Until There's a Cure

Phew, it’s been a long time since I’ve added to this blog.  I’ve been busy!  But I realized I couldn’t stay silent.  It’s March, which means it’s Endometriosis Awareness Month.  That also means another year has gone by where there is no cure.  Where doctors still don’t properly know how to treat it, and the ones that do are expensive or not available within driving distance.  For me, I’m still struggling to find a new doctor.  My previous ob/gyn, whom I absolutely loved, informed me that her office no longer accepts my insurance.  I can’t afford care out-of-pocket.  And I know so many other women are in the same situation and suffering day in and day out.  If I’m going to see a new doctor, I want them to be knowledgeable and experienced enough to give me proper care.  Because I’ve spent too many years being prescribed “remedies” that brought more problems than a solution.

I found that changing my diet was a short-lived solution.  For a few months my pain decreased, but then it slowly started coming back.  I tried adding foods back in and taking them away again to pinpoint what works best for my body.  I’ve found that I definitely need to steer clear of red meat and soy.  I also have to make sure I get plenty of fruits and vegetables (which is true for everyone!) and I also try to limit alcohol.  I love you, wine, but I can’t enjoy you as often as I would like. 

One thing that has seemed to work well is slow, controlled workouts with heavy lifting.  Powerlifting has been my saving grace.  I love a good sweat session, but high intensity workouts often leave me struggling in pain.  There are many days that I have to take a break or even avoid them all together, which is unbelievably frustrating.  I want to do more than my body will let me sometimes.  But I’ve also learned that I’m mentally stronger than I am physically, and sometimes I can push through and tell my body to shut the hell up.  With powerlifting, I’ve found that most days I feel well and can get through the entire workout (sometimes 2 or 3 hours!) without any pain.  It’s also an incredible stress reliever, which is another aspect of endometriosis.  More stress = more pain.  When I get under that squat bar or pull a heavy deadlift, I get to release some of that stress and regain some control over my life.        

I hope that women with endometriosis continue to advocate for themselves, their sisters, aunts, mothers, daughters…and that one day we don’t even have to talk about this anymore.  But until then, may we find ways to treat our bodies well and do the best we can until modern medicine can do more. 

If you need information for you or a loved one, this organization is one of the best (although still limited).  And I’m here if I can be of any help.