Share Your Story : Marixsa

January 14, 2016January 6, 2021 | Bloomin' Uterus

Marixsa is a fellow blogger and Endo advocate. She was diagnosed when she was 28 years old. Now 33, her story is a heartbreaking, yet encouraging, one. Almost two decades of suffering without a diagnosis, being told she was exaggerating, living in fear of intimacy, missed diagnoses (not misdiagnosis…but literally doctors not seeing her Endometriosis while in surgery), followed by a myriad of additional surgeries, emotional rollercoasters, fertility treatments, and miscarriage. Although scarred, Marixsa is truly a strong and beautiful Warrior, rich in faith and determination. She continues to fight, for herself and for other EndoSisters. And I hold her among my heroes.

Marixsa’s Journey: Like so many women, endometriosis affected me years before I was diagnosed. It’s been quite a journey, which is why this section is so long. Here’s where this road has taken me:

Continue reading →

Share your Story : Nadia

January 10, 2016December 31, 2020 | Bloomin' Uterus

Nadia is the team leader for Team Zimbabwe. They’re putting together the first ever EndoMarch in their country and are hoping it will be a great success. They are also hosting a February 27, 2016, awareness campaign with guest speakers to try to not only raise awareness of our illness, but hold in-depth conversations about possible causes and future treatments. Nadia and I have been talking for the past several days and she’s allowing me to share her story with you today.

Continue reading →

Silent Endometriosis

November 20, 2015January 13, 2021 | Bloomin' Uterus

Woman holding her index finger to her lips to shhh someone

There are many usual signs and symptoms of Endometriosis. If you suffer from this disease, you know them all too well. One of our readers, Tanya, let us know that she suffers from “Silent Endometriosis.” What’s that? She has an official Endometriosis diagnosis, but only some of the symptoms associated with Endometriosis. Some people with Silent Endo don’t have any Endo symptoms (this is known as asymptomatic Endometriosis). Does that make her any less of an Endo sufferer? No, not at all. She suffers from the same invasive disease as the rest of us. Just in a different way.

A whole slew of questions were raised, which we’ll look into:

Why do some people present with classic symptoms like crippling pain and some don’t?
And, given that silent endometriosis exists, this makes me wonder if the overall incidents of endometriosis is higher than is usually quoted. How many have this disease and have no idea?
Since the symptoms don’t present as normal in silent endometriosis, what are some of the other signs that people possibly facing this condition can look out for?
Why do some patients who are riddled with endometriosis have no pain, and others with very little endometriosis have excruciating pain?

Continue reading →

Frozen Embryo Transfers & Endometriosis

November 19, 2015December 31, 2020 | Bloomin' Uterus

A lot of people have trouble becoming pregnant, whether or not they have Endometriosis. The question has been raised : if you have Endometriosis and are undergoing frozen embryo transfer (FET), which treatment regimens and protocols have the highest successful pregnancy rate?

I myself have never considered IVF and had to do a bit of initial research on the differences between fresh and frozen embryos, IVF, etc. I am so grateful an EndoWarrior asked this question; brought this struggle to my attention. So if you already know about these, please bear with me as I learn. Otherwise, skip passed these first few categories to the knitty gritty below 🙂

Continue reading →

Share Your Story : Amy

October 27, 2015December 31, 2020 | Bloomin' Uterus

Amy was 29 years old when she learned she had Endometriosis. Now 38 and living in New Jersey, she has turned her personal battle with Endometriosis into a campaign to help others.

Amy’s Journey: My first memory of my cramps was when I was just 14 years old. I was on vacation with my family in Florida at my Grandmother’s house. We were there for a fun family vacation. However, my cramps were so bad that my mother insisted that I do a shot of brandy to warm my insides up. I was only 14! That is how my period started and it has continued to affect my life on a constant basis.

Continue reading →

Bladder & Endometriosis

October 21, 2015January 1, 2021 | Bloomin' Uterus

You’ve likely heard that Endometriosis can grow in all sorts of places inside the body. Well, the bladder and urinary tract are no exception. Endometriosis implants can grow on or inside the walls of the bladder or along the urethra.

Symptoms

Common symptoms patients may complain about with bladder Endo are frequently needing to pee, pain when the bladder is full, painful urination, and an urgent need to pee. Some also suffer from blood in their urine when they’re on their cycles (may be hard to distinguish…given the natural course of what a period does…). This urine-blood may not be perceptible to the naked eye and require a lab test. And as usual, many EndoWarriors only have these symptoms during their periods; others have them 24/7. It should also be noted that many with bladder Endo don’t present any symptoms.

Continue reading →

Is there a link between Endometriosis and Endometrial Hyperplasia?

September 29, 2015January 1, 2021 | Bloomin' Uterus

One of my readers recently contacted me asking if I could do some research for her. Her physicians suspect she may have hyperplasia. What is that, you may ask? It’s the changing or enlarging of cells or organs which may develop into cancer. Specifically, she is undergoing tests to see if she has endometrial hyperplasia. Now what’s that? It’s when the uterine lining (the endometrium) is too thick. Her question? Is there a link between Endo and hyperplasia?

I found this to be very interesting as I had an MRI before my diagnostic surgery which found I had abnormally thick uterine lining. The first part of my surgery last year was to go in and perform a D&C (dilation & curettage) to remove some of the thick lining. So now I’m not only researching for my reader, but for myself (although my D&C biopsy came back normal).

Continue reading →

Endometriosis & The Heart

September 16, 2015January 7, 2021 | Bloomin' Uterus

I’ve read bits and pieces here and there that Endometriosis can grow on your heart (or the lining of your heart). And have heard from a friend that she may have it on her heart. That’s scary business!

Which got my juices flowin’ to find the documented cases of Endometriosis on the heart, how it was excised (if at all), etc. Here goes ( PS – there’s not a lot out there…)!

Endometriosis is usually found within the pelvic cavity, but has also been known to travel northward and latching onto the liver and diaphragm. It has also been found on the membranes surrounding the lungs. Even rarer, it has been found on the brain, in the lymph nodes, and on the eyes. But today, we focus on the heart…which is also SO INCREDIBLY RARE. Please, I’ll preface it by saying this is so super duper rare.

Continue reading →

Endometriosis and Infertility

May 19, 2015January 7, 2021 | Bloomin' Uterus

Many women with Endometriosis also suffer from infertility. Why? Well, that very question spawned today’s research…

It is believed that Endometriosis is present in 24-78% of infertile women (depending on who you ask). That’s a huge figure! Infertility associated with Endometriosis may occur at any state of the disease (I to IV; mild to severe). It’s believed that the Stage of Endo may effect the rate of infertility: people with “mild” Endo have been known to conceive 2-4.5% per month; people with moderate to severe Endo drop to less than 2%. Normal, fertile couples conceive at a rate of 15-20% per month. It’s a big difference all across the board.

The medical and scientific community do not have answers as to why Endo may make women infertile; only theories:

Continue reading →