Depo-Provera

An injection often used for birth control and sometimes to ease or control menstrual symptoms. Manufactured by Pfizer.

Share Your Story: Daniela

| Bloomin' Uterus
Quote: I feel hopeless

Daniela was diagnosed with Endometriosis when she was 22 years old.  Two years later, she shares her Endo journey with us.

Daniela’s Journey:  Hi everyone, my name is Daniela and I was raised in a small town near the border in Mexico and I am 24 years old. I had my first period when I was 9 and I remember that day like it was yesterday because it haunts me. I remember the face of my mom and grandma as if I was going to die. My childhood was over at that moment my body started to change drastically.

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Share Your Story: Michelle

| Bloomin' Uterus
Photo of Michelle

Michelle was diagnosed with Endometriosis when 20.  Now 35, and living in La Mesa, California, Michelle shares her Endo story with us.

Michelle’s Journey: My endo story I first got my period at 10 years old. I remember I was still in elementary school, playing in PE when I got my first one. From there, my periods became increasingly more and more painful.

By 15 years old I remember rolling around on the ground in the bathroom, sometimes in so much pain that it made me throw up. I would miss school sometimes but most of the time tried to tough it out. My periods were always at least 7 days long, super heavy and lots of huge clots. I thought that was normal…..I was taught to believe this was all normal.

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Reader’s Choice : Endometriosis & Bipolar Disorder

| Bloomin' Uterus
Drama masks

I was contacted by one of our readers who shall remain anonymous.  She suffers from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Bipolar Disorder.  Her OBGYN suspects she has Endometriosis; however, she had to return to college out-of-state and wasn’t able to have her diagnostic surgery.  In the meantime, her physician is encouraging her to remain on birth control pills to suppress the possible Endo symptoms.  Her symptoms are worsening…

She had heard that there may be a link between Endometriosis and Bipolar Disorder, and that it may be difficult to treat both at the same time due to complications with the medications interacting with each other, or even cancelling the medicinal effects of the pills.

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Endometriosis : An Economic Machine

| Bloomin' Uterus
meme with Fry from Futurama holding up money. Text reads Shut up and take my money!

There are (at best guess) 176 million people born with a uterus worldwide who suffer from Endometriosis.  And it’s estimated that 5 million in the United States have Endometriosis.  1 in 10 supposedly have, or will have, this disease.  One. In. Ten.

An incurable, recurring disease which causes pain and infertility, among many other symptoms.  A revolving door disease which the “Golden Standard” of treatment is either constant prescription medications, or surgery, or both.  And, once removed, it will more than likely grow back and cause the same pain and symptoms, sometimes much worse than before.  And the only tried and true way to diagnosis the disease with with surgery!

So one thing hit me today.  This disease is a driving economic force!  What costs are associated with Endometriosis? As I live in the USA, my curiosity was toward the United States prices.  If you live elsewhere and are curious, I encourage you to figure this out.  For all of you living in the States, let’s find out together!

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Endometriosis on your skin

| Bloomin' Uterus
Diagram of human skin

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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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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