBGYN is likely not qualified to do excision surgery even if they have knowledge in endo ( this happened to me and i needed an additional surgery with an excision specialist) i had the same fears as you since my grandmother had it so bad, and it turns out i had it very similar to the way she had and i was VERY happy to have pushed to immediately been seen by a specialist. some specialists in the US don’t require a referral. i know some of the NY specialists (vidali — I LOVE HIM) and (seckin MD) do free consultations. if you are anywhere else in the world i’m not sure. there is an online directory for canadas endo specialists. above all else, get a second opinion. hormonal options don’t always provide relief and aren’t always a stable option. though sometimes it is helpful. best of luck to you! you deserve relief. let me know if can do anything else to help. 🥰

i recommend talking with doctor andrea vidali out of NY! he did my excision surgery. (i have stage 3 DIE colo-rectal endo, with endo on my flanks and diaphragm). i’m 17! and my experience with him was incredible. my life is changed. he has another patient who he found endo in her rotator cuff! i know that vidali does free consultations for people in canada! its on his website. [here’s the link!](https://endometriosistreatmentcenternyc.com/canadian-patients/) someone else had suggested doctor seckin in NY! he’s wonderful as well.

if you suspect you have endo and the route you want to take is excision surgery i would recommend going directly to an excision specialist/ endo specialist. to get a diagnosis you have to get surgery anyways! there’s a couple of specialists i have personal experience with in the US. dr. andrea vidali out of NY, if you’re not in the US he does consultations regardless of where you are. i’ll attach the links for him, and for the canadian directory if that is helpful. i’ve heard some people having positive experiences with pelvic pain centers.. etc. i got diagnosed at 17, im now 18! and my only option at the time was getting diagnosed with an GYN — while i got my diagnosis my GYN was extremely incorrect about the severity of my disease. you do what you have to. though getting diagnosed is difficult. but it can always be made easier by going to a specialist. so [canadian endo specialist directory](https://endometriosisnetwork.com/surgeons/) [BRI (Dr. Vidali)](https://preventmiscarriage.com/endometriosis.

hi! I have stage three colorectal endometriosis. I’ve had excision surgery. I have very similar symptoms to yours. Getting diagnosed again with me first seeing a G.I. because of blood and mucus in my stools, and because of debilitating pain that kept me in bed. I had flank pain with predominantly left side of pain. It often felt like something was trying to claw its way out of me. As well as I had pain with bowel movements and often have what I would describe as “ass knives”. Basically rectal cramping. I also get the fever, I don’t get mouth ulcers, but I get symptoms of strep throat without having test testing positive. I also was on the G.I. route to figure out the answer to my problems. It wasn’t until I got my diagnostic surgery and then eventually seek out an excision specialist that I found out that I had such bad colorectal endometriosis that had begun to strip the muscle on my intestines and crushed it. It also was the reason there was blood in my stool. It was the reason I had left side of pain, and I had adhesions all up and down the flank of my body. If you were going to do a diagnostic laparoscopy, this is my biggest regret, I let a regular OB/GYN do it. Cut to a couple months later seeing my excision specialist and being told that I should be prepared to wake up with a colostomy bag because of the amount of damage that Endo has done my G.I. tract. I did not wake up with a colostomy bag, but my point here is that regular OB/GYN’s may be able to diagnose, but they do not know the severity of it. Also, my regular OB/GYN didn’t catch the fact that was all over the flanks of my body all over my ovary all over my diaphragm. (TLDR: OBGYN are not qualified to do exploratory laps, or extension surgery) My G.I. symptoms are very much so different since my excision surgery. I also had an upper endoscopy, gastric emptying, etc. While I still have motility issues, I don’t suffer in the way that I used to. I really think you should check for endometriosis. Typically blood in the stool caused by endometriosis is a signal of a higher level stage like stage three or four. The doctor I went to was Dr. Andrea Vidali. He does free consultations if you suspect you have Endo I would fast track right to excision surgery if that is in something you wanna do. I used to have no quality of life, unable to eat, unable to go out unable to move, and on very heavy duty painkillers (oxy and gabapentin ). I understand what you’re going through and I’m so incredibly sorry. You still might have some G.I. issues post excision surgery I still do but not nearly to the degree that it was. I’ve gotten my life back. There’s certain lifestyle adjustments that have helped my symptoms like low FOD map, and continuing to explore if there’s any other G.I. related disease that could be contributing to my nausea— but otherwise my pain is gone for the most part. I suppressed my periods , I take dienogest, I don’t ovulate or get my period. This helped my symptoms prior to excision surgery but nothing gave me true relief until I got the surgery. I got diagnosed at 16 in my excision surgery at 17. I’m currently 4 to 5 months out. The only thing I think about outside of the realm of Endo, I apologize if I’m repeating something you’ve already looked into is delayed gastric emptying or a motility issue with your small intestine. That might make sense for some of the symptoms, but the pain and the cramping and the blood in the stool feels very endo to me. You’re describing the exact symptoms I had. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help. I have some coping mechanisms I can share, but I really think you should look into Endo. I’m no doctor. I’m just a teenage girl. Whose life has been ruined by this disease and all I want is to be able to help other people get their lives back. 🥰

hi i’m 17! i got diagnosed at 16. ive had symptoms since i was 11! i also had excision surgery in the last 4 months. endo symptoms don’t just go away, unless the root of the problem is addressed. hormonal therapies can help, though they didn’t for me, i would recommend if you are looking to get surgery to go directly to an excision specialist. i made the mistake of just working with a regular OBGYN and needed additional surgery with a different doctor (specialist). it’s so important to see a specialist, especially if there is bowel involvement. you need a colo-rectal specialist in on your surgery. (this is what i needed as well) for example, i was told my by first doctor (obgyn who diagnosed me) that i had minimal endo. 6 months later when i got my excision surgery with a specialist i was told my endo was so bad that i might wake up with a colostomy bag because endo had begun to crush and strip the muscle off of my colon. (along with deep adhesions being all over my body, flanks, diagram, ovaries.. etc) dr. vidali out of new york is the surgeon i saw, i know he does free consultations for people all over the world. for me, hormonal medication only did so much. my symptoms were so debilitating and the only thing that made any difference and allowed things like birth control and pain management to help me was getting excision surgery. i was on heavy duty pain killers, and unable to attend school because of my symptoms. it’s such an awful disease and i am so sorry you are not too young. just please please please see a specialist. other things to look into — working with a functional / integrative medicine doctor, thyroid, looking into underlying immune conditions (MCAS, hashimotos.. etc), if you are having bowel issues you can look into motility issues that might be adding to the discomfort (SIBO, gastric emptying, endoscopy, colonoscopy) for me! most of the GI pain went away after surgery and i am only left with motility issues! i would also recommend if ryeqo doesn’t work for you looking into something like dienogest (visanne) — this is what i take and its the only thing that has worked for me. get in with a pelvic floor therapist / PT ASAP! this does wonders, even with just suspected endo. i am not a doctor, and what works for me might not work for you. but its worth a shot also a tens unit usually works wonders for pain! wishing you the best of luck and if there’s anything i can do to help i am here! 🥰🥰 it’s going to be okay.

Relief opions that have helped me Relief opions that have helped me Hi, everyone! I have been wanting to make this post for some time and I finally got around to it! I have been through hell and back with Endo (like many of us have), and I wanted to share things that have worked for me that might help you as well. I am not a doctor, and I am not offering medical advice -- I am just sharing the things that have worked for me. # CONTEXT: \*\*(\*\**Feel free to gloss over this portion if you aren't interested in my story and just want to read through the relief ideas)* * I got diagnosed with Endo at 16 through a diagnostic laparoscopy! I got excision surgery 16 months later, at 17. I am currently 6 months out from excision surgery. I have stage 3 colorectal endometriosis, with bowel involvement, adhesions up and down the flanks of my body, and on my diagram * My laparoscopic surgery was performed by an OBGYN, she told me that I had minimal endo and nothing to worry about. However I felt that my symptoms were getting worse and the relief options that we explored before the diagnostic surgery were the same as after. So I decided to speak to a specialist. * Six months later, working with my specialist (Dr. Andrea Vidali) -- I found out that I did have something to worry about and my first doctor had completely missed the severity of my case. My "minimal" endo -- was stage 3. I had adhesions stripping my colon of its muscle and crushing it. I was told to be prepared for the possibility of waking up with an ostomy bag. Alongside, with the rate things were progressing with my age -- I would likely begin to face threats to my fertility in the coming years and intervention like this was important-- not only that but for my overall quality of life * I missed 1/3 of my senior year, I had pain with or without ovulation or menstruation. I had significant GI pain and symptoms. I was often spending nights in the ER. Taking gabapentin daily, and oxy as needed for my pain. I had no quality of life before my excision surgery, and the reason I was so "quick" to be diagnosed is because of my family history and its severity. I underwent other procedures before doctors even considered endometriosis, and I was told it was purely psychological. It was not. Now onto the things that have helped me survive before and after excision surgery. # METHODS THAT HAVE HELPED ME *^(( In no specific order ))* 1. **MEDICATIONS:** * NSAIDS (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) * Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Midol * PRESCRIPTION PAINKILLERS * Toradol * Oxycodone * IMMUNE MODULATING * Low Dose Naltrexone (Off-label treatment but FDA approved) * NERVE PAIN MEDICATIONS * Gabapentin (Orally) * VAGINAL SUPPOSITORIES * A compound of Valium, Baclofen, and Gabapentin * HORMONAL MEDICATIONS * Combined Pill (Nextellis) * Mini Pill (Visanne) **2. TOPICAL & INJECTABLE PAIN RELIEF** * TOPICAL TREATMENTS * Lidocaine Patches * Lidocaine Topical Gel * INJECTIONS * Lidocaine Injections * Botox Injections (for muscle pain/spasms) **3. PHYSICAL THERAPY & BODYWORK** * Pelvic Floor Therapy * Dilation Therapy * Lymphatic Drainage Massage * Manual PT * Stretching * TENS UNIT (My Holy Grail) **4. COGNITIVE** * CBT * Limbic Retraining Programs (Gupta Program) * Pain Management Workbook * Biofeedback **5. OTHER PPROACHES** * Heat Therapy * Magnesium Therapy (Baths, Supplements) * Arnica * Tumeric * Ginger * CBD * Accunputre/Accupressure * Aromatherapy * Dietary Adjustment (Anti-inflammatory/ Elimination) * Probiotics * Castor Oil Packs * Medical Marijuana * Hydration (IV) Therapy * Lemon Balm and Dandelion Root Tea * Raspberry Leaf Tea **6. NASUEA / GI SYMPTOMS** * WEARABLE DEVICES / PHYSICAL TECHNIQUES * Relief Band (Acupressure watch that targets nausea via electrical stimulation) * Sea Bands * Diaphragmatic Breathing * Cold Compress (on back of neck can help with gag reflex) * Falling asleep in an upright position * Posture pillows (If nausea is caused by acid reflux or GERD) * NATURAL * Ginger Chews (Chimes Brand * Peppermint Chews / Gym * Fennel Seeds * Activated Charcoal * DIGESTIVE SUPPLEMENTS * Intesntiall Defense * Atrnatil * Digestive Enzyme * Electrolyte Drinks (Bouy, LMNT) * OVER THE COUNTER MEDS * Benedryl (Antihistamines) * Dramamine (Dimenhydrinate) * Pepto-Bismol * Flat Soda * PRESCRIPTION MEDS * Zofran * Meclizine * Reglan * Scopolamine Patch These are the things to have helped me! I hope its given you some new ideas and can help you as well. I'm happy to answer any questions about my experience with the things I've listed. We will all get relief! <33

hi there. I got diagnosed at 16. I had excision surgery at 17. I am now 18. I’m not a doctor, but I have experience with getting help and getting diagnosed. You are diagnosed. Start reaching out to excision specialists. I worked with Dr. Andrea Vidali, I know he does free consults. I’m sure you’ve heard this repeated many times on the sub, but you need to go to an excision specialist not a regular gynecologist. Someone with a fellowship with experience. It’s very often that women have multiple surgeries because their first doctor didn’t know what they were doing (I unfortunately have had this experience) I’m sorry you are suffering so badly. I’m going to link a post. I made a couple months ago about relief tips that I have used. While they do help. I did not find immense relief until I got my excision surgery. I would also recommend if you’re not on it already getting into physical therapy. Endo causes all sorts of havoc with your pelvic floor muscles. Having this condition is very mentally taxing. I’m very sorry you are suffering. I am always here to talk.

Not to be rude, but it’s absolutely bullshit. I don’t mean to come heated into this response, but as someone with stage three colorectal endometriosis. I know the kind of pain you’re in and I am so incredibly sorry. What your doctor told you feel feels like an excuse. Studies suggest that ablation is less effective than something like excision when concerning endometriosis lesions. You can correct me if I’m wrong, but if it was a diagnostic surgery and not focused on getting rid of all of the lesions, things were likely missed. During my diagnostic surgery, they did abate some of my lesions, though it gave me no relief. That’s why I ended up getting extension surgery. Your doctor likely said that these adhesions near your colon weren’t endometriosis because she is not a colorectal specialist. She does not know what she’s looking at. (I had a similar experience with my first surgery. The woman who performed my diagnostic laparoscopy told me I had minimal Endo and I was fine.) I was not fine. My endometriosis was so bad on my colon that it had begun to strip the muscle off of it. Now I don’t know how she as someone who feels they are qualified to do a diagnostic laparoscopy for endometriosis could’ve missed something like that. That’s what I’m feeling with your situation. If you have imaging. I recommend consulting with an excision specialist. I worked with Dr. Andrea Vidali, he brought a colorectal specialist into my surgery. I know he does free consultations. I would get a second opinion on this. If she did not take a sample of the lesions and send it off to the lab to see if it was endometrial tissue, there is no way she can be certain from only looking at it. It is extremely common to have lesions on your colon and G.I. tract. I am not a doctor. But I do not think your doctor is correct. Some unnamed G.I. disease that she cannot place is not a good answer. If she can’t tell you what it is, how was she able to tell you it’s not endometriosis?? I’m very upset for you. I’ve had a similar experience. Please get a second opinion. Wishing you the best and as someone who has endometriosis with colon involvement, I’m happy to chat.

It’s very rare to have endo diagnosed through imaging. Because only DIE endo, can be seen through ultrasounds or MRI’s. All of my ultrasounds, external and internal never showed any signs of endo. While you can have suspicion of endometriosis through imaging, the official way to be diagnosed is through surgery— unfortunately. The spectrum for endo speciality is so vast. I was with a pediatric gynecologist at Yale Hospital who improperly diagnosed me and told me she didn’t know what excision surgery was Which is the gold standard for endo treatment. She actually advised against it. (Later found out, muscle was being stripped off my colon, would’ve needed an ostomy bag in the next couple of years) Which is frustrating. We are given access to hospitals with some of the best of the best. But the misinformation and lack of education surrounding endo is everywhere. Always get a second opinion. And don’t be afraid to question the treatment options. I don’t share my experience to scare you, but it’s important to know that unlike other things— endo is severely misunderstood and undertaught in medical school. It’s okay to be scared for her future, I know my mother felt the same way with me. I also deal with a currently undiagnosed immune condition. Not anything close to what she is experiencing. I can’t imagine what that’s like. But I do know one thing, that endo and autoimmune diseases go hand in hand. Endo is a disease fed by estrogen, and estrogen dominant. The idea of birth control is if you regulate hormones it might help with symptoms, but it in itself is not an indicator of having endo or not. I know for myself, birth control never got rid of my symptoms! Thus the trying so many— because nothing was helping me. The specialist I saw was Dr Andrea Vidali out of NY. He has a lot of literature published online as well as on his social medias. Regardless of if you choose to see a specialist looking into what he has to say about endo as a whole disease is super informative.

Hi there! First off, let me say that I am so sorry that you’ve been suffering. And as someone who was experienced symptoms of endo since I was 13 — I understand just how debilitating this condition can be. I am currently 18, I got diagnosed at 16 and had excision surgery at 17. Those are my qualifications for giving advice. From the details you’ve mentioned — we have had similar endo related symptoms and experiences with hormonal medication. I apologize if this post is long, but there is a lot that I wish I knew prior to getting surgery and approaching endo treatment as a whole. I apologize if any of this is information you already know, I find it important to include certain things in my responses because I know there is a lot of misinformation about endometriosis. And the spectrum of knowledge among doctors is EXTREMELY vast. Here’s what I wish I knew: It is not uncommon for the treatment of endo to be incorrect or inadequate — even by doctors who we are told are the best of the best. Like you, I have been through trials of hormonal medications — seeing no relief with combined BC as well as the mini-pill (northindrone / aygestin ) At the time I was working with a pediatric gynecologist at Yale Children’s Hospital. Who since I had failed so many birth controls, plus the family history of my mother and her mother both having endo — we would do an exploratory surgery. We did. I got diagnosed. I was told by my doctor who was claiming to have a speiclity in endo, so much as bragging about her involvement in a popular endo documentary — that I had minimal endo and nothing to worry about. And that the only option for me was to continue hormones, which hadn’t helped me, because there was nothing else to be done. I got worse after my diagnostic lap. Really worse. And I simply didn’t believe that nothing more could be done for me. I had no quality of life, at the time I was a senior in high school and I had missed more than 1/3 of the year. I was popping opioids like candy, and rarely got out of bed. So, six months later I had surgery with an excision specialist. I found out that my original doctor at such a notoriously good hospital was VERY wrong. I had stage III, with it all over my body including (diaphragm, bladder, ureters, colon, bowels.. etc). The endo on my bowels was so bad that that it had stripped the muscle off of my colon and began to rip it apart. I needed a bowel resection and I was told without intervention I was on my way to needing a ostomy bag. My point here of the obnoxious name dropping and of telling you this is that— doctors are wrong. And I would not with the level of your symptoms just get a diagnostic surgery or whatever minimal they will remove to biopsy. I would go directly to an excision specialist — I WISH like hell I had. Because if I believed by first doctor, I don’t know if I would be here telling you this. For the first time in my life after excision surgery I am able to actually have some quality of life. While I deal with other health problems that are holding me back. Endo is not ruining my life anymore. The only hormonal medication that has worked for me, (as someone with pain during my period and ovulation ) is dienogest. Not FDA approved in the US. But It’s a godsend and my surgeon who is based out of NY writes me the script and I get it from a pharmacy in canada. Pricey, but it’s the only thing that works for me. It’s progesterone only. And here are some studies to suggest its usefulness in the treatment of endo. [Dienogest in long-term treatment of endometriosis](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3140813/#:~:text=Dienogest%20reduces%20endometriotic%20lesions%20through,the%20endogenous%20production%20of%20estradiol) [Evaluation of long-term efficacy and safety of dienogest in patients with chronic cyclic pelvic pain associated with endometriosis](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10808538/#:~:text=Clinical%2520studies%2520in%2520Europe%2520and,latter%2520%255B21%E2%80%9323%255D) I understand not being attached to fertility, for me as advanced as my case was — the intervention of excision surgery has given me a better shot. I am also freezing my eggs. So it’s not a given that it will impact your fertility to an extreme but there are implications of that. I know it’s not in the cards for everyone — but if you can get excision surgery then do that. I know it’s expensive and often out of pocket and that’s why lots of us get the diagnostic surgery to have a concrete diagnosis. But don’t expect it to reduce your symptoms. I am going to link as well a post I made about relief options I have tried / been recommended to see if anyone of those can help you as well. Relief Options One I will mention that has helped is Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN) - It’s an off-label use of LDN to reduce inflammation. Excision surgery, Dienogest and LDN has been my GODSEND of a combo that has reduced my symptoms immensely. The mental aspect of this all is difficult. Not feeling like you’re doing enough. And for me I constantly feel like my body is betraying me and I have immense jealousy of those who can live their lives without needing to worry about the things that people like you and I need too. I am always here for you. I know I am stranger on the internet but I have been through it and am more than happy to go to bat for you. If there’s any insight I can offer or support I will. It does get better for us, there are options, and there is relief— and there are doctors who know what the fuck they’re doing. I still have my bad days, days I don’t get out of bed, but I am 50x better than I was prior to surgery. I also have found it helpful to work with an integrative medicine doctor, as well as therapy. For me I have lots of GI issues and working with a GI psych has helped. As well as doing certain pain management workshops, and workbooks. They always make me feel silly doing them but truly re-wiring the way I think about pain and how my body processes it has also really helped me. I’m wishing nothing but the best for you, please — don’t be afraid to reach out to me. EDIT: My excision specialist is Andrea Vidali out of NY — he has lots of literature about endo on his social media’s which is worth checking out imo~

Dr Andrea Vidali. He is who I personally worked with, couldn’t recommend him enough. He had a lot of literature on his socials. Happy to share my experience or any questions you have about him. https://endometriosistreatmentcenternyc.com I have a friend who worked with Dr. Seckin out of NY as well, but I can’t speak on personal experience.

Craig J. Sobolewski - I also am struggling with doctors being dismissive and have been recommended to see him. I haven’t seen him yet, but I thought it would be worth throwing his name out there. He’s on [this](https://www.google.com/mymaps/viewer?mid=1hd_-wSlqZWOlR5VxPhIN3oAbJh4&hl=en) map of successful doctors. Have my apt w/ him in a few weeks — happy to update you on if it goes well. I’ve had excision surgery and I’m looking for someone to do my extended care — but I know he’s trained in MIGS. The surgeon who did my excision is out of NY and it’s just not reasonable for me to continue acute care with him. Although he is incredible and if excision is what you’re after I highly recommend him. (Dr. Andrea Vidali out of NY)

Dr Andrea Vidali out of NYC. Happy to share my experience with him as well as what I paid for surgery. He has a lot of literature on his social media as well as on his website so regardless of if you go with him, he’s good to check out. He also is very reputable. He’s speaking at the endometriosis summit that’s going on in a couple days. So maybe check that out as well. He’s incredibly empathetic. Skillful. Accommodating. I met him at what was the possibly lowest point of my life when I was 17. He handled me with the utmost care, and some of the advice he gave me I will always be grateful for. I also lived out of state so he does virtual visits where that’s possible.

I know you asked for good doctors — but here’s one I’d avoid. Dr. Allah Vash-Margita — while she did diagnose me she improperly diagnosed me and missed more than half of my endo and told me she’s “never heard of excision surgery” as a self proclaimed endo specialist who bragged about her involvement in the below the belt documentary. Got me the diagnosis but she failed to properly treat me. While she might not be on your radar, I don’t recommend going to her. If you’re willing to travel a bit, I worked with Dr. Andrea Vidali out of NY, he is incredible!! Super empathetic and extremely knowledgeable. Even if you don’t decide to go with him, he has a lot of wonderful literature on his social media and his website endo that’s worth checking out! Wishing you the best of luck. I had a hard time getting treatment directly in CT.

Research. I ended up having my surgery with Dr. Andrea Vidali after doing a lot of personal research. One thing that helped was how much literature and information he has online — it really helped me understand his approach. He talks about endo with such empathy and care, which honestly stood out to me, especially as a male surgeon. During my consultation, he was horrified that no other doctors had taken my symptoms seriously. I was 17 at the time, breaking out horrifically, and he actually apologized that I was losing so much of my life to this disease. He told me I deserved to feel pretty, and that it wasn’t fair that endo was impacting my skin and self-esteem like that. That might not be a big deal to some, but as a vain teenager, it meant the world to me. Every doctor I mentioned him to had nothing but good things to say, and even other endo specialists said I’d be in good hands with him. That, combined with his reputation and compassion, gave me a lot of confidence going into surgery.

Where do I go from here? 18. Endo back a year later and worse than ever. I'm desperate. Where do I go from here? 18. Endo back a year later and worse than ever. I'm desperate. I'm going to try and keep this as concise as possible. I am 18. Diagnosed with stage 3 endo at 17. I had excision surgery with Dr. Andrea Vidali a year ago. Within 6 months of my surgery, my symptoms returned, brushed it off, very much so due to recovery pain. Due to the resurgence of my symptoms, a local MIGS obgyn suggested we do surgery again based alone on my symptoms. I am hestiant about that. He also suggested a pelvic and abdominal MRI. I had my pelvic MRI on thursday. I got my results yesterday. They are not good. The MRI suggests that everything that was claimed to be gone/removed during my last surgery has returned and is worse. So much so that it is now DIE? My uterus is now stuck to my colon. Endo has infiltrated inside of my colon. And there are DIE adhesions all over my pelvis. The MRI suggests I also have adenomyosis, which Vidali told me he looked for and didn't find. Now I'm not placing the blame. I do not understand how adeno works in the same way I do with endo endo. But if it is bad enough to see on an MRI a year later. Would it have been able to be caught then, and he missed it? I'm coming here to see if anyone else has gone through this. And what do I do. I am so hopeless. I am SO lost. I have exercised many of my options. Surgery. Birth control. Dienogest. PT. Pain management. I am not willing to take Lupron, Ellagolix, or really any medication that has relugolix in it. This is my personal but as an 18-year-old. If I am going to be put into menopause, I will be put in it forever. Not be pulled in and out. I am bed-bound. I have lost my life. I am genuinely withering away and just being told there is nothing at all they can do for me. I have also been on my period for 34 days now, which is so much fun! But given, I didn't have a period for a year on dienogest. Anyways-- If anyone has any suggestions. My life is dedicated to getting better. I am willing to travel. I am willing to go anywhere at all to get better. I cannot live like this for much longer. And that is the god honest truth. Thanks for reading.

Where do I go from here? 18. Endo back a year later and worse than ever. I'm desperate. Where do I go from here? 18. Endo back a year later and worse than ever. I'm desperate. I'm going to try and keep this as concise as possible. I am 18. Diagnosed with stage 3 endo at 17. I had excision surgery with Dr. Andrea Vidali a year ago. Within 6 months of my surgery, my symptoms returned, brushed it off, very much so due to recovery pain. Due to the resurgence of my symptoms, a local MIGS obgyn suggested we do surgery again based alone on my symptoms. I am hestiant about that. He also suggested a pelvic and abdominal MRI. I had my pelvic MRI on thursday. I got my results yesterday. They are not good. The MRI suggests that everything that was claimed to be gone/removed during my last surgery has returned and is worse. So much so that it is now DIE? My uterus is now stuck to my colon. Endo has infiltrated inside of my colon. And there are DIE adhesions all over my pelvis. The MRI suggests I also have adenomyosis, which Vidali told me he looked for and didn't find. Now I'm not placing the blame. I do not understand how adeno works in the same way I do with endo endo. But if it is bad enough to see on an MRI a year later. Would it have been able to be caught then, and he missed it? I'm coming here to see if anyone else has gone through this. And what do I do. I am so hopeless. I am SO lost. I have exercised many of my options. Surgery. Birth control. Dienogest. PT. Pain management. I am not willing to take Lupron, Ellagolix, or really any medication that has relugolix in it. This is my personal but as an 18-year-old. If I am going to be put into menopause, I will be put in it forever. Not be pulled in and out. I am bed-bound. I have lost my life. I am genuinely withering away and just being told there is nothing at all they can do for me. I have also been on my period for 34 days now, which is so much fun! But given, I didn't have a period for a year on dienogest. Anyways-- If anyone has any suggestions. My life is dedicated to getting better. I am willing to travel. I am willing to go anywhere at all to get better. I cannot live like this for much longer. And that is the god honest truth. Thanks for reading.

https://drvidali.com/ That's the surgeon who has put this concept of travelling to where the need is for Endo excision to help more women receive care. He's been in practice for Endo since 1996 and is very responsive on his insta account and shares vast amounts of info. Endometriosis_suregon I believe his main clinic was out of NYC but if you are that close already id just message them about their locations. He responds back very quickly. I'm flying to Bucharest Romania for surgery with Dr. Mitroi. I had it booked when the Tijuana location was set up with vidali but those are the only two surgeons so far I'd trust my life to and recommend to anyone asking. They're the top in the world. https://bucharestendometriosiscenter.com/ If you go to their page and scroll down the main page there's a manual that was written by the specialist team there called endometriosis A-Z. It's a massively great resource to have with up to date information.

I spent the last decade feeling that way. To be honest I had given up because I figured I was just going to be stuck in it being told there's nothing wrong with me over and over again. Had my first surgery in October of 2023 got diagnosed and had excision. Pain relief lasted four months before it came back even worse. Last week I had surgery at the Bucharest endometriosis center. I had an MRI there for $550 cad that showed all the Endo everywhere they said didn't exist and can't be seen in MRI. They also found 60% more Endo in areas my first surgeon didn't even note as being there. Before my first surgery I couldn't walk well, if I sneezed or coughed my legs would buckle like a knife was being plunged into my back. They found Endo in my first surgery all over my left uterosacral ligament and it was better for the four months before my entire right side of my leg and hip went out and I couldn't walk again. Surgery here found Endo all over my right uterosacral ligament that wasn't even seen in my first one by the surgeon who wasn't skilled enough to even be doing it I. The first place. What she had taken out had grown back from improper excision, she left me with adhesions everywhere. Left it on my bowel and ureter even when she knew that was there. When my pain came back I went back to get help and told it wasn't endometriosis and I have fibromyalgia both of which they would do nothing about so instead of ending my misery I flew to Romania and for $7200 I'm coming home with no Endo left on anything and the possibility now of having a baby which had been a pipe dream for the last decade. In Canada they still tell me Endo doesn't cause pain. And yet I fly to the Bucharest clinic with dr. mitroi and his team validated everything and more importantly had the skills to remove it all. I lost well over $7200 in one year from missed work. I'm coming back today from Bucharest and I'll be damned if I ever take the bull shit again in BC now that I have all my MRI images and a copy of everything they found. There is hope. It's not fricken easy and it was scary as shit when I first planned it but it's the single best thing I've done. I now know that when it comes to Endo in Canada .. it's a waste of time. My surgeon here even said fibromyalgia isn't a thing outside of Canada and the US. Pain isn't unexplained it's just not looked for enough and without a lap in Canada you can't get images off the MRIs because they don't use the gel that amplifies the visuals like Bucharest does. Something so simple to implement like their system of MRI could properly diagnose women and give them sanity back just by not gaslighting them. Being in Romania is cheap. Their dollar the lei is .30 cents to cad. Which makes for an affordable stay and air bnb is all over. Save your sanity and just email them or dr. Vidali out of NYC. He's doing surgeries in Tijuana Mexico right now to make it easier for Canadians to get the surgery they need and it's an inclusive package for $15 000. Both are very responsive. Don't give up hope! If I hadn't gone I'd have lost my kidney within the year. You are not the problem our health care system ignoring Endo is. When I first thought about the idea it felt impossible and yet... Things can happen that change everything. Doesn't matter how complicated the case is they have surgeons for every structure. Also they have a free medical journal called endometriosis A-Z that you can click to download from their website that gives factual up to date information about treatment, symptoms, where pain can present the whole bit. Highly recommend reaching out. At the very least to just talk to a surgeon who will validate these feelings. https://bucharestendometriosiscenter.com/

I had a chocolate cyst and that actually was the only thing that wasn't found in my second surgery. I can't say for sure this was what had helped but I was told to take NAC which is an amino acid that's studied to bring down inflammation even in COPD patients but the happy fact is it actually has been shown to shrink cysts and fibroids. Designs for health is the brand i use since it was the recommended one. You could also just email questions to mitroi or vidali about your situation to have another opinion if you feel lost. It's not easy and I only say that because I had trust in my surgeon until I found out I shouldn't have. Not saying yours is a bad one but when it comes to Endo these two just know exactly what they're looking at and all the forms Endo can take. Some surgeons just don't know what every kind looks like. Also I say to contact them because they're very validating and it helped my mental health so much to just have someone have a conversation without having to explain the back story. Its been odd actually, even with them it took a few conversations for me to actually stop feeling like I had to convince them it was Endo and not something else. Nice to talk to someone who actually responds back with further info rather than just "yup Endo is a tough one" Sending healing vibes lady ❤️ everyone has their way of managing I only speak on my story because I had never heard or talked about going anywhere for help. It has taken me going there to actually realize how much help there definitely isn't in Canada that I had assumed there was. Canada and the us have become very similar in what they do with diseases like if one approved it or says something is such and way then by default Canada does to when in reality we should be simply letting the real professional Endo surgeons re write the treatment plans not the government or medical companies. I'll keep flying to Bucharest simply because the system of it in North America is actually pretty disgusting when you step outside of it. 😥🤬

No. The healthcare for endometriosis in Canada and the states isn't designed in any other way other than to use pharmaceuticals like birth control to bandaid endometriosis symptoms. Taking those medications does not change the spread, severity, or growth of Endo it simply masks some of the painful symptoms and therfore does nothing but bandaid the pain for some women and in others make the depression and anxiety that is part of Endo even worse. Help for some who have few options or care from the health system. For me I can personally attest to full and proper excision surgery being the only effective treatment I have had. Not all surgeries are the same and your physical symptoms will be greatly decided by what doctor you are asking. I personally do not trust surgeons in Canada for endometriosis after having my first one there and my second last week in Romania at the Bucharest endometriosis center. There I was correctly treated and had 60% more endometriosis lesions removed that were not noted or even seen by the surgeon who did my first lap and excision in BC. I had severe symptoms persist after my first surgery and was told endometriosis doesn't cause pain so I have "fibromyalgia" which is just a diagnosis name for unexplained pain that lasts more than six months. When my surgery in Bucharest was complete the pain was gone aside from surgical pain in recovery which was nothing close to the pain of Endo daily. I regained full mobility in my hips and lower back and even went so far as to notice a complete balance of my hormones when for the first time the acne, bloating and hormonal hair growth simply disappeared. I also lost 9 lbs right out of surgery simply due to inflammation. And MRI in Romania to map out and see endometriosis is $550 cad and my surgery including bowel Endo was $7200 total. Going there was the best thing I've done in this lifetime. The validation and actual health care is by far better than anything I've had or heard of for Endo in Canada and for the rest of my days I'll be flying back there the ticket was $3100 round trip but I booked during peak season simply because I just wanted to get there fast because I couldn't function. They book you in within 3 months of contacting them and do surgeries on people from all over the world so their office is very organized when explaining travel and stay and all that. Endo isn't the problem for us here it's the country we are in that's the problem. It can and is treated and women have their lives back in one surgery. Dr. Vidali and dr. Mitroi I would trust with my life and if you contact them you'll see what is truth and what lies in Endo care and the lack there of there are. Pills won't change anything. Never could and never will. Any excision surgeon will tell you that. Sending hugs. It's not ok how we are treated. We are just patients creating profits.

https://bucharestendometriosiscenter.com/ Hey ❤️ All of us start out now knowing what endometriosis actually is or does and learn through the years how much Endo affects the entire body not just one part. Endometriosis has no cure so a hysterectomy will not change the Endo but cures adenomyosis which is heavy bleeding but all contained to the uterus unlike Endo. Do not let anyone tell you a hysterectomy will cure or help Endo it will not. After 11 years of the run around I recently flew for surgery at the Bucharest endometriosis center in Romania with a very very exceptional team of endometriosis excision specialists that know Endo in and out. Dr. Vidali is also another amazing wealth of knowledge out of NYC and he's been working in Endo since 1996 follow his insta account to learn a hell of a lot endometriosis_surgeon on insta can't miss him he has recognizable black frame glasses. But anyway, if you go to the link above and scroll half way down the page there is a manual called endometriosis A-Z that is a handbook for up to date FACTUAL information all put together by mitroi and his team of Endo surgeons. (They pretty well have a specialist member on the team for every organ and any issue you can think of) It's free to download and If you read through it you'll learn more about your disease than your doctor will know. Find what applies print the page bring it in and don't take no for an answer when you have factual medically documented information proving what you're saying. The manual gives you power to say no with facts so I recommend everyone download it. Flying there was the best thing I ever did and now knowing the huge difference we get here in care I show everyone because it saved my life to read it quite literally. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Absolutely ❤️ I only got diagnosed last year after 11 years of pain I literally couldn't stand to be in my own body for anymore. I got to the point it was so bad that I was actually looking into what MAID is because I lost hope. I had my surgery in Bucharest on the 21st and I literally have nothing going wrong in there at all right now. They were able to remove it even off my bowel and ureter which in Canada they said was too sensitive of an area and literally just left it there. I was still in pain they knew it was there and said oh well take birth control then. Don't give up on getting proper care. Dr. Vidali is also an amazing surgeon and he does travel to different areas to do them. He's been in practice with Endo since 1996 and is an amazing wealth of knowledge and also very easy to contact with questions. I'd trust dr. Mitroi and vidali with my life any day of the week. Endometriosis_surgeon is his name on instagram and he's awesome. Super funny guy to. You are not and never will be alone ❤️ I've learned that expecting doctors to listen and understand just can't happen here when they only were given an hour training on Endo in med school, I asked my gp. You only want experts touching you for surgery anyway so don't give up, I almost did and now I'm getting rid of the damn wheelchair. 💪🎗️💗

Firstly do not in any way at all let them do ablation on you. Ablation is burning and what that does is cause scar tissue. Your symptoms sound like mine and that would be bowel Endo/ ureter which most surgeons are not skilled enough to remove and only qualified Endo excision specialists know what various forms and colors Endo can present with. Bowel Endo as well as uterosacral ligament Endo is why my right hip hurt so bad I couldn't walk. https://bucharestendometriosiscenter.com/ Before you have any surgeon touch you go to this website and scroll half way down the page to where the free download of the Endometriosis A-Z manual is. Dr. Mitroi and his team have put together an Endo bible so to speak of everything up to date and factual on Endo treatment, diagnosis etc. Ablation is never done by anyone who knows Endo well. Removing tubes and other organs should only be done by qualified surgeons and it doesn't sound like yours are the right ones for this particular issue. Dr. Vidali is another very experienced surgeon who would give you amazing advice Endometriosis_surgeon on insta. He also responds on his page to questions so I would reach out to either of them Vidal or mitroi before going ahead. I recently had surgery in Romania with mitroi and was horrified to learn what had been done in Canada was not only back but they missed 60% of it entirely. Just my two cents. Sending hugs because I know this is the not fun part. 🎗️❤️

Firstly do not in any way at all let them do ablation on you. Ablation is burning and what that does is cause scar tissue. Your symptoms sound like mine and that would be bowel Endo/ ureter which most surgeons are not skilled enough to remove and only qualified Endo excision specialists know what various forms and colors Endo can present with. Bowel Endo as well as uterosacral ligament Endo is why my right hip hurt so bad I couldn't walk. https://bucharestendometriosiscenter.com/ Before you have any surgeon touch you go to this website and scroll half way down the page to where the free download of the Endometriosis A-Z manual is. Dr. Mitroi and his team have put together an Endo bible so to speak of everything up to date and factual on Endo treatment, diagnosis etc. Ablation is never done by anyone who knows Endo well. Removing tubes and other organs should only be done by qualified surgeons and it doesn't sound like yours are the right ones for this particular issue. Dr. Vidali is another very experienced surgeon who would give you amazing advice Endometriosis_surgeon on insta. He also responds on his page to questions so I would reach out to either of them Vidal or mitroi before going ahead. I recently had surgery in Romania with mitroi and was horrified to learn what had been done in Canada was not only back but they missed 60% of it entirely. Just my two cents. Sending hugs because I know this is the not fun part. 🎗️❤️

Firstly do not in any way at all let them do ablation on you. Ablation is burning and what that does is cause scar tissue. Your symptoms sound like mine and that would be bowel Endo/ ureter which most surgeons are not skilled enough to remove and only qualified Endo excision specialists know what various forms and colors Endo can present with. Bowel Endo as well as uterosacral ligament Endo is why my right hip hurt so bad I couldn't walk. https://bucharestendometriosiscenter.com/ Before you have any surgeon touch you go to this website and scroll half way down the page to where the free download of the Endometriosis A-Z manual is. Dr. Mitroi and his team have put together an Endo bible so to speak of everything up to date and factual on Endo treatment, diagnosis etc. Ablation is never done by anyone who knows Endo well. Removing tubes and other organs should only be done by qualified surgeons and it doesn't sound like yours are the right ones for this particular issue. Dr. Vidali is another very experienced surgeon who would give you amazing advice Endometriosis_surgeon on insta. He also responds on his page to questions so I would reach out to either of them Vidal or mitroi before going ahead. I recently had surgery in Romania with mitroi and was horrified to learn what had been done in Canada was not only back but they missed 60% of it entirely. Just my two cents. Sending hugs because I know this is the not fun part. 🎗️❤️

Firstly do not in any way at all let them do ablation on you. Ablation is burning and what that does is cause scar tissue. Your symptoms sound like mine and that would be bowel Endo/ ureter which most surgeons are not skilled enough to remove and only qualified Endo excision specialists know what various forms and colors Endo can present with. Bowel Endo as well as uterosacral ligament Endo is why my right hip hurt so bad I couldn't walk. https://bucharestendometriosiscenter.com/ Before you have any surgeon touch you go to this website and scroll half way down the page to where the free download of the Endometriosis A-Z manual is. Dr. Mitroi and his team have put together an Endo bible so to speak of everything up to date and factual on Endo treatment, diagnosis etc. Ablation is never done by anyone who knows Endo well. Removing tubes and other organs should only be done by qualified surgeons and it doesn't sound like yours are the right ones for this particular issue. Dr. Vidali is another very experienced surgeon who would give you amazing advice Endometriosis_surgeon on insta. He also responds on his page to questions so I would reach out to either of them Vidal or mitroi before going ahead. I recently had surgery in Romania with mitroi and was horrified to learn what had been done in Canada was not only back but they missed 60% of it entirely. Just my two cents. Sending hugs because I know this is the not fun part. 🎗️❤️

Firstly do not in any way at all let them do ablation on you. Ablation is burning and what that does is cause scar tissue. Your symptoms sound like mine and that would be bowel Endo/ ureter which most surgeons are not skilled enough to remove and only qualified Endo excision specialists know what various forms and colors Endo can present with. Bowel Endo as well as uterosacral ligament Endo is why my right hip hurt so bad I couldn't walk. https://bucharestendometriosiscenter.com/ Before you have any surgeon touch you go to this website and scroll half way down the page to where the free download of the Endometriosis A-Z manual is. Dr. Mitroi and his team have put together an Endo bible so to speak of everything up to date and factual on Endo treatment, diagnosis etc. Ablation is never done by anyone who knows Endo well. Removing tubes and other organs should only be done by qualified surgeons and it doesn't sound like yours are the right ones for this particular issue. Dr. Vidali is another very experienced surgeon who would give you amazing advice Endometriosis_surgeon on insta. He also responds on his page to questions so I would reach out to either of them Vidal or mitroi before going ahead. I recently had surgery in Romania with mitroi and was horrified to learn what had been done in Canada was not only back but they missed 60% of it entirely. Just my two cents. Sending hugs because I know this is the not fun part.

Firstly do not in any way at all let them do ablation on you. Ablation is burning and what that does is cause scar tissue. Your symptoms sound like mine and that would be bowel Endo/ ureter which most surgeons are not skilled enough to remove and only qualified Endo excision specialists know what various forms and colors Endo can present with. Bowel Endo as well as uterosacral ligament Endo is why my right hip hurt so bad I couldn't walk. https://bucharestendometriosiscenter.com/ Before you have any surgeon touch you go to this website and scroll half way down the page to where the free download of the Endometriosis A-Z manual is. Dr. Mitroi and his team have put together an Endo bible so to speak of everything up to date and factual on Endo treatment, diagnosis etc. Ablation is never done by anyone who knows Endo well. Removing tubes and other organs should only be done by qualified surgeons and it doesn't sound like yours are the right ones for this particular issue. Dr. Vidali is another very experienced surgeon who would give you amazing advice Endometriosis_surgeon on insta. He also responds on his page to questions so I would reach out to either of them Vidal or mitroi before going ahead. I recently had surgery in Romania with mitroi and was horrified to learn what had been done in Canada was not only back but they missed 60% of it entirely. Just my two cents. Sending hugs because I know this is the not fun part.

Firstly do not in any way at all let them do ablation on you. Ablation is burning and what that does is cause scar tissue. Your symptoms sound like mine and that would be bowel Endo/ ureter which most surgeons are not skilled enough to remove and only qualified Endo excision specialists know what various forms and colors Endo can present with. Bowel Endo as well as uterosacral ligament Endo is why my right hip hurt so bad I couldn't walk. https://bucharestendometriosiscenter.com/ Before you have any surgeon touch you go to this website and scroll half way down the page to where the free download of the Endometriosis A-Z manual is. Dr. Mitroi and his team have put together an Endo bible so to speak of everything up to date and factual on Endo treatment, diagnosis etc. Ablation is never done by anyone who knows Endo well. Removing tubes and other organs should only be done by qualified surgeons and it doesn't sound like yours are the right ones for this particular issue. Dr. Vidali is another very experienced surgeon who would give you amazing advice Endometriosis_surgeon on insta. He also responds on his page to questions so I would reach out to either of them Vidal or mitroi before going ahead. I recently had surgery in Romania with mitroi and was horrified to learn what had been done in Canada was not only back but they missed 60% of it entirely. Just my two cents. Sending hugs because I know this is the not fun part. 🎗️❤️

Who did you see? Di.vidali and dr. Mitroi are the only two I feel like I'll go to for my lifetime now. Honestly I had no idea how messed up my surgery in Canada made me until I went to romania. I hate that we only get to realize what things are through so much damn work and anguish.

You have to take into consideration there are very very few true endometriosis excision specialists who do the job right. So for many people he's surgery is necessary for the disease and mobility can be restored as well as fertility IF you go to the right surgeon and research the hell out of them. They are not all the same and after having my first in Canada and my second in Romania I can guarantee you that the effects of surgery are very much life altering in the best of ways IF it's done right. Shitty surgeons that are just obgyns are guessing at what they're doing in people. The right ones dr. Gabriele mitroi and dr. Vidali are two that I would put my life in their hands any day of the week. The problem isn't that surgery doesn't help it does. Shitty surgery doesn't help and that's mostly what we got.

As long as you are aware that a hysterectomy will not cure Endo in any way. There are also options to fly to specialist surgeons who only deal with Endo. Bucharest endometriosis center in Romania is where I flew to get mine done with bowel stage 4 whole bit. Had my surgery and I walked out with zero pain that I had going in and didn't lose anything but I also don't have adenomyosis so if you do thats different. Best thing I ever did was go straight to a surgeon who only does Endo. Vidali and mitroi are the only two I'll let touch me again after the experience I had with surgeons in Canada. It's a joke.

If your surgery lasted such a small time it's very likely the excision wasn't done correctly. Lesions work the same as a cyst for example, if you don't remove it all from the root it just grows back where it sits in no time if it's don't correctly, pain and what comes with it is gone. Don't give up. I had the same thing happen on my first surgery and within four months the pain was back and raging. I flew abroad to have surgery with an excision endo specialist and found 60% of my Endo wasn't even reported as being there during my first surgery because my surgeon was under educated in Endo like a lot are and lesions have varying colors. Even transparent, so when it comes to surgery the surgeon HAS to know what they are doing and I've found few aside from flying to Dr.Mitroi or consulting Dr.Vidali. It's astonishing to actually be living this kinda of insanity in 2024 where we have to guide our doctors.

I can only say what I did for myself. I had my first surgery in Canada and I got my diagnosis so for that reason and that alone I'm happy I had it. I had debilitating pain before the surgery and it did relieve it for four months. After that I realized how poorly Endo is funded and treated in Canada and I decided to fly to the surgeons who know what they're doing and do it right the first time. I suggest two dr. Vidali who has been doing Endo surgery since 1996 and I personally think he's a really nice person endometriosis_surgeon on insta is his page where he gives lots of info and dr.mitroi and his team at the Bucharest endometriosis center where I had my second surgery done and found how vastly different Endo is done there. So the surgery once right the first time and don't wait until it grows to the point where you're in pain and have to trudge through the system. Im 34 now and I've been trying for 11 years to get pregnant. If I could go back in time I would have done this much faster if I had known I even had it but it's just last year that I got diagnosed. There's very few surgeons who do Endo correctly. https://bucharestendometriosiscenter.com/ If you go to the Bucharest website and scroll down the main page there's a free pdf download button for the endometriosis A-Z manual that the surgical team has created there. It's full of amazingly useful and accurate information. I use it now myself for my appointments in Canada because I've yet to find someone who knows Endo like they do there. It has an entire section on surgery.

I'm in Canada so in theory surgery is free but for me what actually happened is I had surgery in Canada that was done by a gyne which here you rarely can choose who you see. I got diagnosed during my lap and had removal of Endo. The surgeon who did mine was in no way qualified to remove Endo so it wasn't taken out correctly and she missed 60% of the Endo I did have because she didn't recognize the way it looked as well as some transparent Endo so it was all missed. My symptoms came back in four months but worse so I said screw it after getting no help from anyone here and I looked at surgery at the Bucharest endometriosis center where they do amazing work every day with straight Endo as the focus. I talked to my family and took out a loan for the partial cost, pooled the money I could get no matter how I had to. Flew to Romania had the surgery expecting it to be a huge bill and.... I went in with stage 4 DIE bowel, ureter, ligament the whole torso full of issues and it was $7200 for the surgery $550 cad for the MRI. I thought I'd have to save 20-30g... Looking back now I would have skipped surgery in Canada all together and paid for it to be done right the first time. I wasted my energy, time, and lost pay for the surgery on the first one and the surgeon barely knew what they were even doing with Endo. So for that reason I'd say do it right the first time. Mitroi and vidali are the two surgeons I'd trust any day of the week with my life. I'm actually in the process of getting my 58 year old mother to one of them so she can finally feel what it's like to get it all out for the first time in her life. I worked out that the time I missed from Endo with work since I've been with the same company for 16 years in the last 10 alone I've lost $90 000.00 just in lost wages. When I finally realized how much Endo physically and financially cost me ... I just decided hell or high water I'm getting it out of me. The universe just started shifting things my way. Faith and fricken grit i say. Plus Romania is beautiful to visit anyway but vidali is based in NYC I believe.

I think the best thing I learned through this is that you have to be your own best advocate. In Canada they just aren't doing Endo right. People talk about it in the groups all the time. For me I have up on wait lists and being told it was other things I knew it wasn't. Just going and paying for it to be done right was the only thing that made sense although I had to loan to do the costs. Still worth it. Dr.vidali is an amazing surgeon for Endo as well he's been working in Endo since 1996. His insta is endometriosis_surgeon he gives great info and honestly he's super nice I've even messaged him before and asked questions and he messaged back. Vidali and mitroi are like my favourite people these days lol.

I was in the same situation being told I was fine when I knew I wasn't. I reached out to dr. Gabriel mitroi from the Buchanan endometriosis center. If you go to their website the have a contact button to email them for questions on what you should do since he will ask you about what you're feeling. The surgical team there literally gave me my life back. Just talking to a professional who doesn't need to be corrected felt amazingly validating. Another world class surgeon is dr. Vidali out of NYC. I would contact both for consult if you can because it was the best thing I ever did with Endo in my life.

That's the thing with this disease and surgery. If there aren't any in the area then you need to start finding out how to get to a proper one before a surgery. Don't let an obgyn do a surgery on you ever unless they answer your questions with the same answers that's in that endo manual. You can weed bad ones out by asking simple questions like. What are your thoughts on ablation vs excision? - this is an easy one and if the doc says ablation is an option then drop that convo and leave and save yourself the pain from a surgery done incorrectly. They are not all the same. Another top tier surgeon is Dr. Vidali out of NYC his insta is endometriosis_surgeon he also give vast amounts of proper info and he does surgeries all over the world and actually does pricing based on where he is and how he can put a package together to allow as many women to see him as he can. He's been in Italy, Tijuana etc. in Tijuana his most recent surgical package was everything included stay, surgery, food, every thing all in 15g and all you have to do is get the flight from San Diego at the time. Dr. Mitroi at the Bucharest endometriosis center is also top tier and both answer questions and concerns through messaging. Mitroi did my surgery but I've had the pleasure of talking to vidali on instagram and they're amazing people in the support they provide even when they havnt met you. It's overwhelming in the beginning but finding the correct info from the correct people can change how the disease is managed for the better. It doesn't have to stay as heavy as it feels in the beginning it gets a bit easier when you find the right people so I'm sending big hugs 🫂

After I had the Endo removed from my bowel bladder and ureter all those issues just stopped. I had it also on my uterosacral ligaments and had it all out in one go and that was actually the first thing I noticed I went to go and I thought something was wrong because It felt like it just fell out and I didn't even try to push at all. Being normal actually to me felt wrong because I wasn't used to it haha. Bowel Endo wrecked me, it had started to affect my walking and my right hip was seized up I'd have to limp on it for days and it wasn't with my cycle it was 24/7. My first surgery I got minor improvement. But it grew back in four months so the second one I did right with an excision. Specialist the best I could find and it definitely feels like it makes every difference. Now I'll never go anywhere else aside from dr. Mitroi and dr. Vidali

After I was unable to walk I had surgery with dr.mitroi at the Bucharest Endo center and he literally gave me a whole new life. I had no idea what normal felt like until I managed to get to him and now I'm saving for my next surgery already because I won't let anyone other than vidali treat me again.

Yes depending on size they can be seen but Endo lesions are very different. With a lot of MRI what makes more of a difference is who's reading the results. Sending MRI images to surgeons like mitroi and vidali can give much more information because they read the MRI with Endo knowledge in mind that others don't have which means lots gets missed. I had chocolate cysts and multiple others in various areas and had over 20 scans and images that showed exactly zero. Visual confirmation is really the only accurate way.

I'm in the same boat and for complete and proper excision I flew to the Bucharest endometriosis center and had surgery with Dr. Mitroi and his team before IVF. Another top tier surgeon for this specific situation is dr. Vidali in NYC. He also does surgeries in other locations. I would absolutely do the surgery before doing IVF. Endo can be in a lot of places you don't realize until a surgeon goes in and removes it. The surgeon matters the most so for me personally I will only use those two. If I would have gone ahead I don't think with the growths I had anything would have worked. The Bec website has a pdf download that has sections on this specifically. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LeTINnEZNIkTHcaArmbN75OaKuTlwZNt/view?usp=share_link Super handy resource. 🫂

I have felt the same way. I only found my Endo after 17 years of trying for a baby, and 3 failed iui procedures after being told I didn't have endometriosis or pcos but instead just standard ol' "unexplained infertility. Clearly it was Endo the whole time. In that amount of time now that I'm 35 I have had surgery specifically with an Endo surgeon who specializes in preserving fertility. Dr mitroi and dr vidali are two Endo specialists that very well could make it possible. Personally I am not doing an egg retrieval to use a surrogate while I'm young enough to get my eggs out. I feel for you, I get it. I'm just really pissed off that I got dragged this long since 23 looking for fertility help and now I guess the stubborn part of me wants to show them I'll get what I damn well want because they don't get to choose for me. Nothing is impossible although it can feel that way. Even as I say this I don't know if anything would work for me either but I'm not having someone else tell me I can't do something especially a doc who half knows what our disease even is.

Have you ever heard of Dr mitroi or dr Vidali? I had bowel and bladder Endo and I had the same experience in Canada they noted Endo but left it pretty well alone after the lap I had no one trying to help me find someone to remove it. It was affecting my ability to eat and by the time I had figured out they had no intention of helping me I was unable to even use the washroom or get food in. I flew to Romania for surgery with Dr. Mitroi and he removed everything in one surgery and gave me my life back. The surgeons at the BEC center are absolutely amazing with information and navigating Endo. I sent them an email to inquire about my symptoms and had them get back to me within 24 hours which was honestly faster than my local gp answers my calls.

There's no way to change the MRI but you can send them to dr.vidali or dr.mitroi who have the team and skills to be able to actually read them specifically for endometriosis. It's usually low to no cost when I have sent mine and the trained eye the techs have who go over them are by far 1000x better than what generally is found.

If it was from 8 weeks ago, that was me! So *in theory*, endometriosis only affects things at the transfer stage because it can cause non-implantation or miscarriage. However, since you have endometriomas on your ovaries I would be concerned because the IVF drugs will aggravate that. So even if you do give it a few cycles and then realise you actually want the surgery, it could have spread or grown during the cycles and make things worse, if that makes sense. IVF provides diminishing returns for (untreated) endo patients. My last surgery was Mar 9 so it's been 5 weeks. Normally you'd wait for at least two periods and then start your IVF cycle on your third period but but Dr Vidali and my RE do not want me to waste time. So I'm going to start if my period starts next week, which will be my second period since my most recent surgery.

Hi, I was paged by angry! I'm surprised that Dr Vidali said it would decrease your AMH since he was adamant my reserve would not be affected, despite having endometrioma on my ovaries. Maybe because it's so low already. Anyway, I just had two surgeries with him within a month. He had to break my surgery up into two - the first half was a VATS to excise thoracic and pericardial endometriosis and the second half was to excise the rest. I am not sure what your dx is but he said there was no way I could have carried a baby to term given the state of my endo. He thinks that if I were not tubeless I could be trying without assistance now. Dr Vidali himself is extremely knowledgeable and caring. He is always responsive to text messages and he's been in touch with my RE a few times to discuss my surgeries and the path forward from here. You can see from my flair what I've been through. Personally, there was a list of things I wanted to do before moving on to donor eggs or stopping treatment entirely and being treated by Dr Vidali was one of them. Through all my cycles I have only ever had 9 eggs retrieved total and 3 mature. It got to the point where a few REs and Dr Vidali thought the last thing we could try was to excise all the endo to see if that improved egg quality. Also, just wanted to add. That I did have excision surgery prior to starting IVF and one half way through my IVF cycles (I was straight to IVF) but they made no difference to quality or quantity of eggs during retrievals. I'm hoping Dr Vidali did a more comprehensive job than my previous surgeons did. I'll have my first egg retrieval cycle next week so we'll see. Even if it turns out that the surgeries did not help with retrievals, I am just so happy to be out of debilitating pain and that I'm able to breathe easier so no regrets no matter what at this point. That was long, please feel free to ask any questions!

I just had a group chat with Dr Vidali and my RE where we figured out ER protocols moving forward specifically for my case of endo and severe DOR with quality & maturity issues (10 retrievals, 9 eggs, 3 mature, 0 blasts). I’m not sure if you think this will be helpful but if so I’ll PM you.

I had my (hopefully) final lap yesterday. Dr Vidali and I agreed that, going forward, I really shouldn’t do any more than low dose stims because the meds aggravate my endo too much and moderate/high dose would be detrimental to egg quality anyway. My question- I was prescribed oxycodone for this lap and my VATS last month. Upon discharge, I was told to take them at home. However, these are narcotics and I’ve never been prescribed them for previous laps outside the US. At what point should I take them? Like when pain is at an 8 or above?

OMG, this is exactly the kind of thing I want to fight against. That’s ridiculous. I did an abdomen and pelvic MRI. It doesn’t come up often so even if it’s clear that doesn’t mean that it isn’t there. Also, some techs don’t know what to look out for. I’m seeing Dr Vidali in NY. I’m not sure where you are but he and Dr Sinervo in Atlanta seem really well versed in thoracic endo. Let me know if I can help in any way. I hope you’ll find a doctor who will help you explore this.

I can only talk about NY doctors. As mentioned, Dr Vidali does this although I have to say that although I go to him for endo and infertility I do not see myself doing IVF at his clinic. He actually recommends another clinic and works in tandem with them. Otherwise, there are other REs in NY who are both endo specialists and REs. Feel free to PM me if you happen to be in NY.

Trying to think if Dr Vidali will be worth it for me. I do have stage 4 endo with DIE, bilateral hydrosalpinx (now clipped). Only 8 eggs over 9 cycles, 4 of which were mature. Only one made it to top quality and transferred on day 3 (it was growing well but we were getting married abroad on day 5 so chose day 3). My issue is getting mature eggs. My RE says that as a last resort, he thinks the endo is causing egg quality issues because my eggs often show signs of inflammation. A lot of things keep pointing me towards Dr Vidali but my understanding is that he would be more helpful in ensuring transfer success rather than in improving egg collection, maturity, and fertilisation. Am I wrong?

I live in NYC too. Go to Dr. Andrea Vidali-he performed deep excision during a Laparoscopy for Endometriosis surgery for me this past June; after being told for 20 years by many OBGYN that it’s all in my head (despite my mom having had Endometriosis and infertility, hence why I’m an only child!) I was diagnosed with severe stage IV Endometriosis. My quality of life has substantially improved. We weren’t able to cornice naturally afterward so we have moved on to IVF; we have three 5 day blastocysts frozen and I’m in the middle of my second IVF stimulation cycle for another egg retrieval before a frozen embryo transfer in late February. Go to an Endometriosis specialist-Dr. Orbuch, Dr. Seckin, etc. because regular OBGYNs will just ignore you and if they even do a lap on you, it won’t be excision and this won’t properly remove the Endometriotic lesions and adhesions.

Go see Dr. Andrea Vidali in NYC. He removed my ovarian endometrioma ‘chocolate’ cysts via a laparoscopic excision surgery (NOT abrasion/burning; that is a horrible and ineffective treatment method). He assured me that removal doesn’t affect fertility and he was right; I had an 8 hour laparoscopy with him (about a 6 week recovery) in 2017, had 2 egg retrievals later that year, and then we had 8 frozen embryos to work with for transferring (it took 3 transfers of 2 embryos each to finally have our living daughter, whose now 3.5; I’m so grateful for her). Vidali substantially improved my quality of life as well! Just an aside both my mom and I have stage IV endometriosis (she had to have her right ovary removed in 1961 via a laparotomy). (My parents went through 5 years of infertility and my mom was on an injectable that’s long since been off the market, in order to have me, her only). You’ll want to consider Nancy’s Nook for endometriosis surgical specialists. Just an FYI random regular doctors don’t know how to treat endometriosis nor ERs. So be very careful with who you consider to treat and manage your care.

So, even though my insurance (at the time, this was leading up to my 8 hour excision lap with him in 2017 so let’s say 2015 and 2016) said I would be obligated to pay the entire $80,000 cost, I never did. Just as Dr. Vidali kept telling me, he was correct in that I didn’t pay a single dollar out of pocket. Not only did the surgery help my quality of life (my mom and I are both stage IV endometriosis patients) but also, I was eventually finally able to have my one living child, a daughter in 2019 after 3 IVFs through him and his colleague, Dr. Braverman (unfortunately, Braverman passed away of stage IV pancreatic cancer just prior to me giving birth). So go with Dr. Vidali; he cares and he is good at what he does.

So, even though my insurance (at the time, this was leading up to my 8 hour excision lap with him in 2017 so let’s say 2015 and 2016) said I would be obligated to pay the entire $80,000 cost, I never did. Just as Dr. Vidali kept telling me, he was correct in that I didn’t pay a single dollar out of pocket. Not only did the surgery help my quality of life (my mom and I are both stage IV endometriosis patients) but also, I was eventually finally able to have my one living child, a daughter in 2019 after 3 IVFs through him and his colleague, Dr. Braverman (unfortunately, Braverman passed away of stage IV pancreatic cancer just prior to me giving birth). So go with Dr. Vidali; he cares and he is good at what he does. (I’d met with Vidali 3 times between 2014-2017; Seckin I considered but never met with).

Who is your surgeon? Please consider Dr. Vidali; he did my excision in 2017 (bilateral endometriomas removed, they have not come back) and even though we then didn’t get naturally pregnant after and needed to do 3 IVFs after to have our living child, it was worth it, and Vidali was involved with that as well, at every embryo transfer. Our daughter was born about 2 years after my excision surgery so it’s possible (and I was told by many REs before that that I’d never have a biological child due to how severe my stage IV endometriosis was)

I mean my mom (now 75) after 5 years of trying finally conceived me, her only, with the help of Pergonal injections (long since off the market) during a timed intercourse/medicated cycle…she was 38; has stage IV endometriosis. It took me 3.5 years of actively trying, I had a laparoscopic excision surgery with Dr. Vidali, an endometriosis surgeon specialist, 6+ years ago when I was 30 and had been trying for a few years and I was under for a total of 8 hours and admitted overnight, that’s how bad my stage IV endo is. When we didn’t ultimately conceive on our own we had to do 3 IVFs just to get one living child who just turned 4 last month…I also found out through Dr. Vidali and Dr. Braverman that I have severe immunological issues, so I had to be on expensive out of pocket injectables (4 shots DAILY the ENTIRE pregnancy!) just to be able to finally have my daughter…holy shit lol like IVF on crack. (It cost us about $40K to have her). So grateful she’s here. But yea I mean it sucks because of course all the fertiles complain that they have ‘unexpected’ pregnancies/unwanted children 🙄🤷‍♀️

Go see an endometriosis surgical specialist, someone who does laparoscopic EXCISION (super important, NOT ablation). I had my lap with Dr. Vidali 6 years ago when I was 30 (FINALLY) after I’d suffered for over 20 years in pain (got my period at only 10, as did my mom who also had stage IV endo like me). In my case I had two agendas: quality of life (pain relief) but I did want to have a child, desperately, and we’d been trying for years and no luck…continued trying after lap and of course ultimately had to do 3 IVFs just to get our living child (and I had a buttload of out of pocket immunological interventions on top of it all, including needing frequent infusions during the successful pregnancy, 4 injectables daily the entire pregnancy in order to sustain her, and 44 total ultrasounds the entire pregnancy). Vidali is one of the few who listens (he’s not just an OBGYN, plenty of those had patronized me for years prior, male and female, sadly).

For my laparoscopic excision surgery with my endometriosis surgical specialist Dr. Andrea Vidali 6+ years ago here in NYC (confirmed stage IV; I was under for over 8 hours) yes, I knew going in to it they’d make 4-5 incisions in my abdomen, as well as need to insert medical instruments into my vagina and rectum. All pretty standard for a lap. I’m so grateful I had the surgery.

Are you in Canada or the UK? Because that would make a lot of sense, Canada and the uk seem to treat things that exact same way which is nothing at all. They give birth control and people who have stage 4 who could easily be operated on by a real specialist. But someone who has no idea what they’re doing, they will cancel stage 4 surgery. It’s better that someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing, doesn’t end up doing ablation, because that’s what would happen. Do some research about how endometriosis is treated and then do some research about specialists in your area who only do excision. If there’s none in your area, I’d consider going to a different country. In February I’ll be travelling from Canada to go to New York to see world renowned specialist, dr Andrea vidali. I wish you luck

Hi Im 20 years old with pmdd, bpd and endometriosis so I could never take birth control for mood reasons, here’s what I’ve found that works; 1. somedays company located in bc Canada I love the cramp cream and heating pad, best heating pad ever 2. I worked at a natural health food store and I was always told to read the label, multi vitamins have little nutritional value, like 35mg or iron just very little mg. Get your a vitamin b complex so all the vitamin b’s into one, magnesium (400mg per 1 pill), vitamin d (10,000 iu’s in the winter to fight seasonal depression and 5000 in the summer) and whatever else you take but in their own separate bottle 3. If you have pmdd try taking a antihistamine, I’m a natural freak and don’t like allergy meds lol so I take quercetin 500mg every morning with breakfast For the nsaids, I used to take naproxen they make me throw up, I took way too many of them growing up and can’t tolerate them anymore. I take something called celecoxib it’s a nsaid but sometimes I can tolerate it if I can take it before the pain starts with food, only thing is my partner says it makes me drowsy. To be honest I’ve spent the last 10 years trying to find some other way to help myself besides birth control because that’s all everyone ever seemed to offer. I had ablation surgery and they put me on the menopause pill, it started taking away my ability to walk because my knees swelled so bad. It’s been a year since that and I’m all saved up for my surgery in New York with dr vidali. He’s going to do excision and take more than 4 samples of my tissue. This is my only hope, as a 20 year old Canadian woman, as my drs here have offered a hysterectomy. I hate this disease and I want to fight for better options for all of us I just have to feel better first and I can join the protests in Nova Scotia

Really!? I’m Canadian so I just experienced a lack of adequate surgeons to take care of me. That’s insane that this could happen, in my first surgery they didn’t find endometriosis but because I had frozen pelvis they said I had stage 2. My uterus and rectum are stuck together and they did find endosalpingiosis but there’s no information on it and I’m basically disabled from pain so I’m going to New York for surgery since no one in Canada will do excision and take more then 4 tissue samples. I wish you luck, maybe try where I’m going? It’s in the states, he has other surgeons he trained across the states too I believe. His name is Dr. Andrea Vidali and he works for ESSI

Constant, I was just diagnosed with adenomyosis which was missed during my first ablation surgery. Which was 2 years ago, my body hates me for not going to a specialist or someone that couldn’t even diagnose actually help me, I suffered for 10 years cus I didn’t know anything about endometriosis. When I was given orlissa I became disabled and found the Nancys nook list along with dr Andrea vidali. I now have one of the worlds best endo specialists working on me in two days, let’s hope there’s no a lot of damage from the ablation tho cus my tubes are full of fluid for the second time and I’m only 20 years old

I went to the states for surgery to have Andrea vidali as my surgeon, it’s like 2-3 weeks wait times for surgery. I just had to wait cus I don’t have insurance in the states and had to fundraise for 7-8 months. Feeling good though, I woke up a couple hours ago and I was told he found endometriosis. My decade long fight for a diagnosis is over❤️🎗️

Hi I just got diagnosed at 20 years old Hi I just got diagnosed at 20 years old A little backstory I’ve been having endometriosis symptoms for the last 9 years, which lead to an ablation surgery in summer 2024. Then in January 2025 they put me on orlissa because my pain came back and I got really sick. I lost 20 lbs in the 3 months I was on that pill, I got off it in March 2025 but that’s when I started getting this pressure pain. In my uterus and stomach, I couldn’t sit at the kitchen table or sit straight up. I always had to lean back, everywhere I went i had to sit on a recliner chair or i couldn’t stay because my knees also started to swell but they don’t much anymore. Does anyone else feel pressure pain in their uterus and belly? Mine was caused from my uterus being enlarged, retroverted and retroflexed backwards against my rectum. I went to Andrea vidali in New Jersey, I was lucky enough to travel and fundraise because from what I know about adenomyosis. Is that the only treatment is hysterectomy which i really don’t want because of my reaction to medical menopause. He told me about this thermal pen treatment where he burns the inside of it, rather than the top of it with normal ablation. Has anyone else had this treatment and have good results?

Check out Nancys nook list on Facebook, it’s a group that has a lot of endometriosis information. I’m not 100% sure about adenomyosis but that’s where I found my endocrinologist/endometriosis specialist. His name is dr vidali. He just diagnosed me with both endometriosis and adenomyosis, plus I already have endosalpingiosis. If you don’t have a whole bunch of pain and don’t want kids, I would just look on the nook group. Do some research about what you want to do, whether you’d want surgery again and just find a good endometriosis specialist to monitor you. But mind you this is coming from someone who’s 20 years old just got diagnosed and wants to keep as many organs as she can. I just lost my appendix. Your English was good

I’m so sorry. You said you ruled out endo with Receptiva…What about hysteroscopy? You might also ask about lovenox and a steroid protocol. Is there a possible egg/embryo quality issue? DNA fragmentation test for sperm is one more thing to check off the list. I asked about surrogacy after my 4th failed transfer, but given that I hadn’t had endo surgery yet and we knew that was my issue, my doc said it was too soon. After the 5th failure we began pursuing surrogacy as well as seeing an RI (Vidali), and my next transfer to myself will be with donor eggs just to rule out any issue there. (Using my eggs for the surrogate.) my cousin who we barely knew shocked us by volunteering to be our GC, making it much more affordable. Note that your RE may say RI is bunk, but I decided to give it a shot anyway since it isn’t costing me too much. They did find some immune issues and I’ll be on lovenox, neupogen and high dose prednisone next transfer.

Consider a reproductive immunologist! It’s controversial but may be worth a try especially if you have a known immune issue. I am with Dr. Vidali at Braverman in NYC (but no travel there is required, it’s all remote). Cost me $3k for the testing. Then they prescribed drugs for transfer. But at the same time, one failed IVF is not that bad in terms of your future outlook (I know it’s awful emotionally). It’s basically a coin flip each time…

Thanks, I’ll ask my doc which he does. It sounds intuitive but I can’t find any research on excision vs. ablation for IVF outcomes / RIF. I’ve never had any pain so I am only interested in improving my pregnancy chances. We are doing RI with Vidali, but surgery with him would be out of pocket, so that’s not an appealing option. Also my last surgery was less than a year ago so I dunno if there’s much endo in me currently? But my RE said we have to treat it again before my next transfer, and I really, really don’t want to do a third three-month stint of Lupron. It’s already failed me twice, so doesn’t seem worth it again.

I wonder what immune testing / treatment Vidali does. Seems like he’s primarily an endo surgeon, but also does RI? Derbala in Michigan finally called me back after a month of waiting, so I guess I might look into that too (though Vidali seems like a better fit given his endo expertise). Just want to throw everything at this 6th Hail Mary transfer.

Depot lupron or surgery before first IVF transfer? Depot lupron or surgery before first IVF transfer? I'm 33 and we started IVF egg retrievals a year ago. It took us 5 retrievals to get 4 euploid embryos and 2 mosaics, and we just did a sixth egg retrieval that has 5 blasts currently being tested. We've had a good euploid rate so far, so I'm guessing after the testing we will have (hopefully) at least 6 normal embyros banked. We're ready to move on to transfer and I decided to get an MRI because we had unexplained infertility but I had a suspicion of silent endo. My MRI showed deep pelvic endometriosis, 3 small endometriomas that have never been seen on an ultrasound, and adenomyosis (because of 12mm junctional zone). Even with the MRI evidence, my IVF doctor at CCRM Colorado is skeptical I actually have endo but he did agree to 2 months of depot lupron before transfer. I have a consultation with Dr. Vidali today who is booked out until June for surgery, and there is another endo surgeon in my area (Dr. Brooke Winner in Seattle) who I am interested in, who is booked until September for surgery. If I start the Depot Lupron now our first transfer should be in June. I can't decide how reasonable it is to try our first transfer with only Depot Lupron, and maybe then get surgery if that transfer fails. Side note - I don't fully trust my IVF doctor because I feel like he doesn't take endo seriously. I consulted with Dr. Aimee in San Fransisco for transfer advice and she recommended doing a modified natural protocol after depot lupron and adding in aygestin and maybe letrozole, but my CCRM doctor only agreed to the Depot Lupron and said a modified natural protocol is impossible after Depot Lupron. He also doesn't believe in EMMA/ALICE or ERA testing, or auto-immune protocols. He only wants to do 2 months of Depot Lupron despite agreeing that 3 months is best for adenomyosis. I think he thinks my case is not severe enough. I'm supposed to inject the first Depot Lupron shot tomorrow so I need to make a decision soon, but I can't decide whether to move forward with a June transfer or put it off until surgery, which would probably put my first transfer in October.

Dr. Brooke Winner in Seattle - looking for a surgeon for stage 4 endo Dr. Brooke Winner in Seattle - looking for a surgeon for stage 4 endo Does anyone have experience with her? I'm hoping to get a lap if my first IVF transfer doesn't work, for stage 4 endo with a few 1 cm endometriomas and deep pelvic endo. I also have a 7cm fibroid that would be removed. I'm looking for the best surgeon, and I live in Seattle but I'm happy to travel. I'm also considering Dr. Vidali in NY but I had a consult with Dr. Aimee and she said I have one of the best surgeons in my own backyard, Dr. Winner. However I can't find as many experiences with Dr. Winner as I can with some of the more well know surgeons. And she isn't on Nancy's Nook, however I know that's controversial and may not matter.

Vidali, Fogelson, Nezhat or Mosbrucker? Vidali, Fogelson, Nezhat or Mosbrucker? I’m looking at getting surgery with Dr. Vidali in NY, Dr. Mosbrucker in WA, Dr. Camran Nezhat in CA, or Dr. Fogelson in OR. Any opinions or experiences? My main concern is fertility because I don’t have endo pain. I like that Dr. Vidali specializes in fertility. I found out from an MRI recently that I have deep infiltrating pelvic endo, 3 small bilateral endometriomas, adenomyosis, and 2-3 fibroids including one that is 7cm. After 6 egg retrievals we have 7 embryos banked. I don’t want to waste them, and I’m hoping surgery will give transfers a better chance. I’m located in Seattle but will travel wherever. My concern with Mosbrucker who is close by is that I read some reviews of her taking out the wrong ovary or too many organs not discussed. I’m worried that maybe fertility isn’t her speciality. But maybe that doesn’t matter? I’m hoping to find a surgeon who can do the least amount of harm to my ovaries when removing the endometriomas. I’d like to lose as little ovarian reserve as possible incase I have to do IVF again someday.

Could this be endo symptoms 10 months postpartum? Worried about cancer Could this be endo symptoms 10 months postpartum? Worried about cancer I had stage 3/4 endo diagnosed via MRI in 2023, after 6 rounds of IVF egg retrievals for what was up until then unexplained infertility. I then had a lap and had the endo excised with Dr. Vidali in NYC, who also removed a 10cm fibroid. Before diagnosis, I had painful periods, but no endo symptoms outside of periods. I then got pregnant post surgery (via IVF) and had a baby in December 2024 via C section. I’m breastfeeding and still haven’t gotten my period back. About two months ago I noticed that I had to urinate much more frequently. And had a full feeling in my uterus area. I still feel like I need to urinate every time my baby wakes me up overnight, which can be every 2 hours. Then about a month ago I noticed cramping and GI symptoms. I’ve had bad abdominal pain like feeling sick to my stomach, diarrhea, and painful gas. As well as mucusy stools. I feel mild cramping and lower back pain daily, and stomach upset every few days. I went to the OB and they ordered a blood test which showed I haven’t ovulated and I’m not about to ovulate. Overall I felt the nurse was unhelpful and said she couldn’t perform an annual exam within a year postpartum because my insurance wouldn’t cover it, which seems like an odd policy. I asked for an ultrasound, which I’m getting this week. And also made an upcoming appointment with a primary care doctor. My question: does this sound like it could be endo? Even though I’ve never had these types of symptoms outside of periods before, could endo be worse postpartum and come back with a vengeance?