Hi Everyone,
My name is Rebecca and I am 27 years old.
This is the first time I have joined a forum of any kind! I am hoping to gain some advice and hints and tips! I started looking through all the posts from everyone and for the first time in years I dont feel so alone anymore! So, ill start at the beginning and tell you my story...(apologies in advance, its quite long!)
I was placed on the Pill at 13 because of heavy/irregular periods and bad skin/weight issues.
I was bounced through all the different kinds of pills and was diagnosed with PCOS at 16.
I had an abnormal smear by the time i was 18/19 and I had an ectropion cervix and was constantly bleeding, I had surgery to burn the cells off, this didnt work, I then had them frozen off this didn't work, it was then realised it was the pill causing it and was moved onto the implant - - the one with only one hormone on it. I also kept gaining weight
This didnt work so I was given the Mirena coil. This was the best thing since sliced bread, I was able to loose 3 stone as the hormone is localized. I also stopped having period altogether. It didnt help with my bad skin though but this was manageable.
I still had smears every 6 months, then a year and two etc.
I managed ok for a couple years...
18 months ago I had another routine smear and it came back abnormal again, I was advised to wait a further 6 months and have it done again....my instinct told me not to...so I went private.
Smear was repeated with the same outcome and an internal ultrasound was done. Then my doctor went in!
I had a laparoscopy and it was found that i had a lot of scar tissue and endo. this was removed, new coil put in.
18 months later i am having severe pelvic pain just on the left lower abdomen. I went back to my doc (she is fantastic by the way...it really does help through all this to find a doctor who really cares). We decided to try some medication before we head back to surgery and so i was put on a course of tablets for 6 weeks (i dont know the name but can find out if anyone needs the name). Well the side effects were horrendous. I was already boated, gaining weight, bad skin and pain and bleeding and these just made it worse! I went back had another round of tests, all clear but was offered to try different tabs. In the end i didnt take them, i was just to afraid i would get worse! Then last weekend (3 weeks away from my next docs appointment) the pain got worse! So i went back and a cyst has been discovered. I now have more surgery scheduled for the 11th Oct.
Among all this at 6 i was diagnosed with Hypo-mobility syndrome and had to give up my dancing from the pain and headaches! I read another post that has linked the treatments to this! Two years ago I also got a prolapsed disc in my lower back and issued with the facet joints which i have had all the epidural and steroid injections, de-nervation twice and if this doesn't work the disc will have to be fused or removed, im now 27.
I also have IBS! I went on holiday to Egypt in my early twenty's and caught a really nasty bug and for 6 weeks was constantly going to the loo and in pain. After tests they diagnosed IBS. I have been to dietitians, done the FODMAP diet etc, cut out carbs, dairy etc etc and various variations.
SO i really do struggle to combat all of these issues, esp with exercise as i know this will help the endo and IBS to loose the weight but it hurts and I am limited with the hypo-mobility and back problems. Yoga and Pilates I love but cannot do as it just messes up my joints even more! Swimming is ok but im so not confident in my body that i struggle with this. I was doing so well though going 3/4 times a week until just recently and my weight has gone up with the new round of endo/cyst. I actually look preggers! (another anxiety issue obvs is fertility).
SOOOOOO... after all this as you are all aware I suffer from anxiety and depression quite badly. The anxiety only really came on this time last year when my back, the endo all happened at once.
For this i have had CBT therapy and this really did help. I am waiting for a second round as everything has all come back I feel myself spiraling out of control once again. I really would recommend this, it helps you gain control and recognize your symptoms and ways to deal with it all. I have the techniques now and I know what i can do and I am trying but just feel a little fed up at the mo! I also do not want to take anti-depressants, I want more natural things in my body!
SO yesterday I found this website and the forum and started looking into different natural ways to help! so iv got myself a book for food recipes and have signed up for the support group and now I am writing my story to you all. Its the first time iv ever written about it and seeing it all down in black and white has made me see that yes i really do suffer a fair amount ( although I know there are many out there that suffer more of course) and that I am doing well to cope as much as i have done! I also have a plan and have swapped out my lovely English Breakfast tea for all the fruit teas inc peppermint to see if this does help with bloating. I am also going to detox after my surgery, which is one of my questions:
Q: Is it ok to detox after surgery, its one that is designed for people with endo and IBS, Aloe Vera juice is a key ingredient and supplements are provided and after the first 3 days 600 calorie meals are allowed. My friend has IBS, done it lost some weight and more importantly feels like her tummy has been "re-set"...i could do with some of this haha!
Q2: Any advice for my amazing boyfriend and friends/parents who have to watch me suffer and put up with me snapping and low moods. I end up feeling so guilty about it so would like any advice for them and me to help!
So I come to the present and am nervous about hitting the submit button!
Thank you for reading my story and I hope to speak soon xxx
Devastated! No babies for me... Are there any support groups 
No one is listening to me!!
Last resort for me: Mirena Coil
