Re: Caroline -- Endo & Diet & Excersize
From: Caroline (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Thu Dec 31 16:12:55 1998
Yenta,
Yes, Ive heard that too. I began drinking soy milk in my early teens as I
am lactose intolerant. I don't drink very much (go through a 1 litre carton
in about 2 weeks) so I don't imagine it is doing too much harm. I've tried
using lite milk instead and it works fine, just tastes very watery. In
general I avoid all dairy and if 'I have eggs I make sure the yolks are
still runny (a herbalist told me to do this but I prefer runny yolks anyway
- have no idea why it would make any difference) and I avoid anything that
is very acidic, contains pepper, contains a lot of lettuce (gives me bad
diahorrea) or has a lot of red meat.
On the exercise side of things, I started using my home gym the week before
Christmas and have found an increase in pain where my right ovary was
removed since Christmas eve, but I haven't been real good on watching my
diet either. So I'm having a week off from working out to see if that helps
as I may just be doing too much exercise too soon. Will let you know how it
goes.
Regards, Caroline
At 11:35 PM 12/29/98 -0600, you wrote:
>Dear Caroline,
>Could you please tell me what foods you have learned to avoid re endo? I
>was under the impression that soy is estrogenic and yet you mentioned
>drinking soy milk???
>
>Yenta
>
>At Tue, 29 Dec 1998, Caroline wrote:
>>
>>Susan,
>>We have a lot in common! I also had a surgery (lap, it was my second, I'd
>>had one 3 yrs prev) where the Dr identified the endo and left it in there.
>>I changed Dr's through a recommendation of a friend and my new gyn did a
>>wonderful job and I also had just my right ovary taken out. That was early
>>Oct and I'm getting twinges too. At times they are bad enough I think
>>problems are returning but I'm determined to give it the full 6 months
>>before I judge it. I am making sure I have a lot of fibre (metamucil) and
>>this really helps me, and I'm taking evening primrose oil and lots of
>>raspberry tea on the advice of a herbalist.
>>I'm also trying to keep dietary estrogen to a minimum, trying to avoid
>>commercial meats and dairy. I have soy milk but don't drink much milk
>>anyway. I'm also taking oyster shell calcium supplements and a prenatal
>>multivitamin as I'm trying to get pregnant.
>>I find that exercise seems to help with the "background" pain. If it is
>>bothering me I do a workout (mostly stretches on an exercise machine) and
>>my body kicks in something and the pain is usually less. At this stage I'm
>>avoiding exercises which stretch the stomach muscles. At this stage I'm
>>doing quite well and just very glad I didn't opt for a hysterectomy in Oct
>>(hopefully won't have to make that decision!).
>>Regards, Caroline
>>PS I'm 27, no kids.
>>
>>At 07:34 PM 12/29/98 -0600, you wrote:
>>>Greeting all-
>>>This is the first time I've responded to the net. I found you all 2
>>>weeks ago when exploring the endo quilt which blew my mind. I have a
>>>few questions and comments.
>>>
>>>I fall into that "older" woman category- I'm 42 and an coming up upon my
>>>1st anniversary with endo. I was diagnosed 1 year ago with a 10cm
>>>ovarian cyst on my right ovary. I was scheduled for a surgery that I
>>>never made, as the cyst burst which lead me to an emergency room with a
>>>doctor that opened me up (open laporatomy- naval to pubic area) only to
>>
>>>decide I was the worst case she'd ever seen. She removed no endo,
>>>drained the cyst (didn't even remove that!) stitched me up, threw a
>>>brochure about endo on my bed and put me on Lupron (whichdid nothing as
>>>the cyst grew rigth back, was throbbing again and ready to burst again).
>>>
>>> Her surgery was so sloppy that my bowels adhered to my incision on my
>>>abdomin and I couldn't even stand erect! I was having up to 30 bowel
>>>movements a day and lost close to 30 pounds in 4 weeks (20% of my body
>>>weight!) No this was not a Jack La Lanne conspiracy...and not a good
>>>idea!
>>>
>>>Anyway, as nothing had been resolved I clearly needed more surgery-
>>>every doctor in the NY area (where I'm from ) suggested an open
>>>laporatomy Hyst---I could not bear the thought of being cut open
>>>AGAIN!!! 2CE IN 3 MONTHS!!!! NO WAY!!! I didn't want to go that route
>>>and researched like crazy, took myself to Atlanta to have a a "scope"
>>>(rather than an open lap)and bowel surgery with the Nezhats ---had I
>>>agreed to the open laporatomy, my bowels would have been seared open due
>>>to the adhesions---colostomy bag would have been a definite! As it
>>>turbned out, the only thing I "lost" was my right ovary- rather than the
>>>whole works, and my drug of choice is the pill (rather than evil Lupron-
>>>YUCK!)
>>>
>>>Anyway, I am now approaching the 1 year anniversary of all of this. I
>>>am back at work (after being disabled for 6 months) and feeling fine! I
>>>do have SMALL pains on the right side, which I assume are small
>>>adhesions. But thepain level is really VERY tolerable (no pain
>>>medication is needed at all- just little twinges)
>>>
>>>So- I do have a few questions-
>>>1- I am working on lowering my estrogen level through diet- I am
>>>following a strict macrobiotic diet. Is there anyone else out there
>>>taking this route?
>>>2- I'm also doing a strict vitamin regime to accompany both pill
>>>comsumption and estorgen reduction---again- anyone else in those areas?
>>>3- As for adhesions- if it's just small little tugs (like I have) then
>>>it's really just the sort of thing you live with- yes? And. again, if I
>>>can move my bowels easily and urinate freely then all is cool---yes? I
>>>am sensing that surgery to correct adhesions can lead to more
>>>adhesions---yes? And, if one jsut has slight discomfort, do adhesions
>>>always get worse, or can they just remain at this kind of low-grade
>>>level?
>>>OK- I know I put out a lot of personal history, but as this was my first
>>>response I wanted you to know where I was coming from...and then follow
>>>up with questions.
>>
>>>Thanks so much
>>>Susan
>>>
>
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