I'd wear a cat as a hat if I thought it would help!

[EndoEm]

Before you start ringing the RSPCA I would get the cats consent first. I feel as I'm sure you all do I would do anything to get my life back. My approach has been to try the surgery and drugs and alternative therapies alongside. I carefully research any new ideas, and if there are no potential risks I'll give it a try. So here's a quick summary of things I've tried so far:

Acupuncture: had private sessions and NHS sessions. I found it helped me sleep better, but the effect only lasted that night. I also found that the private lady didn't hurt but the NHS lady did.

Physiotherapy: After being in acute pain for a long time I found my posture was very poor. being in pain you naturally curl up into a ball which is hell for your back. Now when I'm in pain I conciously straighten my back out.

Aquatherapy: Again, after being in pain for a long time my muscle strength was pretty poor. Aquatherapy involved very gentle exercises in a specially built pool that had an inbuilt current which provides resistence.

Hypnotherapy: I would call this counselling on steroids. It unlocked and explored the emotional side of endo. It was also fantastic for reducing nerves before painful procedures. It also helped me finally accept that I am disabled. Until this point I still felt as if it was all a bad dream and I would one day wake up and it would all be over.

Therapeutic massage: I wish I could afford to do this every week! Made me realise how much stress I hold in my body.

Currently I trying a healthier eating regime. Because I have foods that aggravate migraines, aggravate ibs and aggravate my bladder pain, if I included the endo diet too I would have nothing to eat! So instead I'm trying to reduce the worst foods in each catagory (caffeine, dairy, processed food) to see if it makes a difference. If nothing else it might give my body better nutrients to fight endo.

Meds:

50mg ami, cerezette, loratadine

[Juleyanne]

I have never complained here before but I do find your reference to the use of cats (even as joke or to attract attention to your plight) offensive. I am an endo and adhesion sufferer too, but would not resort to using animal abuse (joke or otherwise) to highlight my situation. I rescued a stray cat last year and adore animals and those who wear real fur frankly disgust me. I am sure you had no intention of causing offence here and hopefully do in fact respect animal welfare!

[Juleyanne]

I am sorry EndoM, but as an animal lover I do find your use of words 'offensive'. I am sure it was not intended to offend and was somehow intended to have a humourous element. Like you, I am in pain with this condition but I am against animal abuse in any form and it did offend me.

[EndoEm in reply to Juleyanne]

I have also taken in rescue cats over the years. My favourite cat would often wake me up in the morning by sitting on my head. This post was not at all a refernece to animal abuse which is abhorrent.

[Londongirl1]

I love cats and have had 2 for 11 years I did not find this in the least bit offensive. Endoem I congratulate you for still having a sense of humour after what you've gone through and still going through. Good luck with your search in finding some relief from this awful condition. Xx

[Rosie1969]

Ladies, please lighten up and OP I appreciate your post. Good luck x

[Audrina05]

I think what EndoEm was trying to get at is if someone said, "you can cut your pain by 50% guaranteed if you do this..." I think a lot of us would do it. If I was told that if you bathe your feet in your own urine, it will stop your pain by half; I would run to the bath happily (sort of).

I am 210% certain that EndoEM did not mean anything offensive and nor do I take it as offensively.

[missteal]

I had to comment on this post I actually have a cat hat (it has ears and a cat face on it) and I can confirm that unfortunately a cat as a hat does nothing for the pain but it's nice and warm when it's cold outside. (no real cats were used in this experiment). I too have rescued many cats over the years and although wearing one doesn't do much there is scientific research that shows stroking a cat releases endorphins which DOES help with pain levels.

I do find it a shame that this nasty disease can cause temporary sense of humour bypass

To answer the original question, I found cognitive behaviour therapy helpful and am currently waiting for my second lot of it. I am also under a physio at the moment who is helping me to re-stabilise my body. As you say being in pain can cause bad posture and I've (apparently) not been using my core muscles so I'm having to re-train them. Might be worth you seeing a physio to help strengthen your core and posture as they'll be able to give you a personal exercise regime so you don't hurt yourself.

Hope you're all having a pain free day xx

[EndoEm in reply to missteal]

Thank you MissTeal!

I'm glad you've had a positive experience of CBT and physio. It really makes you realise how endo affects your entire body, as well as your mental and spiritual well-being.

[Juleyanne]

Yes, these things can easily get interpreted wrongly. Like everyone here living with constant pain

it can make you fatigued and it is all too easy to read into things in a different way that they might not have been originally intended. I am a massive fan of the animal kingdom and everyday you see people's disregard and cruelty which is deeply upsetting and I do what I can for rescue animals, food and donations and even collections over the years. I have great respect for Animal Defenders UK who do tremendous work to stop cruel practices such as awareness of the fur trade, animal circuses and been involved with wildlife rescue and demonstrated against live exports, so I think it would be fair to say I am a little sensitive to any suggestion of animals being abused in any way. Just a brief explanation of why I was a little upset at the choice of words! Anyway, hopefully we can move on from this misunderstanding and be there for each other. I have great respect for anyone who rescues any animal.

[EndoEm in reply to Juleyanne]

Thanks for replying, I'm glad it was a miss-understanding, and I will be more careful how I phase things in future!

Hugs to you and your cats xx

[Juleyanne]

Ditto - same to you and your cats.