|
Post by ashleybeth6 on Jan 21, 2014 16:08:46 GMT -5
Hey everyone! My name is Ashley, I am 30 years old. I was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2008.I had always had super heavy, painful periods, but honestly always assumed it was normal. I guess in my family it is, both my grandmother (undiagnosed, though) and my mother (diagnosed and had a total hysterectomy after finding out she had cervical tumors) I started having immense back pains, constant, not just with my period. I missed a ton of work, and went through several drs and finally found one who immediately said I believe you have endo and we are going to do a laparoscopic. A week later it was comfirmed and 2 months later I was pregnant with our first child. We had been trying for a couple years so this was awesome! We then had 2 more babies shortly after, all very close together, but I was afraid of not being able to if I let the endometriosis grow back while waiting. My youngest is almost 2 and it is at its worst now. I have tried BCP, mirena and did not like the side effects that were added, not to mention I didn't feel it really helped. I have even tried diet change, I have went gluten free, and bc of a slew of allergies my son has, I dont eat dairy or eggs and I hardly ever eat red meat. I saw a huge change when I quit eating gluten, I didnt have as much pain during my periods, and it actually shortened them but after 2 good months, I have now been hit with the worst back, hip pain and feel sick and tired all the time. Not the easiest with a 4,3 and almost 2 year old! I have an appt. With a new gyno next Thursday, and I am really strongly contemplating a hysterectomy. With the problems my mom had, I am worried about them happening to me. I know it doesn't always work, butI have been blessed with 3 wild children and I do not plan on more. I have read some threads on here prior to becoming a member and have found it a huge help! ETA: I have also always had bowel problems with my periods, bleeding and diarrhea. I have noticed that has seemed to be an all the time thing now, and I seem to be going way more during the day, and its still solid, does anyone know why this is?
|
|
|
Post by Karen on Jan 22, 2014 18:46:56 GMT -5
Hi, Ashley - welcome to the board! First off, congrats on your kiddos despite endo! I'm going to speak about diet changes as that's what I know the most about and have the most experience with. That's awesome that you're gluten, dairy, and egg free! That's an excellent start and I'm glad you started to see some changes for the better! I'd encourage you - if you're interested in going that route - to consider eliminating some other items. Sugar happens to be another trigger for many others (myself included), too. I mention that because just going gluten-free or dairy-free might not cover every offending food. (It was only after an elimination diet and a series of food sensitivity testing that I realized I needed to avoid a total of 20+ foods in order to avoid pain!) I also find that often, women exclude certain food groups and replace them with imitations, which often have some other nasties that should be avoided. You might not be doing it, but it's a pitfall many fall into, so it's worth noting. If you're really serious about seeing if diet changes can give you some more relief, I'd encourage you to do an elimination diet for a certain period of time, eating only whole foods. Seems extreme, but it's totally doable. You might need some help with 3 kiddos under foot or may need to do some serious cook-ups some afternoon so you're set for the week, but it's something I know many have survived! I mention that because you mentioned constant bowel problems. Yes, bowel problems with your period could be directly related to endo, particularly around your period. You didn't mention what stage of endo you were and where it was found to comment further on that. But regardless, it's a sign that something's not right with your digestion and the number 1 way to address digestion is to address what you eat. I could go on and on about digestion, but I'll spare you... You'll find there are some women on here that got relief from a hysterectomy and some that didn't. If you have endo on other areas of your body than just your uterus, you might not remove all the sources of the problems. If you remove your ovaries, too, you'd want a good plan going into it to address menopausal symptoms, too. The thing is, you don't need to decide this all at once. It might be beneficial to talk to your doctor about a few more options, discuss timelines for trying those options, and at least deciding that if you do this, this, and this unsuccessfully, then in x months it'd be time to seriously discuss the next step. It also might not hurt to get a second opinion from an endo specialist. There might be other options for you to consider that you haven't yet. Whatever the case, look around, there's a lot that people have already tried and can provide feedback on!
|
|
|
Post by ashleybeth6 on Jan 23, 2014 14:08:51 GMT -5
Thank you for you reply Karen! After I had my son and we had to change how we ate, we really made some huge changes in everything we ate. I have always been a scratch cooker/baker, but even with what I was making changed. After having to read labels, it really changes your mindset. I really dont eat that much sugar, other than foods that break down to sugar, like starches. Coffee and tea are always unsweetened. And I really try to stay away from any processed foods, because I don't even want my kids to want them. I do have bad eating days, but I do eat a lot better than I used to. With all that being said, I lost 50 lbs in a year after having my son and felt great, well as good as I could with endo!. Without changing, the last 4 months have gotten increasingly worse, and I just don't understand :-( I was running before, even did my first 5k last year on my bday! :-) But now when I run, my back feels like someone is taking clamps and tightening them on the inside and I can hardly move the next day. I dread getting on the treadmill but I do. I was negligent when I had my laparoscopy years ago, and didn't research like I do now. I have no idea what stage I was at, and really only remember the dr saying he found tissue on my bowels and bladder. And thats all I remember :/
|
|
|
Post by overworkedta on Jan 23, 2014 21:35:21 GMT -5
Ashley,
Hey, I'm a noob, too. I get the whole allergy-eating thing. I have nut and shellfish allergies and read labels like crazy. My nut allergy developed as an adult, so it was a learning curve for me and everyone around. It does make you eat better, though. I don't really eat any sweets I don't make anymore unless they are from a gluten free, nut free bakery.
Your description of your pelvic pain during exercise makes me think you may want to ask about levator spasms. I was dx'ed just after my endo dx 3 years ago now. It was crazy how quickly PT worked. Basically, I have muscles that contract at bad times and cause a LOT of pain. And if I was already tightening because of endo pain or my period pain, it flares more. Exercise can make it worse when it gets bad. PT helped me work through it and to stop tensing my pelvic floor when riding, basically. A basic pelvic exam should reveal what's going on. I always thought it was endo-related but it was not.
|
|
|
Post by Karen on Jan 23, 2014 21:45:34 GMT -5
Ditto on the PT! It did wonders for me as well.
|
|
|
Post by ashleybeth6 on Jan 24, 2014 12:09:14 GMT -5
Thanks ladies! I will look into it!
|
|