ENDO Messages for March, 2001: Re: Alt. Medicine (to Yen) and My Endo Story

Re: Alt. Medicine (to Yen) and My Endo Story

From: Marcia (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Tue Mar 6 08:55:56 2001

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Reply: Yen: "Re: Alt. Medicine (to Yen) and My Endo Story"

Hello Yen:

I am glad my endo diet was of interest to you. I have been watching your posts with Pep, as well...to see what works for others.

Thanks for asking about me. It's long, but here goes: I've had 2 laps and 4 go-rounds of Zoladex. Five years ago, I had 10+ pain on my right side, diarrhea, I thought I was dying, I couldn't work, couldn't sleep through the night, I cried and cried... and all tests were negative. It took two months of never-ending pain until the gyn doc decided to do my lap. I was diagnosed at age 35 at my first lap, with endo on both ovaries, my appendix, and several places on my bowel (I didn't know how extensive, he didn't tell me and he wouldn't tell me what stage I was in...he said it wasn't important). The doc closed and did practically nothing...put me on Zoladex for 6 months; 3 months of bcp's and the pain came right back...another 6 months of Zoladex...

And then I went to the holistic doc to try alternative medicine. It did work for a while, as I said, but it was really hard for me to go vegetarian, although I did, but soy makes me kinda sick...I did give up dairy though along with caffeine (did you all know that caffeine somehow makes our pain receptors more receptive???)...the hardest part was making meals for my then-fiance that were not veg. and then me doing the veg...ah well!!

And then, of course, the pain came back...so I decided to do Zoladex again...Then in Spring of 1999...it came back again (is this a broken record??) and I opted for surgery...asking my doc to "cut it all out." Well, he didn't...he used laser...and then put me on Depo-Provera to keep ovaries off...I went off in January 2000 when we got married, with the thought that we might try for pregnancy...but within 3 months (again, that 3 months!!)...pain was back...my original doc was out on medical leave...so went through 3 docs and decided on Zoladex one last time, as I didn't want surgery again so soon after the last time..they were trying to talk me into having my ovaries out to solve my endo...

But this time after the Zoladex, my pain is still here...I went back on Depo-Provera in Oct 2000 and am still on it...and in January really surfed the web for answers. I found this wonderful site and you Angels, and found Dr. Redwine in Oregon, and I know in my heart that he is the one to help me...but my HMO won't pay, and I don't think I have the strength to fight them...and will probably just wait til next January for new insurance.

Through all this I also have IBS...one of my symptoms is pain in my endo spot, then the urge to have BM, then it is diarrhea, with no control on my part...it has been extremely embarassing at times...I have no control. Then it alternates with constipation. (what a cycle) I take psyllium in the a.m. to help regulate, and that does help.

This last month I was given an anti-depressant, Effexor, which (much to my surprise) has helped ease my pain as it is supposed to do. I am now down to a 2-3 pain level most days, instead of 6 or 7, still on pain pills though. However, at times, I find myself angry and depressed that I am on "another pill" even though it eases my symptoms. It's just a bandaid until I can get to my surgery. I am so tired all the time...I want to be pain-free, endo-free, and pill-free!!!! I know, we all want this...this is my little "poor me session." Please forgive me for letting it all out.

But most days now are better...the main reason...all the beautiful Angels here...as we help others, we help ourselves. My life is enriched by knowing all of you.

Thank you Yen, for asking about me... so sorry for my long story.

And a heartfelt THANK YOU to Belle, Suzanne, Wanda, Wendi, Heather Blue, Kristy, and all the Angels on My Shoulders.

Love and Blessings to us all,

--
Marcia

At Mon,  5 Mar 2001, Yen wrote:
>
>Marcia,
>Thanks so much for sharing your "endo diet" with us.  I'm always
>interested to learn of diets which may assist in the alleviation of endo
>pain.
>Marcia, you mentioned 1 surgery three years ago.  How many have you had,
>when was your last surgery and how are you feeling lately (endo pain)?
>Thanks:)
>Yen
>
>At Mon,  5 Mar 2001, Marcia wrote:
>>
>>Hi Joanna:
>>
>>Three years ago, after 1 surgery, and 2 courses of Zoladex, I wanted to
>>try to heal naturally.  It does work best after a surgery or the med.
>>treatment, and it did work for me for about 10 months.  Then the pain
>>came returned with a vengeance.  I think the holistic regimen I was on
>>did help to balance my system, as it was supposed to do, however, the
>>holistic pratitioner I went to told me she could get rid of my endo, and
>>that, of course, is not really possible.
>>
>>Here is what she put me on:
>>
>>vegetarian diet (no meat or dairy, as they have estrogen or
>>antibiotics), no caffeine
>>
>>1 tablespoon flaxseed oil daily (on salads or cereals)
>>
>>Twice daily each of the following:
>>
>>Digestive enzymes (bromelain [which is pineapple] and papaya), both of
>>which were supposed to break up my endo, although really, all they did
>>was help me digest food better.
>>
>>And herbal drops, made by HerbPharm: Dandelion and Milkthistle, which
>>were to cleanse my liver, for immune purposes; and Pulsitilla Vitex,
>>which is a woman's mixture, to cleanse my female organs.
>>
>>[She also gave me a homeopathic remedy, which suppossed gives you part
>>of the disease to cure it, but I don't believe in this--and it didn't
>>work anyway]
>>
>>Now, as I said, this did work for a while, and natural regimens can work
>>for some.  I do all my shopping now at Whole Foods, a health food store,
>>and all the dairy (I don't have much), and meats I buy are hormone- and
>>antiobiotic-free.  If you buy these at a regular store, you don't know
>>what you're getting.  They give estrogen to cows to make them produce
>>more milk, so if you go and get certified free milk and meat, it is
>>much, much better for you all-around.  Yes, it is more expensive, but I
>>feel better knowing I'm not getting the extra hormones.
>>
>>Hope this info helps you.  :) :)
>>
>>--
>>Marcia
>>

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Previous message: anonymous@obgyn.net: "Re: ODD PAIN DURING MIDCYCLE"
In reply to: Yen: "Re: Alt. Medicine"
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