quality of life impacted by endometriosis

This is such a great question. Thank you for asking it! Goodness, endometriosis has definitely changed my life in so many ways. Here is a little list of how it has changed mine:


-I don't enjoy making plans anymore with friends like I used to, because I am so scared, I will be in pain/not feel well, when that day comes, and I will have to or want to cancel.


-I don't enjoy going to restaurants anymore because I fear what I will be able to eat.


-I tire a lot faster doing things I used to love to do. Spending time in the sun, going for long walks, shopping, dancing.


-I definitely am always dealing with some sort of fatigue or pain, daily. So, it interferes with my daily routines often.


-BUT, a positive of how things have changed, I definitely am more mindful of what I eat and what types of foods I am putting into my body.


-Social events now make me more nervous than they ever did. Mainly because I am always stressed if there will be a bathroom nearby to use.


-My relationship with my husband seems rockier because my mood swings are always changing, our sexual life has changed (It always hurts so I never want to anymore) and I just always seem on edge or crabby. The crabbiness seems to sometimes interfere with all other relationships in my life, family/friends too.


These are just a few things I can think of off the top of my head! Hopefully they are helpful for you! <3 -Kimberli (team member)

My quality of life has been drastically affected by endo.


From my teens, I have struggled with fatigue and pelvic pain. It has only been in the last year that this has improved post excision surgery (my fourth surgery overall for endo). I am now in surgical menopause and I think that's a huge contributor to my feeling better, at least endo-wise (I have other chronic illnesses).


Similarly to Kimberli, I struggled with huge mood swings, irritability, and even rage. This has eased now.


I became self-employed because I always missed a ton of work when I worked 40 hours at a job for someone else.


Periods used to put me in bed for days. I have had migraine for a significant part of my life. The pelvic pain has affected my sexual relationship with every partner I've had, and the strife it caused in my second marriage is a big part of what caused it to end recently.


I have a highly restricted diet, so I don't get the same enjoyment from gathering around food with friends and family as I did as a kid and in my early 20s. But it has also made me a more creative cook.


At certain points, it was hard to find a comfortable sitting or sleeping position, and for about a year I had such horrible sciatica and heel pain that I couldn't walk even a mile without horrible pain. Thankfully my last surgery changed that and I can now hike for many miles and I sleep mostly without pain.


This disease has also helped me become a fierce advocate for myself and others. I listen to my body so much better than I did when I was younger. And I have learned a ton about good self-care as a result of being chronically ill.


~Katrina, Endometriosis.net Advocate