Laura Kiesel

Since my diagnosis of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) over a year and a half ago, I began to notice something. Many other women I became acquainted with through both online...

Most months, it will happen like this: I will wake one morning aching all over. In those spots of my body that are particularly prone to soreness due to degenerative...

As a dedicated bibliophile, I often have my face nose-deep in a book most of the time when I am not working or in too much pain to read. I...

Check-out Laura's article "Estrogen & Endo: Dietary Tips"Diet is not the only way one can lower their exposure to environmental and human-made estrogens. It’s not just the food itself, but...

As an adult, I have had only two surgeries. Yet, both were on my reproductive system to deal with separate (but sometimes intersecting) disorders that impact female sex organs and...

Before I knew I had endo, as a 12 year-old curled into fetal position- sent home yet again from school- a hot water bottle was my savior. My grandmother would...

As I noted in a previous post, I decided to start trying birth control once I went away to college as a way to treat my painful, heavy, and irregular...

Several years before I ever had my first lap to confirm my suspicion of endometriosis, I broke down and decided I was going to go on the pill as a...

If you have done a lot of exploring on the internet about supplements to treat endo or other reproductive problems, no doubt you have at some point come across the...

In the early years of my period journey, when I was a pre-teen, tampons were placed on a pedestal in terms of what they symbolized for maturity. Wearing them meant...

In the past few years, the public image of marijuana has evolved quite a bit from its association as a dangerous, mind-altering drug, to one that may have a variety...

Read Part 1 here I had begun bleeding by the next day, which the doctor warned me I would...it would be like a period, but not quite the same thing...

As painful as my periods were from the very beginning of my teen years, I was at least fortunate in that pain related to my menstrual cycle was limited to...

It seems that, sometimes, my period has a knack for showing up when it is least expected or wanted. Of course, no day is perfect for having a period, especially...

For those unfamiliar with the underpinnings of endometriosis, many may be surprised to find out that the disease is often fueled by estrogen. Estrogen is the primary female sex hormone...

Read Part 1 here Earlier this year, actress and show producer Lena Dunham caused a stir when she published an article in Vogue, admitting to a hysterectomy she had in...

I am a longtime writer. Whether it be poetry, essays, journalism or fiction- I love putting pen to paper and coming up with new and interesting ways to word things...

Estrogen and endometriosis are connected, and being aware of the shared connection means that there are things some people can do to lower their exposure to estrogenic chemicals and plant...

For many years, I was against the idea of having a hysterectomy for any other reason than to treat something very serious and life-threatening, like cancer. My own mother had...

In January 2002, I moved from New Paltz, New York to Amherst, Massachusetts shortly after completing college. Unfortunately, my extreme abdominal pain and gastrointestinal distress--which had been somewhat in remission...