Advice/experiences of removing merina coil and managing endo hormone free?

[GemB]

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to get peoples experiences of managing with endo without any hormones. I have always reacted badly to hormones, they don't agree with me at all. I've tried multiple pills, depo injections, implant and prior to diagnosis through a lap (July 2018) I was on the non-hormonal copper coil. I'm 28 and I definitely do not want children (hence pumping my body with hormones). I have had the merina coil since July. I have put on weight because my appetite since insertion has shot through the roof - I feel so so so hungry all day every day. I am a PhD student at the point of submission and trying to concentrate whilst 1. you're in pain and 2. you feel you are starving is horrid. So although the coil has stopped my periods (yay!) it hasn't stopped the pain. I'm also crazy emotional and my skin is horrid.

I'm so fed up as nothing really seems to work and the endo symptoms are still there despite the removal of some endo during surgery (small amount on the uterosacral ligament). I am also getting a lot of pain during and post-sex which could be endo and/or the coil I don't know. My husband and I have talked about him getting his tubes tied, but we can't afford private and have heard that the NHS won't fund it due to our age (he's 29). My worry is that if I remove the coil the symptoms might get even worse! It sucks being a woman at times.

Does anyone have any advice or tips? I do try the endo diet as much as possible - although I could be better (i.e. avoid dairy, meat, alcohol, wheat - although I do add some organic products in every now and again). I also take supplements - again not consistently when I'm busy and get out of the routine (evening primrose, cod liver oil, multi-vitamin, tumeric, garlic).

Sorry for the long post. Thanks in advance for any stories shared or advice.

[cattrails]

Hi GemB, sorry to hear of your experience with Endo. I do have experience of dealing with Endo without hormones. In my experience, I have had good results however it is not a cheap option and you do need to have continual will power to be disciplined with it, which is hard going in the early days. I too had the copper coil and had it removed at the same time as a laparoscopy. I am older than you and was sterilised at the same time as removing the coil.

The other treatment I have had success with is going to a registered herbalist. I have a tincture that I take daily twice a day, I have a specific herbal tea and a mix of supplements to manage my symptoms. I am strict with no dairy in my diet and limit gluten. I find sugar and alcohol are also irritants for me, I havent managed to cut them out completely, as I enjoy these but I have cut down on them considerably. I exercise regularly and I ensure I go to yoga weekly to manage my stress levels and to hekp relax my pelvic muscles. I have been following this for close to 2 years now and I have managed to reduce my pain to 2 days at ovulation and 2 days during my period. I find fatigue is bad on these days but again that is an improvement on what I was experiencing which was pain, fatigue and high emotions 2weeks out of every 4. Good luck and I hope you find relief soon.