Dear Dr. Kate,

Back in March I had an 8 centimeter cyst removed from my left ovary when the cyst caused my ovary to twist on itself. The cyst was removed by cutting into my abdomen (bikini cut). As I was recovering from surgery, I began getting the same stomach and back pain as before the first surgery. An ultrasound showed that another cyst had formed (4 centimeters) and had to be removed the same way as the first surgery. Pathology reports showed that the ovary and fallopian tube contained endometriosis. My doctor said that my right ovary, tube, and uterus looked perfect during the surgery. I have since been put on the pill (Femcon) and am recovering from the second surgery. 

My question for you is: Do you think I should be looking into harvesting my eggs for the future? I'm worried that the endometriosis will return in the right side and ruin my chances of ever becoming a mother. I'm 28 years old, and I've never been so stressed out and worried in my life. We all have dreams of being parents, and the possibility of no kids just doesn't sit well with me. Is there anything else I can be doing or telling my doctor to do in order to keep my remaining reproductive parts healthy?

Endo Impaired

Dear EI,

 You've had a rough couple of months--I'm glad you're on the mend. Endometriosis is a tough disease, one that we can treat but can't cure. The biggest worries about fertility with "endo" are scarring in your tubes and large cysts on your ovaries. It sounds like everything looked fine at the time of surgery on your right side, which is great news. And your gyno did the perfect thing by putting you on the pill--that's the best way to keep the endometriosis at bay. By "turning off" your ovaries until you're ready to use them, you'll maximize your chances of everything being healthy when you're ready to get pregnant.

Unfortunately, while we've figured out how to freeze sperm and embryos, there's still no reliable way to freeze our eggs. Cancer patients who may become infertile after treatment are in research studies to test different techniques, but there's still nothing we can count on. So stay on the pill--or other hormonal contraception--until you're ready to get pregnant. And know that even if the endometriosis comes back, infertility docs can do wonders to help you conceive--though I don't think you'll need that.

Are any of you struggling with endometriosis?