I’m sure you noticed that the girl in the story has the medical condition Lupus. While obviously not the same medical condition a lot of what she says – No, most – No, all of what she said still applies to anyone with a chronic medical condition.
With fibromyalgia and my other chronic pain conditions I also deal with the daily grind of the limits put on me by my medical conditions. Like Christine, the author, I have a limited amount of energy that I can use each day. Some days I start with more energy, more spoons. Some days I start with less energy, less spoons.
I hope this gives you a new understanding about what it is like to live with chronic pain and chronic illnesses like ours.
My next post is about The Matchbox Theory which I think is actually a little more apt.
What is Endometriosis? In layman’s terms, it’s when the cells the are supposed to live in the uterus also live outside the uterus.
What does that mean? Well, it means those misplaced cells act like they would it they were in the right place. They have the menstrual cycle, but it’s on the bowel, on the outside of the fallopian tubes, uterus, ovaries, etc, on the rectum, on the bladder, on the kidneys, basically any of the organs in the abdomen. But not only that, these cell can migrate anywhere within the body. This includes more serious, but rate places like the heart, lungs, the spine, and the brain.
What does it feel like? It hurts!! Most women have a regular menstrual cycle. Some women have bad cramps and heavy bleeding..Us with Endo have horrible cramping, debilitating pain that last the duration of the cycle & for up to a week prior & after, and those cycles are irregular & erratic – some times lasting up to 2 weeks, sometimes with only a week, or days, in between. And remember, this happens in those cells that have meandered into the rest of the body, so not all the pain is necessarily in the lower abdomen
What else can happen? In addition to those fun issues already discussed there can be issued with infertility.. With tissues not being where they are supposed to be, the women’s reproductive system is turned into a war zone. And it can really f*”kin hurt to engage in sexual activity. Cuz the tissues are not where they are supposed to be, internal and things very easily get rubbed the wrong way. Add to that the common co-morbidity with Irritable bowel syndrome which in and of itself sucks.
When I was first referred to a gynecologist in the Spring of 1998 for abdominal pain that she was certain that it was not endometriosis. She referred me back to my GP with recommendation of a referral to a gastroenterologist as she believed the issue was more through my digestive system then my gynecological system.
I saw the gastroenterologist, had my colonoscopy and did confirm that yes I did have IBS & was referred back to the gynaecologist in March of 1999
Symptoms of Endometriosis: Heavy Menstrual Cycle, Severe Pelvic Pain, Fatigue and Long Irregular Menstrual Cycles
She was still very hesitant on the idea that I have endometriosis as my symptoms were ‘atypical’ . For me my symptoms included
Pelvic Pain. Yes, but all month long, not just during my cycle
Heavy & irregular cycles but controlled with birth control pills
Lack of reaction to Depo-Provera
Bowel pain all month long, not just during my cycle
Both diarrhea & constipation which could easily just be IBS.
Symptoms I don’t have:
Cycle dependant pain
Pain during or following sex
Heavy & irregular cycles because they were controlled with the birth control pill.
No consistent IBS flaring during Menstrual cycle
No family history (that we knew of) of endometriosis
Severe & regular migraines during Menstrual cycle
No bloating
No breakthrough bleeding between cycles because cycle were controlled with birth control pills
High sex drive as most women with Endometriosis have a below average sex drive
So while I had some symptoms, they weren’t a standard or typical case.After 3 months of pushing her to do an exploratory laparoscope which she eventually did. I think she agreed to do it more to shut me up than believing I had endo.
And low & behold! Endometriosis stage 2 I believe. Since she went in believing she would not find endometriosis, she did not have sufficient tools to access & remove all the endometrial tissues. But I had my diagnosis.
So, if you know you have Endometriosis and your doctor does not, push the issue. Worse case it’s negative. Or if you are like me, you prove your doctor wrong.
Endometriosis is a chronic & painful gynecological medical.condition . It occurs when endometrial, the tissue that grows inside the uterus, grows outside of the uterus, anywhere in the human body.
In most cases women with Endometriosis the endometrial cells are located within the abdominal area including bladder, bowel, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, etc. Unfortunately it can be found elsewhere in the body including musculature, and other organs including at worst the heart, lungs, or brain. Fortunately endometriosis occurs only on those last three locations on a very very rare occasion.
Examplesof Endo Symptoms
Typical symptoms of Endometriosis include, but not limited to
Painful Menstruation
Excessive Bleeding During Menstruation,
Shortened or Irregular Menstrual Cycles
Back Pain
Painful Sex
Infertility
Painfull Urination especially during one’s period
Painful bowel movements especially during one’s period
Sensation that your insides are being pulled down lower in the abdomen
Fatigue
IBS either constipation, diarrhea or both
Spotting or bleeding between in typical menstral cycle
Nausea and vomiting,
Pelvic pain
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but these are the highlights of a woman with “typical” endometriosis..
Check ibacklater to see my posts concerning treatment, my atypical endometriosis.and my experiences with treatments.
Fibromyalgia 
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