Here I go again, once more intrigued by Endometriosis growing in odd places inside the body. Today I’m going to focus on the appendix. I’ve read that many Warriors have their appendix removed because physicians may confuse Endometriosis pain for the symptoms of appendicitis. But on Tuesday an article hit my email about Endometriosis growing on the appendix…and I became obsessed.
Please remember: I don’t write this to scare you, or freak you out, or say that all of your right-sided abdominal pain is from Appendix Endo. Take a deep breath – I like to document these things in case anyone would like to discuss it further with their healthcare providers so they may be aware during surgery. Appendiceal Endometriosis is considered extremely rare and it is suspected that only 1-3% of all cases of Endometriosis involve the appendix. But…knowledge is power.
Today’s quote is one that I found personally affirming as a person with Endometriosis. I stumbled across it in my research this week and it just struck me as powerful. The Nezhat doctors wrote in a 2012 article titled “Endometriosis: Ancient Disease, Ancient Treatments“:
“The clock is definitely ticking as we know that millions of women still live lives awash in anguish, just as they did thousands of years ago, and just as they will centuries from now unless we can steer ourselves faster toward the long elusive cure. Four thousand years is long enough; the time has come to end the empire of endometriosis.”
It’s been five years since this quote was published. And it was referenced in a February 2017 articlepublished in the International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology…which is how I stumbled across it. And it seemed relevant this week, considering the amount of women who have been sharing their Endo stories with all of us! We are building an army of Warriors – an army to stand against the “empire of endometriosis!”
One day there will be a cure. In the meantime, remain positive, hold onto hope, lift each other up, and continue to live your life as best as you are able.
And if you’re interested in some reading, these blogs were updated this week:
Adhesions: What Are They? Added a study that will be published in the March 2017 edition of Annals of Medicine and Science
Birth Control Pills & Endo. Added an abstract published in the January 2017 edition of Fertility & Sterility
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.
A friend asked me to look up any connections between Endometriosis and Cesarean Sections. So, here we go. Lots of science in this one! Some studies show that less than 1% of women who undergo a cesarean section end up developing incisional Endometriosis (Endometriosis in or along the c-section scar). However, that tiny little 1% number has a staggering amount of studies involving a lot of women who suffer from this form of Endo.
Bloomin' Uterus 