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Post by fblack on May 7, 2011 19:57:19 GMT -5
I have been fairly strict on the endo diet for almost 4 wks now. The past few days have been my monthly time for endo pain. It is still the same, keeping me up at night, sitting in the bathroom for 20-30 min. at a time, using heating pad. I don't really see any difference. I've also been exercising 3-4 days a week (doing 2 mile in home walk). Can anyone tell me how long this should take? Will I find any relief? What else can I do? I had to give in and take vicuprofen during the day yesterday it was so bad. Piggybacking that with Anaprox and Tylenol, too. (Vicodin usually doesn't help me a whole lot but help me sleep). I hate taking so many drugs! Any more advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
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Post by Karen on May 7, 2011 20:16:39 GMT -5
Can you explain what you mean by fairly strict? Can you go into more detail about what you're eating and what you're excluding? Are there days that are better or worse? And what type of exercise?
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Post by fblack on May 8, 2011 8:39:35 GMT -5
I usually only experience pain right AFTER my period. The pain is predictable about 5 days, but hits me at weird times during those days. Usually at around meal times and during the night. I have been avoiding wheat, dairy, red meat. I have had slight amounts of dairy but I don't think enough to upset my system (tiny bit of sour cream on my potato). Heres' what I've basically been eating: Breakfast: smoothie w/ frz berries, banana, and plain Kefir, sometimes a rice cake w/peanut butter, or scrambled eggs
Lunch: Salad w/mixed greens, cranberries or dried cherries, sunflower kernels, broccoli, carrots, red cabbage, maybe cauliflower (No tomoato though, I think it was making me break out) I use a tiny bit of Ranch dressing because I just couldn't stand all the olive oil/italian. So that would be a little dairy. Dinner: Alot of seafood, rice/brown rice/mixed rice, sometimes potatoes, green beans or broccoli Snacks: dinner, mixed nuts, maybe a little tortilla chips w/salsa. I've tried eating corn tortillas as a bread substitue and find they fall apart. Oatmeal was giving me a stomach ache, but I might try it again. I do feel WONDERFUL without bread! I hardly miss it. So basically the diet is helping with any digestive issues, but really has not given me any pain relief. I been exercising with Leslie Sansone Walk at Home DVD. IT's walking in place and she adds strength training exercises focusing on core, thighs, and arms. I really love it! but have only lost about 6 lbs. I think my metabolism is not as high as it was a few years ago, that's for sure!
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Post by Karen on May 8, 2011 8:55:25 GMT -5
First off, it sounds like you're doing AWESOME at modifying your diet! You're really off to a good start, and I'm so glad you're feeling so much better without bread!!
If you're having pain around meal times, I'd strongly suspect either dairy or something else that may not be excluded on the endo diet but may be something YOUR body doesn't like. Even in small quantities, if your body doesn't like it, it could quite possibly be giving you issues.
To give you an example, I have a sensitivity to oranges. I'm not suggesting you do, but just hear me out: I had a bout of some pretty intense pelvic pain for a few weeks last fall. I wasn't eating anything different and I couldn't figure it out. I was convinced something else might be wrong with me and was debating scheduling a doctor's appointment. And then, it came to me... I recently started on an additional dose of Vitamin C for a few weeks to help boost my immune system before spending some time with my baby niece. Turns out the Vit C I bought was made out of citric acid instead of ascorbic acid... Citric acid = oranges = PAIN for me. I stopped the supplements and the pain was GONE! It was a TINY quantity, but it still caused immense pain.
I would encourage you to completely eliminate ALL dairy - even the most minute amounts - for a while and see if you notice a difference. I would also encourage you to keep a food journal if you're not already to see if there are any minor things that could be contributing to things. If you can find a doctor to do food sensitivity testing, that may help you take some of the guesswork out. An allergy scratch test may not reveal them, but a blood test is what pinpointed things for me. I had to go through an alternative doc for it, though. But it was completely accurate, including the oranges (which I already suspected)!
Keep up the good work! I suspect that a few more modifications might make all the difference for you! Oh, and if you're stuck for dressing ideas, there are tons of non-Italian dressings that you can make on your own. Just a matter of trying them out!
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Post by pretty on May 8, 2011 13:48:58 GMT -5
Hey Girl, I know it's frustrating as hell to be on this strict of a diet and still have pain. I want you to know I have pain too. It is just the difference between roll-on-the-bathroom-floor and pass out pain, and mildly irritating yet still can function pain. There is still endo in there. The diet will reduce a lot of symptoms yes and make you able to function. I think in your case you have some sensitivites to some foods, I suspect nuts and dried fruit, and the dairy, BUT that's based on ME and you are a whole unique other organism lol... I can't resist nuts, chocolate, agave in my coffee, and the tiniest bits of cream in coffee too... but those things ALL cause me pain (not near as much as a bowl of ice cream would, or a cinnamon roll.... drool....) but yes once you are on this diet you can really narrow these things down.
Another thing that can cause ME pain is drugs. Vicodin, for instance, is really toxic but I use it for BAD pain, and the toxic headache/itchiness are the trade off... Look at your personal care products. Try a cleanse or detox tea and make sure you are drinking lots of water. WHile you're detoxing, your liver and kidneys are now processing through stuff that's been in your body for YEARS so make sure you're aiding them to filter out those toxins. I know it's tough, I'm glad you have SOME relief, and I would really recommend that you see an NP to work out refining your diet needs and look at possible allergies/reactions.... Good luck from Lisa
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Post by fblack on May 8, 2011 20:33:51 GMT -5
Thanks for the advice ladies. I think it's just going to take a little more time to figure out if any other foods are bothering me. Thankfully my endo pain is only really bad for about 5-6 days out of the month. But it is BAD when it hits. I hide in the bathroom, distract my self with a book, and recently discovered my buckwheat? "neck" pillow makes a great heating pad! I only drink water and herbal tea, some green tea. But I do need some more detox methods probably. What's a NP?? Fran
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Post by pretty on May 8, 2011 21:23:38 GMT -5
Naturopath = NP sorry. I just did one of my own pet peeves: over-abbreviation lol!
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Post by gemstone on May 9, 2011 11:16:51 GMT -5
Hey, I follow the diet, and as Pretty said, it's the difference in pain rather than no pain that has helped me. Before, I couldn't be more than a few minutes from a toilet and in agonising pain. Now, my bowels are a lot better and the pain has really settled down - it's still there as with most of us, but it's manageable most of the time (except during my period!).
Keep going and cut out everything, that will make it so much easier to find out what's getting to you.
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Post by fblack on May 9, 2011 20:49:04 GMT -5
Ok, maybe the diet is helping a little. So far I've only had 4 days of pain and today has been really good! I was a little sore this morning but felt great the rest of the day!...we'll see how the night goes because that's when it tends to hit me. I hate to eliminate nuts because it seems like that's all I CAN eat. I've been craving something sweet SO BAD this week. I did sneak a few hershey kisses just to kill the cravings. Ladies, I used to eat ice cream almost EVERY night for it seemed like years! It's amazing that I've been able to quit that habit. Unbelievable...the sugar cravings were so habit forming and addictive...like a drug!!
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Post by Karen on May 9, 2011 21:37:44 GMT -5
There are some good coconut milk ice creams out there if you still have the hankerings! All that sugar isn't the best, but it beats dairy in my book when I just *need* a fix!
I'm hoping you get some relief this month and get even more next month!!
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Post by pretty on May 10, 2011 11:14:40 GMT -5
(I forgot your name fblack!) but I was an ice cream junkie! it was out favorite late night snack! I can't BELIEVE I was able to stop... but my endo came on suddenly and I originally thought I was lactose intolerant, because actually it was post-ice-cream-binge that I had my horrible pain that sent me to the ER....
Anyhow, I love nuts but I def. notice pain after eating them... hope it's not the same for you! hang in there, let us all know what works. x Pretty
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Post by 1234 on May 10, 2011 15:24:16 GMT -5
Also want to second Karen's appreciation of coconut milk ice cream! I LOVE it. I think it's better than milk-based ice cream.
But, I also have a deep love of coconut.
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Post by fblack on May 11, 2011 21:59:05 GMT -5
The fblack is for FRAN. Coconut milk ice cream? I'll have to go check that one out. I do like coconut.I have alot to be thankful for. REally, my endo pain is only about 4-6 days a month and I'm SO HAPPY when those days are over. I've laid off the nuts for a few days so maybe that did help. I'm going to have a hard time with "summer" food. Hamburgers, steak, brats on the grill.....mmmmm. I do buy them natural from a local farm. Does that make it any better???
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Post by Karen on May 12, 2011 6:15:08 GMT -5
I haven't given up beef, but I get local, organic beef instead. And I still enjoy the grill outs but just skip the bun! Some fruit salad, grilled asparagus or potatoes, some corn on the cob & I am a happy camper! I even entertain for friends and they don't even realize I have diet restrictions (though I buy buns for them, of course!).
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Post by pretty on May 12, 2011 11:25:02 GMT -5
I think that organic local meats are pretty good choices. I personally eat them any chance I can..... which is only about once a month or so. However, hubby and I are going to Wisconsin in late June (yes, we're really going lol) and I WILL be eating a brat. with kraut. and jalapenos. You will just have to try and see how you feel! It's all about you, Fran!!
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