Dealing With Endometriosis

I was officially diagnosed with endometriosis a little over a year ago. It can be hard to talk about because I don't know how much people really want to hear when they ask about it. I've always been pretty open about health issues because I know I have learned so much from talking to others. After struggling to find relief for my endometriosis symptoms I decided to compile a list of things that helped me. 

Identify your symptoms. Symptoms are different for everyone but many are very similar. These include lower abdominal pain, blood in the urine, lower back pain, painful intercourse, chronic fatigue, irregular or heavy menstrual bleeding. 

Find an OBGYN who you trust and feel comfortable with. I honestly feel like I can talk to my OBGYN about anything and everything. This has made a huge difference for me. In the past I have been nervous to ask doctors about specific things because I thought it was embarrassing so this is huge for me. I have had huge success with Dr. Jessica Salinas from Salt Lake Regional Women's Center. 

Laparoscopic surgery. I wrote about my laparoscopy here and here. My recovery time was very minimal and with the combination of a few other treatments I was feeling so much better relatively quickly. 

Birth Control. I have been on about every kind of birth control there is for about the past 9 years and nothing seemed to help with my pain until I went on the Depo Provera shot. Again, this isn't going to work for everyone but it was a life saver for me. This is an injection given to you once every 3 months. This inhibits you from ovulating which is one of the big causes of pain in endometriosis. Not having a period has been a huge blessing for me. I used to be totally knocked on my back hugging onto a heating pad during periods so I have really appreciated this side affect. One thing to keep in mind is that once you get off this injection it can take anywhere from 3-4 months to a year or two to get pregnant. I have also tried the Lupron Provera shot and had horrible side affects but I would be happen to talk to you about it if you have questions. 

Physical Therapy. Endometriosis has caused me a whole lot of muscle pain. I would just beg my husband to dig into my lower back and sides as hard as he could because it would take some of the pressure away. My OBGYN referred me to a women's health physical therapist and I am so glad she did. I was able to get so much relief from her. I would highly suggest Ashley Nelson from Salt Lake Regional Physical Therapy. Not only was she able to alleviate my pain in just a couple months she was also able to help me fix a lot of pain I had from postural problems. 

Exercise The better shape I am in, the better I feel! Strengthening my core has taken a lot of pain off of my back. I also feel like I am happier and have more energy. Whether it be the endorphins or feeling sore from an intense workout rather than sore from internal problems, it definitely worked! 

I am happy to say I have been about 95% pain free since I started adding all of these things into my daily routine.  It has started to come back a bit now that it has been over a year since my last surgery but I am feeling so much better than I was previously. I used to just cry and cry because I couldn't do anything but lay on the couch in a daze from the intense pain. I hope that these suggestions can help you or someone you know who has been suffering from endometriosis.