When Anne was just 15, she was prescribed birth control to help manage heavy periods. She continued taking the pills as her only treatment for years, never suspecting a deeper problem. Yet beneath the surface, a much more complicated issue was silently at play: endometriosis, a condition she wouldn’t discover until years later.
Anne’s journey with endometriosis and infertility highlights both her strength and the emotional toll of navigating a complex healthcare system. Her experience serves as a powerful reminder of the hidden struggles behind these conditions and the importance of greater understanding and support.
This decades-long story involves:
- Heavy periods that started in Anne’s teen years
- Pelvic pain and ovarian cysts
- The discovery of blocked fallopian tubes and severe endometriosis
- Two failed surgeries and several failed rounds of IVF
- Hydronephrosis and ureteral stents
- Finally visiting an endometriosis specialist and receiving the right diagnosis
- Life-saving emergency surgery for lung collapse
- Surgery to completely remove endometriosis and repair a frozen pelvis
- A renewed sense of hope for motherhood through holistic treatment
"Dr. Goldstein didn’t just treat my endometriosis, she saved my life. I can’t put into words how grateful I am. She cared for me in ways I never thought a doctor would. It wasn’t just medical care; it was personal."
When Dreams of Motherhood Meet Medical Reality
In 2021, after being on birth control for 15 years, Anne and her husband decided to start a family. She stopped taking birth control that summer, and after a few months, her periods returned. Things initially seemed to be on track, until two weeks before a significant move to New York City in November 2021. Anne suddenly experienced excruciating abdominal pain. After enduring it through the night, she ended up in the emergency room, where doctors discovered a hemorrhaging ovarian cyst.
"It was the worst pain I had ever felt, and I had no idea what was happening."
This marked the beginning of a more difficult chapter in Anne’s health journey. In mid-2022, her first fertility specialist ordered a series of basic tests, including a hysterosalpingogram, or HSG, a type of X-ray that helped doctors examine her uterus and fallopian tubes. The HSG revealed that both of her fallopian tubes were severely blocked and dilated. The recommendation was heartbreaking: To increase the chances of future treatments, her fallopian tubes would need to be removed. This realization was deeply painful for Anne, who grieved the loss of the possibility for natural conception.
The Cost of Inadequate Expertise
During the procedure to remove her fallopian tubes, doctors made a surprising discovery: severe endometriosis. Unfortunately, her case was too complex for the team she initially consulted. Not only did they fail to remove any of the endometriosis they found, but they were also unable to successfully remove her tubes—they simply burned them. The team recommended she undergo another surgery with an endometriosis specialist at the hospital.
The following year, Anne had a second surgery, but once again, she was told that the team had attempted to remove the disease, encountered severe bleeding, and abandoned the case due to its complexity.
At this point, Anne developed back pressure on her kidneys, known as hydronephrosis, which required the placement of ureteral stents. Anne was told she would need recurrent replacement of the stents throughout a pregnancy, which can be risky for both the mother and the fetus. Additionally, Anne’s doctors told her she would likely need her ureters reimplanted after having children, possibly alongside a hysterectomy. They also explained that this would be an open procedure, as they could not perform it using minimally invasive techniques. Anne had no idea that other options were available.
The Emotional Rollercoaster of Failed IVF Treatments
Between January and April 2024, Anne underwent three emotionally exhausting rounds of IVF, each one taking a toll on her heart and body. Despite the setbacks, she continued with unwavering hope, believing that with persistence, success would come.
Her first IVF cycle led to one frozen embryo, but it remained untested. The following month brought even more disappointment as no embryos made it to the blastocyst stage. By April, after a fresh embryo transfer failed to implant, both Anne and her husband were left feeling drained, stuck, and overwhelmed by the weight of repeated failures. What hurt the most was doctors telling them to keep trying without addressing the underlying reasons behind their struggle.
"You just feel stuck... spinning your wheels. We were told to just keep doing more cycles. It was so disheartening."
The Turning Point: Meeting Dr. Goldstein
Anne’s journey finally went in a new direction when her husband found Dr. Goldstein, a specialist who deeply understood the intersection of fertility issues and endometriosis. Anne had her doubts. After years of feeling unheard by doctors who didn’t understand the severity of her condition, she wasn’t sure anyone would truly get it. But her husband encouraged her to try one more time, and in the summer of 2024, she set up a video consultation with Dr. Goldstein.
From the first conversation, something felt different. Dr. Goldstein didn’t rush her into another round of IVF. Instead, she asked questions that no one else had even considered, such as whether Anne had undergone any follow-up scans since her surgery in September 2022. The answer was no—no one had thought to check how her condition might have progressed.
A Shocking Revelation: Thoracic Endometriosis
Dr. Goldstein took immediate action, ordering both an MRI and a CT scan to get a detailed view of Anne’s pelvis and abdomen. The results were devastating: Anne’s right lung had partially collapsed due to endometriosis lesions on her diaphragm, which created small holes that allowed fluid to leak into her chest cavity. Worse, her liver had perforated through her diaphragm into the area where her lung had deflated, making an already urgent situation even more critical.
In hindsight, Anne noticed some of the signs of a potential collapsed lung—shortness of breath when walking up the stairs or around the block—but she thought she was just out of shape. It turns out that her body was trying to tell her something was wrong.
Emergency Intervention and Life-Saving Care
Video: Why Follow-Up Imaging Matters in Endometriosis and Fertility Care
When Dr. Goldstein got the results, she acted quickly. She told Anne to stay at the imaging center and arranged for a car to bring Anne and her husband straight to the emergency room. Dr. Goldstein personally met them there and stayed through the entire ordeal, sitting with them in the hospital room until Anne was stabilized. Anne was touched by how much she cared.
"It was mind-blowing. Dr. Goldstein wasn’t doing the chest tube, but she stayed with us the entire time. I was speechless. You don’t expect that."
Once Anne was stable, the more complicated surgery was scheduled for the following week. Dr. Goldstein assembled a team of thoracic, urologic, and colorectal surgeons to help her tackle the damage caused by Anne’s endometriosis. The level of care went beyond traditional medicine; it was personal.
Endometriosis Surgery: Repairing a Frozen Pelvis and Years of Damage
In April 2024, Anne faced a long, challenging 8-9 hour surgery for Stage 4 pelvic endometriosis as well as thoracic endometriosis. Her surgical team, led by Dr. Goldstein, worked tirelessly to remove severe endometriosis from her pelvis, repair her diaphragm, and move the liver back into the abdomen. The surgeons removed the endometriosis from the ureters and placed only a temporary stent, preventing the need for a ureter re-implant procedure.
Anne had what’s called a “frozen pelvis,” where endometriosis adhesions had fused her pelvic organs together, preventing normal movement and function. With immense precision, Dr. Goldstein and her team worked through Anne’s entire abdomen to carefully excise the adhesions, giving her the care and attention she so deeply deserved.
Anne’s recovery from this surgery was difficult, but the relief she felt was immense. The care she received, not just during the surgery but also afterward, was unlike anything she had experienced before. Dr. Goldstein’s commitment to follow-up care was a stark contrast to her earlier surgeries, where she had little post-operative support. This time, Anne had regular scans, in-person follow-ups, and constant communication with her team of doctors.
Empowered and Supported: A New Chapter in Anne’s Journey
Anne continues her journey toward motherhood with the unwavering support of Dr. Goldstein. Dr. Goldstein’s approach goes beyond medical procedures, focusing on holistic recovery methods that have profoundly impacted Anne’s healing. Through physical therapy, acupuncture, and thoughtful nutritional support, Anne feels empowered and nurtured throughout the process.
With her husband by her side, Anne has continued exploring IVF and fertility treatment, this time under the care of a different fertility specialist who is in constant collaboration with Dr. Goldstein. For Anne, knowing that both doctors are in regular communication brings a profound sense of relief and reassurance. She knows she’s being cared for by a team who understands her needs at every step.
"I have full confidence moving forward because I know Dr. Goldstein and my fertility doctor are working together for the best outcome."
Moving Forward
Anne’s journey is a testament to the power of compassionate, comprehensive care for women facing endometriosis and infertility. From the frustration of misdiagnosis to the life-changing care provided by Dr. Goldstein, her story shows just how vital it is to have a multidisciplinary approach in complex cases like hers. Dr. Goldstein’s expertise not only restored her health but also gave her hope for her future family and renewed confidence in her body.
