Author: Bloomin' Uterus

Endometriosis & Leg Pain/Sciatica

| Bloomin' Uterus
Woman soaking in a bathtub. All we see are her legs.
Photo by Elizaveta Dushechkina on Pexels.com

I have heard from several EndoWarriors that they suffer from leg pain; whether it be their hips, upper thighs, or radiating pain down their leg(s).  Today we delve a bit deeper into leg pain complaints and Endo.  Have upper leg pain? Lower back pain? Tailbone pain?  So do a lot of people…but so do a LOT of women with Endometriosis.  A 2011 study surveyed 94 people with Endometriosis.  Of them, 51% complained of leg pain.  Cysts may also be contributing to leg and lower back pain. And although you may have some of these symptoms and think you have sciatic Endometriosis…please be aware that it is considered incredibly rare. And it may just be that your symptoms are a result of pelvic floor muscles being too tight (pelvic floor therapy may help) OR that adhesions and/or Endometriosis has pulled your anatomy out of whack. But, please, do read on:

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Antigua & Barbuda : Endometriosis Care and Support

| Bloomin' Uterus
Map of Antigua & Barbuda

As you may already know, I like to research Endo care around the world.  Today, we’re traveling to Antigua & Barbuda (I’ve had a few blog views from that location…). Who doesn’t like an island destination?

Antigua and Barbuda are a set of islands in the Caribbean and is a very popular tourist destination  They’re 15 minutes apart from each other (by air) or 90 minutes (by ferry).

Antigua is 14 miles long and 11 miles wide, and is where most of the populace live.  Cute town names, such as “Old Road,” “Jolly Harbour,” and “Free Town.”  Barbuda is undeveloped and even smaller, boasting a whopping 68 square miles, and one town, Codrington.  Together, the islands house 92,500 residents, not including the tourists.   For comparison, the islands, combined, are a little over twice the size of Washington, D.C.

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Feel Good Fridays

| Bloomin' Uterus
A cat battling a vacuum

With Surgery #2 pending, today’s quote is one of my favorites.  And who can resists a good cat meme?

Frank Herbert wrote it best in Dune:

“I must not fear.  Fear is the mind-killer.  Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.  I will face my fear.  I will permit it to pass over me and through me.  And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.  Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.  Only I will remain.”  

Thanks Frank Herbert.  Thanks Paul Atreides.  And thank to everyone for the support.  ❤

Happy Friday! And have a great weekend!

2nd Surgery pending…

| Bloomin' Uterus
operating room set-up with da vinci surgical machine

This morning I found out Surgery No. 2 is imminent, thanks to my Endometriosis. The date will be sometime in September; I’ll know more in a few days. I met with my doctor today to discuss my ongoing symptoms and worsening pain.  After a long talk and history, an a transvaginal ultrasound (OUCH), and another looooong talk in his office: he felt it’s time to peek under the hood.  I knew going in today that the surgical option was likely it. I wish we could tell if it was present in other ways.  But nope.  My CT was normal.  My US was normal.  But, as you and I both know, it may not always show up on imaging studies.  My symptom history is what convinced him:

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Feel Good Fridays

| Bloomin' Uterus
text that reads "never give up"

We made it through another week!

Today’s quote comes from Lara, a fellow blogger.  She suffers from Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, and Interstitial Cystitis.  And I fell in love with her writing…With permission, she allows me to share it with you today.  Even if you don’t suffer with the pain and issues of these conditions, her words are powerful to every struggle:

“But I won’t give up. Not today. Not tomorrow. I’ll always fight my hardest to embrace my normal. To not let it anger me, but to let it empower me. Because what other choice do I have? Nada.”

And have a wonderful weekend.

Yours, Lisa

Cervical Endometriosis

| Bloomin' Uterus
Sprinkle-covered donut
…not really a cervix, but you get it… 😉

So, WordPress shows me a lot of the searches that people run that lead them to my site.  One has recently come up again and again.  “Cervical Endometriosis” and “Endometriosis on Cervix.”

Seeing as I’ve never touched up on that particular location, I figured I would today!

What are the symptoms? How are you diagnosed?  What’s the treatment?

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Hormonal Therapy & Endo Workshop

| Bloomin' Uterus
pack of birth control pills

August 31, 2016, from 6:00pm-7:00pm (you can arrive as early as 5:45pm)

Mission Valley Library; Seminar Room A; 2123 Fenton Pkwy, San Diego, CA 92108

Join us to discuss Endometriosis treatment options with clinical pharmacist, Dr. Sally Rafie. Our focus will be on hormonal therapy, such as hormonal birth control and other hormone regulators. We will review effectiveness, side effects, and common concerns.

The talk will be interactive and casual, so please send in your questions in advance (to drrafie@pharmacistsclinic.com) or bring them with you!

Speaker:

rafie
Dr. Sally Rafie, PharmD, BCPS
The Pharmacists Clinic
www.pharmacistsclinic.com
www.instagram.com/pharmclinic
www.facebook.com/pharmacistsclinic

IMPORTANT: seating is severely limited. As of this moment, there are only 9 seats available.  If you RSVP and need to cancel, please let me know so I may review the waiting list. You will receive a confirming message from me that you are on the seating list, as well as my telephone number.  You can either RSVP on our Facebook page or by emailing me.

We would like to thank Dr. Rafie and Sama for all of their help in coordinating this event.

Feel Good Fridays!

| Bloomin' Uterus
A path lined with marble pillars and benches

It’s FRIDAY!!!!!  Last night I had the pleasure of going to dinner with two very special EndoWarriors.  One, Jenn, I’ve known for several years and we were friends long before I knew we were EndoWarriors.  The second, Sara, who holds an incredibly special place in my heart.  She and I first got together for dinner in January 2015…and our support group meetings stemmed from that initial meeting.  Both ladies are incredibly strong and beautiful, inside and out.

And both were there for me yesterday when I needed them in a moment of pain.  They are my own pillars of strength.

So today’s quote is a shout out to all of you who are pillars of strength, whether you realize it or not.  Deeba Salim Irfan wrote,

“You make the world come alive. You make the world colorful. You are the inspiration behind all that happens. You are the pillar of strength to many around you, the centrifugal force of your own little world, called family. I love being a woman and celebrate being one everyday, hope you all do too!! And to all those who battle their various circumstances, the hurdles, the sacrifices and the compromises they make, wish them all inner strength!…”

Read it again.  Take it to heart.  And share it with others who may need to read it…

Have an incredible weekend!

Lisa