Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition in which cells similar to the lining of the uterus, or endometrium, grow outside the uterus. (thank you Google)

Do you know what endometriosis is? Do you know someone with endo? (Endo – this is the lingo term for the disease, and also helped me come up with the name or my website, since the full name is so long, endo is a nice way to say it fast) If you think you don’t – you probably do, 1 in 10 women have endometriosis. On average, it take a woman 7.5 years to have endometriosis diagnosed, and multiple doctors. This is such a sad statistic, because endometriosis can get progressively worst over this time of being un-diagnosed.

Often, young women are told that its normal to have painful periods, while most times a little bit of pain is normal and expected (think about whats really happening during a period – it should hurt a little) but really painful periods are not normal. Please, let me encourage you, if you have painful periods, enough to make you miss work or school (or should be missing work or school and just push through it) please seek out a doctor that understands endo. When my doctor told me that the only reason you should know you are on your period is because you are bleeding, I did not believe her, pain during and around my period has become so normal.

My doctor got me connected with a NaPro doctor/surgeon, these doctors treat endo in a way that preserves and promotes your fertility. Plastic surgery of the pelvis is sometimes what they call it. They also really care about you as a person, you can feel the compassion radiating from them when you meet them. One of the most critical things for a NaPro doctor is the Creighton method of charting your cycle. You are taught this with a mentor that checks in with you frequently to make sure you understand it and are doing it correctly. Under the resource tab I have a link that you can learn more about NaPro, and if you want to learn to chart – message me! I can connect you with my mentor – she is amazing!

Endo can creates lesions throughout your pelvic region and often also scar tissue that connects the lesions and organs together. This is some of the reason it is so painful, the other part being the lesions bleed every month on your period. There are some medications that can ‘treat’ endo (putting you in early menopause) but the most effective way is with laparoscopy surgery. During the surgery the doctor will cut out the endo lesions from the tissue and create a healthy looking pelvis.

There are many ideas of how diet can influence your symptoms of endometriosis, the most effective one being the Mediterranean diet. You can quickly go down a rabbit hole of peoples different ideas of what your endo diet should look like. Most of these are good ideas, less sugar, no gluten and no dairy, and more fruits and veggies. But it can be very overwhelming. Some of the things that I incorporated into my diet/routine is what I just listed, and was soon too overwhelming for me and I did not feel a noticeable difference. I did added some supplements that are very helpful (and proven to help endo, inflammation and cramps) including: turmeric, magnesium and NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine). These can all be found on the resource page.

Endometriosis is not something to mess around with, its a serious disease. If you know someone that has painful periods, please encourage them to be an advocate for themselves! Remember, I was told I had nothing wrong with me, unexplained infertility, by people who dint know how to treat endo. If you think you might have endo, or have ‘unexplained infertility’ talk to a doctor about endometriosis, and if they brush you off, seek a second (or third) opinion!

I am currently waiting for a surgery to address my endo. The waiting is hard, but I have great confidence my surgeon, and I know that she is worth the wait.

Speaking of confidence – I also want to share where my true confidence is found – Jesus Christ. Knowing Christ and what he has done for me gives me confidence for the future, as much as I want to be a mother – knowing Christ is what is really important. He created me for relationship with him and because of that relationship, I know that if I live or die – I am in Him! He has forgiven my sins and calls me daughter, he holds my future in his hands. God loves me and will do the best for my life, understanding this helps face the uncertainty of life.  For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13

We need to learn to heal from our hurt from infertility, a baby will not heal us. God can heal us, take note of this verse from Psalms, He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalms 147:3) This is such a beautiful picture. In this verse God is promising to heal our broken hearts, and bind up our wounds. He has the ointment that will heal us, his love is powerful and can cure our pain and give us confidence for the future.