Four years ago, when the heavy period bleeding which I’d had since adolescence suddenly became much worse, I never would have predicted that the cause of the bleeding would not be correctly diagnosed and treated until after I’d had an unnecessary surgery, a preventable major complication of another surgery, months of severe anemia and more. […]
Women endure menses for an average of 40 years: once a month for 12 months for four decades—about half of our lives. Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea)—to varying degrees of discomfort—are also likely to occur in about 50 percent of reproductive-age women. The cramps are caused by contractions that occur in response to elevated levels of prostaglandin […]
In my work with The Endometriosis Network Canada, I have heard many women say that their doctors told them that if their pain does not go away on Lupron, then the pain must not be from endometriosis. Lupron never has and never will be an effective tool for diagnosing whether pain is due to endometriosis. Not […]
Making Difficult DecisionsI have endometriosis, adenomyosis, chronic back and pelvic pain, vulvodynia, pelvic floor dysfunction, and as a result I also suffer from depression and anxiety. Endometriosis is a very complicated disease which currently does not have a cure. Often times, endometriosis patients find themselves having to make difficult decisions–some life changing decisions, in order […]
The Pill is not just contraception anymore. It has become standard treatment for everything from acne to endometriosis to irregular periods. Yes, hormonal birth control can mask symptoms, but it cannot “regulate” hormones or periods in any meaningful way.Hormonal birth control does not augment or regulate hormones. Instead, it suppresses ovarian function and shuts down […]
When should girls start going to the gynecologist? The general consensus from the medical community and public health education is that a girl need not see a gynecologist until she becomes sexually active..I disagree. Reproductive Care Should Begin with the First PeriodConsider this; the average age of menarche in the United States is a little […]
Before puberty, migraines are three times more frequent in males than in females but after puberty the tides turn and females are more likely to suffer from migraines than males. An Oxford study found that females are twice as likely to have migraines and that “brains are deferentially affected by migraine in females compared with males. Furthermore, the […]
My uterus decided to end her 6-month vacation yesterday. This is nothing new; I’ve never had regular periods and have tried nearly everything to make my body function on a regular schedule, but it just doesn’t cooperate. Synthetic hormones prescribed by numerous doctors have always made things worse. Acupuncture, when I am working and can […]