Good morning! We made it to another Friday, albeit a rainy one (it’s good though, we need the rain)!
Today’s quote is by American novelist, Edith Wharton:
“In spite of illness, in spite even of the archenemy sorrow, one can remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one is unafraid of change, insatiable in intellectual curiosity, interested in big things, and happy in small ways.”
I loved this quote the moment I saw it. And I’m going to leave it at that.
Yours,
Lisa
Last night, my boyfriend and I were talking about Endo’s “weirdness” how it can pop up in strange and unheard of places, and he popped the question (no, not THE question…), “Are there any reports of men having Endometriosis?” I remembered reading somewhere that there were a few rare cases of it, but hadn’t read them deeply enough to understand their situations, diagnoses, and prognoses. So, we have our topic for today!!
In rare cases, cis-men develop Endometriosis. Transmen also suffer from the disease. But we will focus on cis-men for this blog: it appears many have been treated with long-term or large doses of estrogen therapy, but some are healthy men who have no history of cancer or estrogen treatment. Here’s what I could find:
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It’s about time I research more about Endometriosis being found in places other than your pelvic region. We’ve already covered lungs, spine, and eyes, and today we’re going to delve into cases of Endometriosis and skin. Skin? Yes, skin. I’ve read that it’s rare, just like the other areas outside of the pelvic cavity…but, it does occur. Some theorize it is implanted via the lymphatic orpro vascular systems; others think the cells are transplanted via surgery.
There seem to be two common categories of Endometriosis and the skin : spontaneous Endometriosis and scar Endometriosis. Spontaneous Endo simply appears in random places on healthy skin (cutaneous or subcutaneous). Scar Endo is found within scar tissue from prior surgeries or injuries. It appears that surgical excision/removal of the Endometriosis lesions from the skin is the most common and effective way of handling the lesions. Some surgeries may leave defects, which may (or may not) be repaired or rebuilt with a surgical mesh. Some studies suggest that hormonal treatment may be too harsh for the patient for solitary lesions.
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Endometriosis can be diagnosed by blood tests, imaging studies, or pelvic examinations.
There are many ways a physician may begin to suspect that a woman has Endometriosis. A review of her pain, symptoms, and medical history; a pelvic examination; ultrasounds or MRIs; and blood tests. But can these tests actually confirm a diagnosis of Endometriosis?
No.
The only “golden standard,” tried-and-true method of confirming the presence of Endometriosis is surgically opening a woman’s abdomen, peeking inside, and seeing the presence of the implants, lesions, and/or adhesions. A study published on July 13, 2016 concludes, again, that surgery is the “golden standard” method of diagnosing Endometriosis. It further states that these non-invasive tools should only be used in a research setting…
Presently, there are ongoing studies and research to develop non-invasive ways of being able to confirm Endometriosis; however, those end results are long off.
So there’s an article that was recently published that has a lot of the EndoCommunity in an uproar today on Facebook. The article was title, “How your sex life may influence endometriosis,” published on May 1, 2015, by MedicalXpress. My initial knee-jerk reaction last night was to be furious.
I interpreted the article as saying that sex can cause and affect Endometriosis growth; to be more precise: seminal fluid can affect Endo growth. Semen. Baby-MoJo. I’ve had my Endo pain since my early years in high school. And I did not have sex until I was 21. And my cramps were pretty damn bad back then. How dare a study suggest that sexual activity had anything to do to heighten my endo symptoms or progression. And my outrage was further fueled by others’ reactions about the same conclusion.
I’ve decided to take my time, read the study slowly, and try to digest what it is the study is trying to tell us. Wait. Step back. Breathe, breathe. Relax. Now go read the study…
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So today is a special Friday, it’s my birthday! Going with the theme, today’s quote is brought to you (supposedly) by American President, Abraham Lincoln:
And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.
Live! Enjoy your friends and family. Create lasting memories. Laugh. Cry. Take pictures. Make a difference. Smile at a stranger. Do what you love. Make these years count! 🙂 And have a wonderful weekend!!!
Yours, Lisa
Figured I’d put together a list of facilities and companies that are presently conducting research studies about Endometriosis. I’ll update this often (some of these studies may overlap)…If interested in participating or want more information, click on the name of the study below:
Continue reading1 in 10 women suffer from Endometriosis
Just how many women suffer from Endometriosis? And what are the figures if they included transgender, non-binary and the (very rare) instances of men with Endometriosis? And how do we know those stats? Depending on what source you’re looking at, the number is between 2% – 15% of women suffer from Endometriosis. Some say 1 in 10 women, other sources say 5-10%, and others say 10-15% of women. The National Institute of Health once said, “Because some women might have Endometriosis, but do not have symptoms, it is difficult to know exactly how many women have the condition.” For now, 1 in 10 seems to be the best number anyone can estimate.
We made it through another week! Yay!
Today’s Feel Good Friday quote is by American poet, William Stafford:
“I have woven a parachute out of everything broken.”
I absolutely loved the visuals that came when I read this one. So many times we allow the brokenness of our dreams, expectations, desires, and life to bury us. We need to embrace the suck, stand back up, and go. Use it to soften the landing, propel you forward, to go places, to better ourselves, and to help others.
Not strong enough to build your own parachute? Find a friend who is going through the same thing. Join a support group. Know that you are not alone in your sorrow or suffering. Together you can weave a beautiful tapestry and a strong parachute.
May you have a wonderful weekend.
Yours, Lisa
Bloomin' Uterus 