Endo on my bowel and bladder

[MStar7]

i’m 21 and I was diagnosed with endometriosis in January via Laparoscopy. I have chronic bowel and bladder problems (im having surgery for these soon). Is there anything I can do in the meantime to ease my symptoms? I’m really struggling. I’m on the pill but no help. Thanks in advance x

[BlueTit98]

I’m sorry to hear that you’re struggling and waiting until Jan for your op. I had rectovaginal endo and also had it on my bladder amongst other places. Diet helps, staying away from gluten, alcohol, caffeine, red meat. Eating lots of fibre, berries etc and having soups for lunch to make things easier and softer to pass. Then taking supplements including selenium, zinc, omega 3, iron and a lower dose multivitamin. Heat packs! Epsom salt baths with clary sage and lavender the magnesium in this helps with pain. Making sure you keep moving, it’s horrendous but it does help especially a swim where the weight lifts off your bowel. In terms of meds, I had 1000 dose of naproxen a day so 500mg am and pm together with dihydrocodeine. If you do that though check the dosage with your surgeon (I’m petite but quite resistant to meds) and take movicol to soften bowel movements as the latter can make things incredibly painful with movements. D-manose really helps with some bladder symptoms. I hope that helps and hope you feel some relief soon 🙏🏻 I can say my life is so much easier post surgery I had in march it’s all worth it!

[Pearl67 in reply to BlueTit98]

Thank you for this! How did you figure out it was on your bladder and bowel? Symptoms? Tests?

[BlueTit98 in reply to Pearl67]

I’ve had endo for over 14 years but my GPs didn’t believe I was in so much pain and said I just had an overactive bladder and IBS and painful periods were part of being a woman, the usual! So when I started bleeding from my bum during my period and not they finally referred me about 4 years ago and after 4 gynaecologist they found it, my current surgeon found it everywhere during surgery, he is brilliant. The first didn’t look very thoroughly so missed it in two areas. The main indicator for me in the bowel was the pain, it was all sorts of agony around my rectum area on the left and bowel movements were agony. My endo belly was also absolutely huge, I am petite and would look a good 6 months pregnant within hours. With my bladder I just have urgency and go into retention easily. xx

[Pearl67 in reply to BlueTit98]

Thank you! I am so sorry for all you have endured! I can relate to the pain issues😩😣 The next step would be a lap, but I am 52 and they said I will go through Meno soon and it will all go away!🙏🏼

[BlueTit98 in reply to Pearl67]

I am so sorry for you too 😔 mine is a lot more manageable now! I really hope you feel some relief soon 🙏🏻

[Pearl67 in reply to BlueTit98]

The bowel business is no bueno! The groin/bum pain is intense during ovulation and then during my period. Otherwise manageable! Thank you

[MStar7 in reply to BlueTit98]

Thank you so much! Will look into all of those and hope you stay on the path to recovery xx

[Theendotravellercouk]

So sorry to hear this, hope your surgery goes well! Changing my diet and heat packs! I got an endometriosis cook book off amazon and its amazing x

[Afrohair in reply to Theendotravellercouk]

Could I ask what book this is I’ve been on the diet for 3 months or so but finding it hard to find recepies

[MStar7 in reply to Theendotravellercouk]

Thank you so much! Will look into my diet xxx

[Littlepeax]

Try the AIP diet, massively helped me with my endo after years of pain and two ops x

[MStar7 in reply to Littlepeax]

Thank you, diet is something im 100% looking into x

[Littlepeax in reply to MStar7]

If you take out certain foods from your diet then slowly reintroduce them you get an idea what causes a flare up. Also certain foods like nightshades are very bad for inflammation x