Why I'm Taking a Break from Health CareI'm grateful for the medical care I get. But like many endo warriors, I have to see multiple kinds of specialists. Scheduling and going to every appointment can feel like...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
How I Explain Endometriosis Pain to Someone Without EndoA podcast host recently interviewed me for a segment about endometriosis pain. Specifically, she wanted me to describe my symptoms in a way that the non-endo crowd could understand. I...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Managing Endometriosis Symptoms for Almost 30 YearsI turned 40 this year, and my period started when I was 12. Like a lot of warriors, my symptoms were rough from the beginning. You might wonder what it's...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
How I Manage PMS-InsomniaI've written about menstrual-related hypersomnia. That's when I sleep a lot more than usual before my period starts. But I actually get pre-menstrual insomnia way more often. I usually struggle to...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Visceral Manipulation For Bladder and Pelvic PainMy urogynecologist set me up with a new pelvic floor therapist recently. This one is supposed to help with my bladder pain, or interstitial cystitis. My doc said it's clear...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
How I Prep for a Flight When My Period Is LateYour brain controls your menstrual cycle. Specifically, the hypothalamus tells your pituitary gland when it's time to have a period. Certain things, such as stress, can affect those signals. That's...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
What Is Menstrual-Related Hypersomnia?I rarely take naps. But I get very sleepy the few days before my period. And it’s not just regular endo fatigue. It’s "fall asleep in the middle of the...Reactions0reactionsComments9 comments
Study: Guidance On Helpful Diet Changes For EndometriosisA doctor once told me that people with endometriosis often have more gastrointestinal problems than gynecologic ones. That’s definitely the case with me. And changing my diet has been the...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Excision Surgery 3 Months Later: What’s Changed? I had a third laparoscopy earlier this year. But this time, I saw an excision and endometriosis specialist. He told me to give my body three months to heal before...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Can a Urogynecologist Help My Bladder Pain?I was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis(IC) about a decade ago. That's the medical term for bladder inflammation. My symptoms eventually lessened on their own, despite the lack of a treatment...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
My Recovery From Excision SurgeryEndometriosis is a complex disease. And the only way to see what’s really going on is with a laparoscopy. That’s when a doctor makes a small incision in your belly...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
My First Visit With an Endometriosis SpecialistSome of my right-sided pain started getting a lot worse about six years ago, especially with exercise. Sex started to hurt again, too. I was sure these issues were related...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
How To Find an Endometriosis SpecialistIt can be really hard to find a specialist. That’s because endometriosis falls under the umbrella of gynecology. But to treat it well, OB-GYNs need advanced surgical training. Usually that’s...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
The Difference Pain Validation MakesI recently had my third surgery for endometriosis. But it was my first with an excision specialist, and one who works with a research hospital that has an actual "center...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
When Pre-Period Breakouts Aren't AcneI've always had pretty good skin, at least when it comes to my face. But in my 30s, I started getting lots of pre-period bumps on my chin, jawline, and...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Does Your Back Always Itch? There's a Name For ThatI'm part of a few Facebook groups that focus on endometriosis. One is called, "Extrapelvic Not Rare Endo Support and Education Group." I follow this one because researchers are way...Reactions0reactionsComments14 comments
Study: Appendectomy to Manage Endometriosis and Chronic Pelvic PainI've had pretty serious lower right-side pain for more than 20 years. It comes and goes throughout my menstrual cycle, peaking at ovulation and before my period. I don't know...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Should Endometriosis Be a Mast Cell Disorder?Like a lot of people with endometriosis, I have allergies. But the symptoms to my actual allergies — cats and dust mites — are pretty mild. Sometimes my eyes will...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Antidepressants For Pain. Do They Help?I recently wrote about how antidepressants helped my PMDD. I tried three kinds, including some SSRIs. But I settled on duloxetine. That's a selective serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, or SNRI. It's...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Uncool Things Doctors Have Said to MeEndometriosis has caused lots of problems for me over the past 25 years: backaches, period pain, impossible sex, migraines, diarrhea, repeat UTIs. I'll stop there, but you get the picture...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments