Reduce the pain and stay positive :)

[Nic9543]

This month marks a year that I turned vegetarian in a bid to reduce the pain I feel from endometriosis. Like many of you I am still waiting for the lap. My world was turned upside down when I thought that all my years of pain might be something that would stop me having a family. Mentally it took a long time to come around to the idea and I did lots of reasearch into holistic things to do mainly because I was told the waiting list was 2 years with my particular consultant. He’s an endo specialist so I knew I wanted him to do it and I had to find a way to cope. after about three months no meat and 99% no dairy , I started noticing a difference my periods for the first time in over ten years were regular like clockwork I no longer was glued to the bathroom floor in agony and I was able to function. My periods were lighter, the nausea disappeared and yes I still get pain but it’s been dramatically reduced. I would take mefanamic acid day 1of my period. The pain throughout the rest of the cycle is minimal. I started taking pycnogenol and reduced my dairy switched to almond milk and try to do yoga more often. This is a post for anyone out there who is lost and not sure what to do and give you the hope that you can find a way through the turmoil. It hasn’t all been plain sailing but never let it defeat you. There are so many people who couldn’t understand “why no meat” and I couldn’t really tell them why but I learnt to not let it annoy me. We are all different but maybe this might help someone out there. Happy Friday folks.

[Starry]

Very interesting reading Nic. Well done for your proactivity, courage and self care xx

Interestingly i was veggie since 14 and cow milk free since my 20s. I suspect lower pain levels than seem typical may be one reason why it took so long to discover my endo nodule (a mixed blessing in a way as by then it was pretty darn big and threatening bladder and bowel)

Have you gone gluten free and if so has it made a difference? I did on the basis of the medical study done but do still wonder if its making enough of a difference to persist. I have improved significantly but it would be hard not to as it was the 12 months following surgery.

[Nic9543 in reply to Starry]

I would have the odd bit of gluten free cheese to satisfy my cheese cravings but other than that not really. In saying that I never really ate bread etc so wouldn’t have a high gluten intake. I would notice after pizza or Bread with the odd meal I would get pains but it would just put me off eating it for a while. Lol. Did you notice a big difference after surgery?

[Starry in reply to Nic9543]

My surgery was pretty major and I had options of bowel survery or oopherectomy as my endo was severe and hormone resistant. Ultimately i had no choice because my bowel was being compromised. The tumor turned out to be significantly bigger than the mri had suggested. Unfortunately i contracted viral meningitis 3 days post op so have had a very long very difficult recovery road.

My bladder is definitely better and i have less back pain. My bowel was preserved and after 6 months started settling but i have to be very careful what i eat also because the menigitis damaged my oesophagus.

I lost 4cm2 of my vagina that couldnt be saved and still have severe dyspareunia sadly.

The surgery "worked" in that the bowel wall was saved.

However because of my menigitis complication 13 months on I am still very unwell have full blown. exhaustion/ME, neurofatigue, cognitive and memory and balance issues and headaches plus nerve pain and coxxodynia (these last 2 from the surgery which arent all that uncommon but oft not mentioned as risks) and i am unable to go back to work full time.

The impact has been life changing for me and definitely had a cost.

So a mixed bag. Its very much a case by case decision whether surgery is the right thing. You just have to weigh up pros and cons.

[AllthatGlitters]

Happy Friday and thanks for sharing your story, hope you are still feeling well x