Confused about adenomyosis and my future

Well, here i am. A few months ago, i received a PAP with AGUS results, and that was when the stress started. I went to some of the best Ob/Gyns in Tampa and have had the following tests.

Colposcopy - came back with no issues
Cervical biopsy - Came back normal
Endometrial biopsy - no cancer found, had polyp tissue in sampling
TVUS - i just had on Friday. Doctor's quote was "you definitely have adenomyosis. We need to stop your cycles." She also found a cyst on my left ovary however, she doesnt know if there is much concern there as it might just be cyclical. She also thinks i have a touch of endometriosis on the left. She found where the polyp was but it was ablated (?) with the biopsy and no other polyps were found.

The doctor gave me a Nuva ring to start right then and she is going to check if my insurance will cover the Mirena IUD.

Here is my confusion:

Does the IUD really work? If so, how? It seems that it is birth control method that just regulates your cycle. I haven't read too many success stories about the IUD, so I thought i would get some real life experiences here.

Are there "levels" of adeno? I probably have a level 2 pain between cycles, however, it starts increasing around 10 days before my period until it hits a level 7-9 two days before my period all the way through the cycle.

My endocrinologist said that I needed to stop having periods. Is there anyway to stop this other than a hysterectomy?

In a strange way, I am kinda glad to know that all of this pain and heavy bleeding isn't "normal". However, I am the type of person that likes to know what is going on, however, I just feel confused about all of this.

Hi there,
Sorry to hear about the pain. I have been living with Endo for a long time. I can tell you have I have tried the BC pill to stop my periods, however the pain is still there. My pain has turned chronic. The pain has made my everyday life with work, kids and husband a nightmare. I dont want to do anything, can barely get through the day at work. My OBGYN explained to me that it will continue to get worse with each period. I am tired of the pain and have opted for a partrial hsyter. At first the dr. wanted to throw my body into menopause with a pill, hoping to shrink the endo. This was not a permanant fix. Good luck and do alot a reseach.

Thank you for yor reply.

I was wondering about BC pills and the pain. I ended up taking out the Nuva Ring last night and immediately my mood swings improved. I am looking forward to my first full night sleep tonight.

Good luck on your surgery in October. I see myself potentially going down that path, however am trying to get as much info as possible. This site and caring people such as you make getting some of that info quite easy.

I don't have any experience with IUDs, but the levels of pain experienced as a result of adenomyosis will definitely vary from person to person. The way my specialist explained it, adenomyosis is an inflammatory condition and it is the inflammation that causes the pain.

Yes, there are other ways of stopping periods other than surgery. However, many of them are temporary and/or carry their own risks. For example, earlier this year I had a six-month course of Zoladex implants. Zoladex is a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-A) and works by suppressing ovarian activity, thus inducing artificial menopause. (You might see other sisters around this site mentioning Lupron -- that's a similar drug that works in the same way. Lupron seems to be preferred in the United States, whereas Zoladex is common here in Australia.) Since estrogen "drives" endometriosis and adenomyosis, it is thought that these estrogen-suppressing drugs help to slow down the disease process. However, since estrogen is so important for other parts of the body (bones, cardiovascular system, etc.), you can't take them forever -- Zoladex, at least, is limited to a single six-month series of implants because of the risk of developing osteoporosis.

My best advice for you would be to seek out an endo/adeno specialist and have them answer your questions. Not all gynaecologists are created equal when it comes to their area of expertise. The obgyn who did my diagnostic laparoscopy last year is supposedly one of the best in Sydney, but that reputation is built on his obstetrics practice, not anything to do with endometriosis treatment. Luckily he recognized when we had reached the limits of his knowledge and referred me to someone who pretty much only does complex endometriosis and pelvic floor repair cases. Thanks to the specialist, I was able to to keep my ovaries and have the operation done laparoscopically. It's only been a week and I feel great!

Good luck & keep asking those smart questions