It’s Friiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiday!
Today’s “Feel good” quote is by American actor, Danny Kaye:
“Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can.”
Here’s to hoping we can all get out there, spread a li’l bit of paint, adventure, and laughter, and make a great big smooshy, happy mess.
Live well, guys. We’ve only got one. Go out. Enjoy. Find an adventure. Find peace.
And have a wonderful weekend!
Yours,
Lisa
One of the things I really enjoy about WordPress is that it allows you to see some search terms that brought people to the site. This week, someone searched online for “can I donate my liver if I have Endometriosis on my liver?” What a great question! I also have Endometriosis on my liver (the doc couldn’t remove it due to the sensitive nature of the organ, but slapped some medication over it to hopefully slow it’s progression and ability to spread). So let the research began.
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Endometriosis is hereditary.
Many conditions are passed down from generation to generation…something in the genes. But is Endometriosis passed down from generation to generation, effectively cursing the female members of a bloodline? Yes and no. If your mother, sister, or aunt have Endometriosis, you have a greater chance of having it yourself. But are you guaranteed to have Endo if your close female relative has it? No. And a lot of Endo sufferers do not have a family member with Endo.
If you have Endo, are you going to pass it on to your daughter? Maybe. Maybe not.
The good news? There are ongoing studies to identify the genetic markers and risks of Endometriosis. One day they’ll figure this out.
A friend asked me to look up any connections between Endometriosis and Cesarean Sections. So, here we go. Lots of science in this one! Some studies show that less than 1% of women who undergo a cesarean section end up developing incisional Endometriosis (Endometriosis in or along the c-section scar). However, that tiny little 1% number has a staggering amount of studies involving a lot of women who suffer from this form of Endo.
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In 2015, the FDA advisory committee was pushing for the approval of a new drug, Addyi (aka flibanserin), which is being hailed as “viagra for women.” The drug was approved on August 18, 2015. Many women suffer from a low sex drive for many different reasons. I myself had suffered with it since my Lupron Depot injections, which were immediately followed by a continuous birth control. My libido was nearly non-existent for almost two years. Since I stopped taking birth control pills, however, it returned full-force!
But what is this drug? What are the potential side effects? How long were the clinical trials? All of these questions come running to the tip of my tongue – will the pros outweigh the cons? Will there be interactions with my birth control pill? Less questions, MORE RESEARCH!
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Today’s Feel Good Friday topic is a bit on the somber side. I have several friends who are struggling with depression right now. And it’s so very painful to watch. As an outsider looking in, I feel I say all of the wrong things, and due to the miles between us, I cannot be there to hug them, hold them, or anything…So I watch from a distance, offer my pitiful words of support, and hope for the best.
American author, Barbara Kingsolver, put it nicely:
“There is no point treating a depressed person as though she were just feeling sad, saying, ‘There now, hang on, you’ll get over it.’ Sadness is more or less like a head cold- with patience, it passes. Depression is like cancer.”
For those of you suffering with depression, and yes, suffering is the appropriate word: you are not alone in this struggle. There is light at the end of the tunnel, somewhere. I wish I could point you to that path, but I do not know it. Your friends and family will be here for you, even though we may not know what best to say or how best to act. We are here. And for those of you who are my close friends and are dealing with this, you know I love you. Yes, you.
Another rare location I’ve heard can be invaded by Endometriosis is our brain. Yep. Our gray matter. But, again, curiosity led me to find documented cases, symptoms, and treatments. So I’ve scoured the interwebs for just such a thing, but it was difficult to find much of anything! This is not meant to scare anyone, or to create an Army of Hypochondriacs. It’s meant to let everyone know that, yes, it does happen. And this is what to look for…and what can be done for it..
From what I can find (which was very, very little), it appears that symptoms may include headaches or seizures. As of 2010, there have only been 3 documented cases of cerebral Endometriosis (at least in English-language literature).
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty science!
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Only women suffer from Endometriosis; men cannot get the disease.
It is said that 1 in every 10 women suffer from Endometriosis. And often times I hear, “If men had this disease, there’d be a cure right away!” But can men contract this seemingly gender-biased disease? You betcha!
There have been documented cases of men developing Endometriosis implants and lesions after undergoing estrogen therapy due to prostate cancer. And even a rare documented case of a very healthy man being diagnosed with Endometriosis. For more information on those stories, click here.
Here we go again, inspired to write due to a dietary “restriction.” I’ve read that as an Endo Sufferer, I should avoid (or drastically cut back from) soy and soy-based products. I’ve read soy mimics and increases estrogen levels, which we’ve come to understand can affect our Endometriosis growth and symptoms. So today, I want to do my own research.
Soy products are the “richest sources of isoflavones” that humans can eat. What the heck is an isoflavone? It’s a “plant-based compound with estrogenic activity” English, Lisa, ENGLISH! It means it’s a plant-based compound that mimics estrogen. So, soy has a very rich, or high levels, of a property, a compound, a thing…that acts like, or mimics, estrogen. The isoflavones can attach themselves to estrogen receptors throughout the body, and either mimic or block certain estrogen effects in tissues.
Why is that bad? Well, it’s not, for everyone. Estrogen may help prevent certain forms of cancer (breast, uterine, or prostrate), stimulate bone growth, or help women suffering with post-menopausal symptoms. But for those of us who suffer from what very-well may be an estrogen-driven disease, it can be very bad.
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Bloomin' Uterus 