jessa
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Posts: 22
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Post by jessa on Dec 17, 2010 16:09:27 GMT -5
Okay, so I haven't been diagnosed with endo yet but I'm suffering from most of the symptoms. I've always had painful cramps {since my period first started when I was 12} but it's gotten worse in the past 6-8 months. I'm usually in bed for the first day, feeling nauseous and crying with killer cramps. At first I just tried to manage it myself with Extra Strength Tylenol {2 pills every 4 hours} but it did hardly anything. And many times I couldn't even keep the pills down. So last month I saw my doctor and she sent me for an ultrasound and prescribed Naproxen {Aleve}. The u/s results came back normal and shortly thereafter my period started. The naproxen did take the edge off...the pain went from a 9-10 on the pain scale to around 6-7. Still unbearable though. I'm expecting my 2nd period with naproxen in 8 days so I'm going to give it another try...and this time take it more regularly. I know that I should go see my doctor again but I really don't have the money right now. It's quite sad, actually. Some days I feel good, and other days the whole situation just makes me feel really bad. The week or so leading up to my period I feel down, grumpy, and just irritable...my appetite disappears and I get pre-menstrual cramps. I really wish that I could just be "normal" and not have so many problems around that time of the month...it's embarrassing, and disruptive. Not to mention, I'm starting college next month and can't really afford to be out sick every month. Well, I guess I've rambled on enough for now...I just had to get that off my chest. Thanks for listening, girls! I really love this forum!
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Post by pretty on Dec 17, 2010 16:20:43 GMT -5
Hey Jessa! sounds endo-riffic and very familiar! Even though you dont have a diagnosis, I still recommend the endo diet very highly. it saved my job (so far lol) and my sanity. I went off dairy first followed by wheat, soy, red meats, and any non-organic foods as much as possible, and it's really really taken my pain levels waaaaaaay down... anyhow I'd start there. One of the things I've learned this year is with the NSAID drugs, they work best when you start them before your pain sets in and continue them as prescribed every 6 hours or whatever until pain lessens.... for me this meant starting the advil or whatever BEFORE the expected onset of pain which can be tricky, but for anti-inflammatories to work properly they are supposed to block the inflammation reactions BEFORE they begin.... anyhow maybe that will help a bit. Sounds like you should start them now if your PMS is troubling you for the week before. Then when you get into school, see if you get health care as a student. You may then have more access to care you need without paying private (unless you are currently insured already). Anyway while at school you'll have all these resources so I suggest you get familiar and find a counselor or medical professional WITHIN your school system and get their card and email address. That way, even if you have no diagnosis, you have a friend with whom to document any health issues that are related to your suspected endo. With professional documentation it will be much easier later if you miss a final, or a deadline, becuase you are ill. I say this often on this board but it is up to YOU to advocate for YOURSELF since nobody else knows what you're going through, and it's up to YOU to be proactive NOW. If you're going to spend tens of thousands of dollars on your education, you want to cover all your bases. You know you're ill, you think it's endo, so please keep accurate records, record your symptoms and doctor visits, and when you need to get help later on you'll be SO glad your ducks are all lined up in a nice neat row..... best of luck, P
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Post by chicagogal2 on Dec 17, 2010 16:56:49 GMT -5
HI Jessa!
I agree with Pretty about the NSAID's, youn need to start taking them a day or two before your period starts, if you take them when you already have pain it doesn't do much because it's harder to get rid of the inflammation rather than controling it before it gets crazy. I am taking tramadol for pain and it works for me, makes me fuzzy in the head but I don't mind. I can take advil with it as well when needed. For me sitting in the warm bath tub helps with pain and then I use a microwave hot pack as well. I understand all of your frustrations as well. I wish I could have a period that was just normal and thru the month I wish I didn't have all this other stuff come up. I feel like it's always something or another. Try to hang in there!
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jessa
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Posts: 22
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Post by jessa on Dec 17, 2010 17:32:47 GMT -5
Thanks for your replies, ladies!
Pretty, thanks for the tips on diet. I'm already vegan so I don't eat any dairy products {except small amounts in bread}, eggs, and red meats. I do eat plenty of gluten and soy as that helps replace whatever else I'd be eating on a "regular diet". I know a few ladies on here have suggested that I cut gluten out of my diet but that's going to be really hard as most of the foods that I do eat contain gluten. My family already has difficulty finding foods that are vegan so going gluten-free would be even harder.
I'm going to start the naproxen the day before my period is supposed to start and then continue to take it consistently throughout my period. Hopefully, that'll help.
I'd also like to say thanks for reminding me to let someone know about my problems at the college. I've already mentioned it to my counselor but the next time I see her, I'll be sure to highlight the issue a bit more.
Chicagogal, I've tried using hot packs and warm showers but they don't do a thing for me...I do wish it helped though.
I'll keep y'all posted on how this period goes...definitely keeping my fingers crossed!
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Post by Heather on Dec 17, 2010 17:45:41 GMT -5
Please do a little research on soy. It is really awful for you, just has a really good PR machine. I can type out some excerpts from the book if you like.
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Post by pretty on Dec 17, 2010 19:36:24 GMT -5
I know you must feel like you've already taken all these other things out of your diet and there's nothing left. Do yourself a favor: omit soy and bread at least for 2 weeks. I get by really well eating fish and rice and veg, leftovers for lunch or rice noodle soup or vegan bean or lentil soup, and for breakfast everyday, I have an organic fruit smoothie with agave nectar for sweetener and a tablespoon full of hemp protein powder. it's boring, maybe, but makes you feel good and healthy. For starches I use rice, corn, rye, but mostly just avoid, I get plenty of carbs in fruit and veg. I am telling you the bread is making you feel like sh!t. You need to at least give it a try. It's super hard, but worth it since you will feel SO MUCH BETTER almost immediatly. I've been off these foods for 6monthsnow and can tell you almost instantly now if I eat something that's not endo friendly. Last night ate about 20 small peppermint candies and had a horrible stomacheache when I awoke that lasted all day. I know it was them, becuase I'm really careful now about foods and made a conscious choice that I was going to eat them anyway even though they have all the sugar that makes me hurt.... I just have a demanding sweet tooth so I caved in and ate them.... totally paid for it all day long too.
Trust me, I know it seems impossible being vegan already, but that's in your favor really, since you only have the wheat and soy to get rid of now. Soy in US is GMO, steeped in horrible stuff, chemically washed - a nightmare for endo, plus full of bad estrogens. Just do what you can, one step at a time, you'll get there... wishing you the very best! P
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Post by Heather on Dec 17, 2010 21:32:36 GMT -5
Thanks for elaborating pretty, I was super tired earlier and a little cranky.
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Post by katiev on Dec 17, 2010 21:40:23 GMT -5
I agree with the girls, take the meds before the period comes. Endo feeds on the inflammation so if you can nip it in the butt before it has a chance you cause you discomfort than I would take them at least 3 days in advance. I get sore knees and I feel like I'm fighting the flu. Thats how I know my period is coming. If you have any signs at all that your body gives you then take the hint. It can also come in a form of a sore throat for me.
I am vegan too so the endo diet hasn't been too tricky to change to. I was also eating a lot of gluten and soy and have since cut them both out. Gluten is difficult to cut out but I read all the ingridients and most of the time packing will say gluten-free.
I would love for someone to make up a weekly menu for the endo diet as I feel like I may not be balancing my diet properly.
Also, not sure if you have read my post, but my acupunturist recommended massaging your butt cheeks to help reduce inflammation and its helped me. I have only been doing it every night before bed for the psat 2 weeks and I think it has helped.
I know its hard but you are strong and you have all of us to help you through it!
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jessa
New Member
Posts: 22
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Post by jessa on Dec 18, 2010 13:42:31 GMT -5
Thanks again for all the kind encouragement! Y'all are awesome!! gaiaspriestess, I'd love to read a bit more on soy if you can post some info here for me. I think I could do without soy if it weren't for tofu...I'm really hooked on it. But we'll see... pretty, thanks for all the info. I guess I should mention here that another reason why I'm reluctant to try a gluten-free diet is that I'm already on the thin side. I'm 5' 2" and only 90lbs {underweight according to the BMI scale} so I'm concerned if I eliminate any "fattening" foods I might disappear altogether. Haha! Seriously though, it is a concern that I have. And since I'm starting college in about 3wks, it's going to be tricky to try a new diet at the same time. However, I realize that it just might help me in the long run so I'm not writing off the idea completely. I'm going to give it a bit more thought and try to cut back on my consumption of bread. katiev, you're vegan too?! That's great to have a fellow vegan on here. The trouble I have with starting the pain pills early is that my period can be very unpredictable. Sometimes I get PMS-ish symptoms a week and a half before my period actually starts...so I think that "oh, it'll start tomorrow" but then nothing happens for another 10 days. Ugh, that is really frustrating to me! And you're not supposed to take naproxen for prolonged periods of time...or at least that's what my doctor told me. I also heard it's bad for your stomach. :-o On the up side, I just recently got an iPod touch and downloaded an app called "Period Tracker". I've plugged my past 5 or 6 period start days into it and it gave me my average cycle length and predicted start dates for like the next 10 periods. It also has a "Notes" feature where you can add notes, symptoms, and track your mood. It's pretty cool and I hope it helps me to start my medication on time. I did realize when I plugged all the info in that my period is more regular than I thought (ranging from 28-31 days) even though I have several days of PMS-ish feelings. You all are so kind, I'm delighted that I found this forum! gaias, I'm looking forward to your info on soy!
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Post by Karen on Dec 18, 2010 14:19:08 GMT -5
Funny thing, I was just at the book store looking for gluten/dairy/etc. free cookbooks and found a gluten-free for vegetarians! It does exist, it really does! I realize the thought of eliminating even one more thing may be daunting, but here's how I see it: I can give up some foods that are easy/yummy/readily available OR I can have my life back. When I remind myself of it in those terms, it's a no-brainer. I would encourage anyone to try it for a few weeks and see if it makes an impact on pain. If it doesn't, at least you can say you tried, but if it does, you'll be wondering why you waited so long to get relief!! I know diet works differently for everyone, but for me, it allowed me to go off of almost daily narcotics, and it only took a few days to be noticeable. But, enough preaching! Glad you found an app to track your cycles! There's a website called reliefinsite.com that's awesome for tracking pain patterns (and cycles) that might be worth looking into, too. It's fab to be able to print it out and bring to your doc! Hope you're feeling a bit less down about things. It's an awful feeling to feel like your body is completely out of your control and there's nothing you can do but there is hope! Glad you found us.
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Post by Karen on Dec 18, 2010 14:21:34 GMT -5
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Post by hellsbells on Dec 18, 2010 20:09:15 GMT -5
A friend of mine from uni has full on coeliac disease. She's tall, and before she was diagnosed, she lost a shed load of weight. She was so thin. And she had bowel issues (believe me, I know...I went to the loo after her...). Once she was diagnosed, she avoided gluten, and she GAINED weight. She got her curves back. It's freaky what that stuff does to you if you're intolerant, so don't write off the possibility.
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Post by Heather on Dec 18, 2010 23:43:59 GMT -5
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Post by Shannon Elizabeth on Dec 18, 2010 23:46:18 GMT -5
A friend of mine from uni has full on coeliac disease. She's tall, and before she was diagnosed, she lost a shed load of weight. She was so thin. And she had bowel issues (believe me, I know...I went to the loo after her...). Once she was diagnosed, she avoided gluten, and she GAINED weight. She got her curves back. It's freaky what that stuff does to you if you're intolerant, so don't write off the possibility. I don't know if I have Celiac's, but I do know this was also my same experience. I'm a veggie and didn't get a whole lot of protein and so we thought that was my problem. But it was actually all the wheat I was getting in my diet and it would make me sick. I'm 5'4" and I was 109lbs. I've been off wheat about 3 months now and I've gained around 5 lbs and look so much healthier. Who knew?
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jessa
New Member
Posts: 22
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Post by jessa on Dec 19, 2010 13:31:02 GMT -5
Oh, that's interesting. I never thought that elimnating wheat/gluten could possibly help me gain weight. I'd do almost anything healthy to get a few extra pounds. This morning I had lots of pancakes and feel kinda guilty about it...maybe I should try some "alternative flours" like rice or quinoa. Thanks for all the info on soy! It doesn't sound like that "miracle product" after all. I've learned so much from y'all in such a short space of time! This forum is the best.
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