When you are suspected to have endometriosis the immediate move your GYN makes is putting you on some sort of hormone: birth control, progesterone, an IUD, or something stronger like a GnRH agonist/antagonist (Lupron, Orilissa, Synarel, etc.). They give you a prescription and send you on your way. If that hormone works for you and takes away your pain you can stop going to the GYN because you are healed! WRONG! You are in remission. Your symptoms are being managed but your disease is very much still there. You need to continue going to the GYN to discuss your long-term plan. If you are trying to have a family in the future you need to understand that your fertility is still at risk. If you are 40 and not planning on having a family by all means stay on your hormone and live your life. Surgery is not for everyone. However, what I am learning is that excision surgery is sometimes the only option. You need to get those clean margins in order to have a chance at having a family and in some cases getting a solution to your pain. I am not here to tell you that you need surgery. That is a decision for you to make with the consult of your doctors. However, I am recommending that you keep in mind the long-term effect your endometriosis may have on your body. I am thrilled you are in remission and able to live life but talk to someone about the future. Figure out if surgery in 5 years is what makes sense for YOU. Keep an open mind and learn as much as you can. Know that you will not be completely endo-free unless you have excision surgery. If that matters to you great, if it doesn’t it doesn’t.