new here !!

[Kayleigh1x]

hi guys I’m new here Im 18 and just recently been diagnosed with endometriosis after 8 years of suffering and being turned away , I’ve been in and out of hospital every month for the past 3-4 month now and am just wondering if there is anything you guys can recommend for the pain or for the sickness or the body tenseness or even for the help for my mental health as people my age are all out loving life while I’m in and out of hospital can bearly move

Any support would be appreciated!

Thankyou in advance

[Brambledoggy]

Afternoon, well, the good news is you’ve had an early diagnosis if you’re only 18. A lot of us on here waited deacdes for a diagnosis. I’ll try and keep it brief so will bullet point and hope it helps a little.

1. Get on the internet and go to the respectable websites that have reliable information on endo. There are many and I find it useful to look at the sites in USA, Australia as well as UK as they are helpful too.

2. Get your diet on the right track asap, you might find cutting out dairy, gluten and sugar works wonders. It’s hard but worth it. Diet isn’t a cure but I promise you will help. Loads of books out there on endo diets and healthy recipes.

3. Try and build your medical “team” around you. If it’s at all possible, try and see the same GP, (not easy) but being passed from pillar to post won’t help you. Trust your gut instinct if something doesn’t feel right, it usually isn’t.

4. Educate yourself about your new condition. It’s complex, but reading lots will help you make your decisions when it comes to treatment so you can ask questions without being fobbed off.

5. On the days you feel well, try and get out into nature and do some gentle exercise.

6. Don’t always expect your friends and family to understand. They won’t. If/when you get any sympathy and/or empathy and compassion from others, treat it as a wonderful bonus, and if you’re in a relationship, make sure that person is stuffed with love, hugs and kindness for you, anything else isn’t good enough.

7. If/when your pain becomes unbearable there are TENS machines that might help. Again, research and experiment. Painkillers never touched my endo, but I find simple ibuprofen and paracetamol taken carefully together worked best for me. Plus point 2.

8. Cut out completely or cut down on alcohol. Your liver will thank you.

9. Be kind to yourself. Endo is isolating and very difficult to cope with and on the worst days you will feel horrendous. Know (for most of us) it will pass, so make the most of the days you’re not in pain.

10. Keep checking in here, there are many lovely ladies on here, and often can be a big support. Treatment is out there, but it’s a minefield to manoeuvre round, hence the “knowledge is power” aspect to being newly diagnosed.

Do hope this helps at least a little bit.

Good luck

☺️

[Kayleigh1x in reply to Brambledoggy]

Thankyou so much , yes I have been fighting for my diagnosis since I was 10 when they kept changing my contraceptive pill because of my age , I am just struggling as I don’t have much support around me family wise and don’t live at home anymore , luckily I do have my partner who is very supportive, but I do feel very isolated at the moment and wish I didn’t have to go through this I bet we all feel like that xx

[Brambledoggy in reply to Kayleigh1x]

We do all feel like that from time to time. It can be a lonely introspective journey, but then you don’t need an old fart like me telling you that. With chronic and debilitating endo, it does sometimes feel like you’re the only one writhing in pain on your bed and everyone else is throwing a party! 🥳 Great you have a supportive partner, I didn’t and learned the hard way. Wish I’d known at 18, what I know now. Best of luck with your pain management etc.