Medications

Relugolix: An Up-and-Coming Treatment for Endometriosis Symptoms?

| Bloomin' Uterus
a pill

You’ve more than likely heard of Elagolix, but have you heard of Relugolix? It’s a GnRH antagonist. And, yes, it’s the same classification of drug as Abbvie’s Elagolix (aka Orlissa). It’s being groomed to treat fibroids, prostate cancer, and (yep, you guessed it) Endometriosis pain.

Although not yet approved here in the United States, Japan approved Relugolix in January 2019 to treat uterine fibroids under the name Relumina. According to an Amsterdam company, TheSocialMedNework, Relumina is available for $1,400 for a box of 100 tablets (the standard dosage is one 40-mg tablet per day). I’m curious how that price rate would change in the United States if it were ever approved. It is expected that the FDA will receive an application for approval to treat uterine fibroids later this year.

Continue reading →

New Study: Elagolix vs. Lupron (Cost Effectiveness & Quality of Life)

| Bloomin' Uterus
Red apple and green apple
Comparing apples to…apples? Image by Freestocks.org

This will be a highly-charged opinion piece for me…so as you read what I am writing, please know that I am seething and upset and just needed to vent.

A study of Elagolix (aka Orilissa) hit my inbox recently and I just opened it today. It was run by Abbvie, of course. And it compares Elagolix to Lupron to see which is more cost-effective in possibly giving women with Endo a greater quality of life. So, it’s win-win for Abbvie since they make both of those drugs…

Continue reading →

Share Your Story: Jenny12

| Bloomin' Uterus
quote that reads I have always had heavy, painful periods since age 9.

“Jenny12” is a 39-year-old woman living in New York. Officially diagnosed with Endometriosis five years ago, she shares her journey with us today.

Jenny12’s Journey:

I have always had heavy, painful periods since age 9. After many OBGYN’s trying different B.C. I finally had my first lap surgery 5 years ago, and was told stage IV with some adhesions on bowels that were unable to be excised. Did not really help with the pain with my periods, so I was then given Mirena, that was a huge mistake.

Continue reading →

New Clinical Trial for Endometriosis Pain

| Bloomin' Uterus
Icon of doctor and patient for clinical trial

An EndoSister shared a page with me describing a new clinical trial for women suffering with Endometriosis pain. It’s a vaginal ring that delivers *some type* of medication. There wasn’t much information on the site about what type of medication…

If you’re interested in seeing if you qualify for the clinical trial, you can submit your application by answering a few questions on ResearchMyEndo’s site. Once you’re talking to a representative, be sure to ask questions like what type of medication is it (pain medication? GnRH agonist? GnRH antagonist? potential side effects? options to leave the study, etc.) AND (most importantly), you may not want to read any further of this blog entry because I don’t want to reduce your chances of being accepted if researching the product is a disqualifying factor.

Continue reading →

Share Your Story: Zoe

| Bloomin' Uterus

Zoe, a brave EndoWarrior, shares her journey with us today…even while she has another surgery pending. We wish you all of the best of luck, Zoe!!!

**

I started my period by having waterfalls for periods with no regularity from age 13 but was put on the pill to manage that at age 15 and that worked. I from my teen years thankfully had no interest in having children. I am not a career woman either, I just don’t get the clucky feeling other women get when they see kids – I get that feeling when I see animals instead so I have fur babies.

Continue reading →

ABC 10 News Interviewed Local EndoWarriors About Lupron Depot

| Bloomin' Uterus
Stillframe from ABC10 story about San Diego Endosisters who speak about about Lupron Depot

Jennifer Kastner of ABC 10 News San Diego reached out to Bloomin’ Uterus to see if we had any of our local Endo Warriors that had treated with Lupron Depot. Several of us had and jumped at the chance to share our experiences on the drug.

Five EndoSisters, Jennifer, and her cameraman Adam met for a two-hour interview one afternoon early this year. It was an incredible experience. We each had the opportunity to share our Endometriosis stories and our experiences on Lupron Depot.

Continue reading →

Interstitial Cystitis

| Bloomin' Uterus
Yellow water balloon popping
Yellow Explosion by Tom Bullock

Today I’d like to talk about something that a lot of my EndoSisters suffer from: Interstitial Cystitis, also known as IC.

Interstitial what? That’s what I thought the first time I heard of it a few years ago.  Heck, my doctor even suspected I had it (we check every time I go in for surgery, and so far: no tell-tale signs).  I’ve been telling myself for a few years now that I needed to research and write about it…so today I am!

What is it?

Let’s start off with:  it’s been around for quite a while.  The first written description of IC was back in 1836 by Philadelphia surgeon, Joseph Parrish.

Continue reading →

Endometriosis & the Kidneys

| Bloomin' Uterus
A doodle of a human kidney pointing at a diagram of the renal system

In the past, I’ve researched how Endometriosis can affect the renal system, specifically the bladder or ureters, and how that could even cause blockages that cause kidney issues and severe problems.

Today, I’m going to talk about Endometriosis and the actual kidney.

A study published in October of 2018 discussed a 45-year-old woman who had flank pain and blood in her urine.  Imaging studies found a mass on her left kidney.  A surgery was performed to remove the suspected renal mass and a portion of her kidney, and pathology confirmed it was an Endometriosis lesion.  It was removed from her “renal parenchyma,” which is the solid part of the kidney that filters blood and makes urine.

Continue reading →

Share Your Story: Mollie

| Bloomin' Uterus
Quote: Her doctor told her she had sorted it out. That it was done. The end was gone! But when she complained of ongoing pain her doctor said the pain was all in her head and she had some type of PTSD

Mollie was diagnosed with Endometriosis when she was 20.  Now a year later, she shares her journey with us.

Mollie’s Journey: It all seems full circle to me after about 7 years.

At about 13 is when I got my first period and my symptoms began to start at 14 from what I can remember. What I do remember vividly is the pain, daily. My mother thought I was just trying to skip school because the only thing I could explain to her was that my tummy hurt. Any mother would think that a 14-year-old that complains of a “tummy ache” almost everyday is just trying to get out of class so I can’t blame her for any of that.

Continue reading →