Author: Bloomin' Uterus

A little bit of Yellow Cheer

| Bloomin' Uterus
water sling with an owl on it

So, I’m going on my little Endometriosis Awareness March on March 28, 2015, with some friends (the event is growing!) around a lake in San Diego. It’s about a 5-mile trek and I need to bring some water, but don’t want to wear one of my Camelpak’s or a fanny pack with water bottles.  So I hit Etsy.com and perused the goods (logged in using Goodshop.com and they donated 2.75% of my etsy purchase to the Endometriosis Foundation of America).

I’m SO excited!  I found a woman who creates these beautiful sling-style water bottle carrier/holsters and she agreed to make a custom order for me!  AND IT’S FINISHED!  All I asked for was: could it be yellow-based with an owl and maybe a yellow ribbon on it? And *poof* she’s created this beautiful sling water bottle holder! Now I can walk hands-free on March 28th!  And everywhere else I trek around with my water bottle (I’m ALWAYS thirsty these days!).

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Killer Cramps are NOT Normal

| Bloomin' Uterus
Poster from the Endometriosis Foundation of America stating Killer Cramps are Not Normal

When I was a young girl, I was at an all-female Christian conference with my mother.  All of the children were asked to sit in the front row, away from their mothers (I think so the parents could focus without distraction).  Anxious to be away from my Mum, I flopped in half in my chair, arms around my waist, dangling my head between my knees so I could at least see my Mum’s shoes a few rows behind me.  The woman who was speaking at the conference stopped what she was saying, and (in front of EVERYONE) placed her hand on my head and prayed that God would take away my period cramps…and also from that day forward, that I wouldn’t have any period cramps. Ever.  I was devastated!!  As a young girl in 6th grade, I hadn’t started my period yet and there were classmates sitting with me.  Dev-a-stated.  Anyway, needless to say, her prayers were not answered and my cramps were horrible, and I had a time in my life where I thought God was mad at me personally.  Or punishing me for my reaction to that woman’s prayers. I’ve since let all of that go, but man, what a mess it made on a child’s psyche.

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Meet Dr. Caroline Appleyard

| Bloomin' Uterus
Dr. Caroline B. Appleyard

Many of you have read my blog entry Stress Levels May Affect Endo. In that blog, I mention Dr. Caroline Appleyard, her colleagues, and their research.  Dr. Appleyard and Dr. Flores have agreed to answer some questions I’ve posed to them.  The answers will trickle in as time allows, and rather wait for the entire Q&A session (which could be several weeks or months), I’ve decided to post what I receive, as I receive it. Here goes:

Q&A Session with Dr. Caroline Appleyard

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

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Feel Good Friday!

| Bloomin' Uterus
Pit crew working on a racecar

It’s FRIDAY!  We made it another week!  Today’s Feel Good Friday quote is by American author, H. Jackson Brown, Jr.:

“Let perseverance be your engine and hope your fuel.“

I’ve heard so many, many stories from my EndoWarriors where their doctors do not believe their state of pain, say Endo is “all in their heads,” and continue to refer them out to other “specialists” bouncing them around and around the medical system to be misdiagnosed or ill-treated.  To those Warriors, I shout, “Persevere!” Keep pushing forward.  Keeping looking for a doctor that will believe and understand you! They are out there.  Push for a referral to an Endometriosis Specialist.  Do not let the constant disbelief and shuffling around defeat you!  For those of us who have settled into our diagnosis, persevere through the pain. Find friends and a support system to help you through it.  Find natural exercise and treatments to help.  Find what is right for your body.

And never lose hope.  Hope that there will better treatments. Hope there will be a cure.  Hope that you’ll find the right doctor for you.  Hope that you’ll tailor your diet and supplements to your body.  Hope to find a key support system (sticking with the car theme: your Pit Crew).  Hope for a pain-free day. And one day, a pain-free life.  Never. Lose. Hope.

And for those of you who many not have Endometriosis and you’ve stumbled across this post, the same goes for you.  Persevere in life, and hold onto the hope for your goals and dreams.  You’ll get there.

Have a wonderful Friday, and may your weekend be filled with FUN!

Yours, Lisa.

Age Doesn’t Matter!

| Bloomin' Uterus
five-generations4

So I was curious.  I’ve been reading that the usual age women are diagnosed with Endometriosis is in their 20s and 30s, sometimes after years of misdiagnoses and tests.  But, what’s the age of the youngest and oldest person ever recorded to have been diagnosed with Endometriosis?  Aaaaand….Google!

Youngest:

There are conflicting sources for the youngest age:  I’ve seen 8, 10 (diagnosed just after her second period), 11, and 13 years old.  Even though the vast internet has conflicting ages, I’m very shocked at how young these girls were.  I didn’t even start my period until I was about 13 or 14 years old (I should find that date in my old diaries…). I cannot imagine being that young and suffering with this disease.  And imagine the psychological and social effects it must have on those poor girls at that age.

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Just what is gluten?

| Bloomin' Uterus
Wheat field

Many of us have heard of gluten.  There’s been news reports that it’s bad for us, other reports that it doesn’t do anything, and yet other reports that it doesn’t truly exist.  Many people have chosen to cut out as much gluten from their diets as they can, if they cannot cut it out completely.  Why?  Many women with Endometriosis have been found to have a sensitivity to gluten.  It may irritate their digestion and bowels, causing discomfort, diarrhea or constipation, among other things.  We already have enough of that on our own.  So, find out what feels good to you and follow you body’s wishes.

But what the HECK is gluten? You see labels on food or household items “Gluten-Free,” and go to restaurants and see menu items that are “Gluten-Free.”  Some women say they have a sensitivity if they eat it, while others claim a sensitivity to even topical applications (shampoos, creams, cleaning supplies, etc.).  I have a layman’s understanding that it’s something to do with certain grains or wheat, but just what is it?  And what does it really do?

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Lupron Depot : My Experience

| Bloomin' Uterus
Syringe and needle for Lupron Depot injection

Many of you know I fondly refer to my Lupron Depot treatments as “Liquid Crazy injections.”  I’m happy to say that January 19, 2015, was my last Lupron Depot injection for my Endometriosis!  I had a total of six months treatment; 1 injection per month.  I was also taking the “Add Back” pill, Norethindrone, on a daily basis.

I figured I’d write about my side effects and symptoms, just in case anyone else was going to be starting or has started, the same injections. I’d love to compare notes and see how you’re feeling if you had Lupron.  Most of the side effects I experienced vanished in about 2 months…but I did suffer from insane night sweats for a year-and-a-half afterward!  And my fingernails have never recovered…I’m also wondering if you have any long-term side effects that you attribute to the Lupron Depot injections…

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Share Your Story : Cyntelle

| Bloomin' Uterus
African American woman sitting in a car

Cyntelle was diagnosed with Endometriosis when she was 29 years old.  Now 32 and living in Savannah, GA, Cyntelle is the mother of a beautiful son. She loves dancing and music, and has recently begun a blog of her own.  Cyntelle’s Endo journey is quite a bumpy one…

Cyntelle’s Journey: After I had my son (October 2008), I was still vomiting and had terrible abdominal pain. My belly was swollen to the point that people were asking if I was pregnant again (impossible). December 2008 I went to the ER. The ER doc said I had a kidney infection and possibly an STD. I was a single, black, young mother so of course I had an STD? Right? Wrong. No STD was found and I was 25. Not as young as the high school age they thought I was. I digress. :)They performed lots of tests, I had an ultrasound, everything. The PA suggested I had a small cyst on my left ovary. ER doc stuck with kidney infection. What do I know? I’m no doctor.

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A sit down with my Gyno

| Bloomin' Uterus
Dr. Mel Kurtulus 2009 Patients Choice Award recipient photo

So today was my last Liquid Crazy injection (yay!!!) and I also had a chance to sit down with my gynecologist/Endo surgeon to discuss future treatment and ask my giant list of questions.

I wanted to share the answers with you.  Please now that these are answers for me from my physician.  If you have similar questions, I encourage you to talk to your doctor. Your situation may be different than mine. Your doctor’s opinions may vary from mine.

But I do feel a lot better.  And since some of you helped me develop my list of questions, I wanted to share the answers with you guys!

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