endometriosis and suicide

Hormones Matter Top 100 Articles of 2015

3194 views

Happy New Year, everyone. We have another remarkable year under our belts. Hormones Matter continues to grow month after month. This year, despite the site being down for a month in September, we had over 815,000 visitors, most staying quite a while to read our articles.

Since inception, we’ve published close to 900 articles, many are read by thousands of readers every month. The hysterectomy and endometriosis articles continue to draw large crowds, demonstrating the great need for information in these areas of women’s health.

Our success is thanks to a fantastic crew of volunteer writers who spend countless hours researching complex medical topics, making connections, identifying unconventional therapeutic opportunities, and bringing to light, what are often, invisible illnesses. Without these incredibly talented and compassionate individuals, Hormones Matter would not exist.

Before we begin the new year in earnest, let us take a moment to thank all of the writers of Hormones Matter.

Thank You Hormones Matter Writers!

 

Below are the articles and authors who made the top 100 list for 2015. If you haven’t read these articles, it’s time to do so. If you like them, share them and share our site so we can continue to grow. If you were helped by any of our articles, take a moment and send the writer a thank you note.

This year, we thought we’d do something a little different and include the 25 all-time favorite articles on Hormones Matter. Be sure to scroll down to the second table and take a look. The numbers are quite impressive.

Since we are run by volunteers and unfunded, feel free contribute a few dollars to cover the costs of maintaining operations. Crowdfund Hormones Matter. Every dollar helps.

If you’d like to share your health story or join our team of writers: Write for Us.

Hormones Matter Top 100 Articles of 2015

Article Title and Author

Reads

1. Post Hysterectomy Skeletal and Anatomical Changes -WS 50,814
2. Sex in a Bottle: the Latest Drugs for Female Sexual Desire – Chandler Marrs 47,910
3. Sexual Function after Hysterectomy – WS 28,898
4. In the ER Again – Heavy Menstrual Bleeding -Lisbeth Prifogle 25,326
5. Endometrial Ablation – Hysterectomy Alternative or Trap? -WS 25,048
7.  Adhesions: Cause, Consequence and Collateral Damage – David Wiseman 22, 868
8. Is Sciatic Endometriosis Possible? – Center for Endometriosis Care 11,701
9. Endometriosis: A Husband’s Perspective – Jeremy Bridge Cook 11,626
10. A Connection between Hypothyroidism and PCOS – Sergei Avdiushko 11,024
11. Often Injured, Rarely Treated: Tailbone Misalignment – Leslie Wakefield 10,580
12. Hysterectomy: Impact on Pelvic Floor and Organ Function – WS 8,494
13. Pill Bleeds are not Periods – Lara Briden 8,440
14. Silent Death – Serotonin Syndrome – Angela Stanton 8,408
15.  An Often Overlooked Cause of Fatigue: Low Ferritin – Philippa Bridge-Cook 8,374
16. Wide Awake: A Hysterectomy Story – Robin Karr 7,733
17. How Hair Loss Changed My Life – Suki Eleuterio
18. The High Cost of Endometriosis – Philippa Bridge-Cook 7,170
19. Skin Disorders post Gardasil – Chandler Marrs 6,891
20. Essure Sterilization: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – Margaret Aranda 6,820
21. Love Hurts – Sex with Endometriosis – Rachel Cohen 6,779
22. Dehydration and Salt Deficiency Migraines – Angela Stanton 6,638
23.  Adverse Reactions, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, Gait, Balance and Tremors – Chandler Marrs 6,445
24.  Stop the Metformin Madness – Chandler Marrs 6,400
25. Lupron, Estradiol and the Mitochondria: A Pathway to Adverse Reactions – Chandler Marrs 6,110
26. Endometriosis after Hysterectomy – Rosemary Finnegan 6,093
27. The Reality of Endometriosis in the ER – Rachel Cohen 5,962
28. Mittelschmerz – what should you know – Sergei Avdiushko 5,780
29.  Red Raspberry Leaf Tea to Relieve Menstrual Pain – Lisbeth Prifogle 5,586
30. Mommy Brain: Pregnancy and Postpartum Memory Deficits – Chandler Marrs 5,437
31. Parasites: A Possible Cause of Endometriosis, PCOS, and Other Chronic, Degenerative Illnesses – Dorothy Harpley-Garcia 5,414
32.  Endometriosis and Risk of Suicide – Philippa Bridge-Cook 5,413
33.  Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics and Thyroid Problems: Is there a Connection? – JMR 5, 228
34. Adenomyosis – Philippa Bridge-Cook 5,022
35.  Gardasil: The Controversy Continues – Lisbeth Prifogle 4,809
36.  Hyperemesis Gravidarum – Severe Morning Sickness: Are Mitochondria Involved? – Chandler Marrs 4,801
37.  Oral Contraceptives, Epigenetics, and Autism – Kim Elizabeth Strifert 4,452
38.  High Blood Pressure in Women: Could Progesterone be to Blame? – Chandler Marrs 4,446
39. My Battle with Endometriosis: Hysterectomy at 23 – Samantha Bowick 4,288
40. Thiamine Deficiency Testing: Understanding the Labs – Derrick Lonsdale 4,045
41. My Battle with Endometriosis and Migraines – Angela Kawakami 3,839
42. Tampons with Glyphosate: Underpinnings of Modern Period Problems? – Chandler Marrs 3,835
43. Cipro, Levaquin and Avelox are Chemo Drugs – Lisa Bloomquist 3,792
44. Hysterectomy or Not – Angela’s Endometriosis Update – Angela Kawakami 3,750
45. Warning to Floxies: Beware of New Med for Psoriatic Arthritis – Debra Anderson 3,691
46.  DES – The Drug to Prevent Miscarriage Ruins Lives of Millions – DES Daughter 3,655
47.   Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction (SOD) – Brooke Keefer 3,540
48. Progesterone for Peripheral Neuropathy – Chandler Marrs 3,278
49. The Fluoroquinolone Time Bomb – Answers in the Mitochondria – Lisa Bloomquist 3,251
50. Why is PCOS so Common? – Lara Briden 3,211
51.  Pregnancy Toes – What Sugar does to Feet – Angela Stanton 2,971
52.  Five Half-truths of Hormonal Contraceptives – The Pill, Patch and Ring – Joe Malone 2,834
53.  Five Years After Gardasil – Ashley Adair 2,831
54. Bleeding Disorders Overlooked in Women with Heavy Periods – Philippa Bridge Cook 2,826
55.  Is Gardasil Mandated in Your State? – Lisbeth Prifogle 2,814
56.  Is Prenatal Dexamethasone Safe: The Baby Makers’ Hubris – Chandler Marrs 2,808
57. Porn Brain – A Leading Cause of Erectile Dysfunction – Chandler Marrs 2,792
58. Lupron and Endometriosis – Jordan Davidson 2,752
59.  Endometriosis, Adhesions and Physical Therapy – Philippa Bridge-Cook 2,746
60.  Glabrata – A Deadly Post Fluoroquinolone Risk You’ve Never Heard About – Debra Anderson 2,703
61. Are You Vitamin B12 Deficient? – Chandler Marrs 2,635
62. Topamax: The Drug with 9 Lives – Angela Stanton 2,635
63.  Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome – Philippa Bridge-Cook 2,622
64.  The Endo Diet: Part 1 – Kelsey Chin 2,614
65.  Endometriosis and Adhesions –  Angela Kawakami 2,544
66.  Thyroid Disease Plus Migraines – Nancy Bonk 2,530
67.  Is it Endometriosis? – Rosalie Miletich 2,414
68. Hysterectomy, Hormones, and Suicide – Robin Karr 2,412
69.  Why I am Backing the Sweetening the Pill Documentary – Laura Wershler 2,321
70.  I Wanted to Die Last Night: Endometriosis and Suicide – Rachel Cohen 2,271
71.  How Can Something As Simple As Thiamine Cause So Many Problems? – Derrick Lonsdale 2,456
72.  Thyroid Dysfunction with Medication or Vaccine Induced Demyelinating Diseases – Chandler Marrs 2,034
73. Angela’s Endometriosis Post Operative Update –  Angela Kawakami 2,017
74.  Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics Damage Mitochondria – FDA Does Little – Lisa Bloomquist 1,993
75.  Endometriosis and Pregnancy at a Glance – Center for Endometriosis Care 1,969
76.  Don’t Take Cipro, Levaquin or Avelox If…. – Lisa Bloomquist 1,960
77.  Gardasil Injured – Dollie Duckworth 1,898
78. Fear of Childbirth Prolongs Labor – Elena Perez 1,888
79. Fluoroquinolone Poisoning: A Tale from the Twilight Zone – Kristen Weber 1,883
80. Personal Story: Thyroid Cancer – Myrna Wooders 1,880
81. Recurrent Miscarriage – Philippa Bridge-Cook 1,873
82. Recovering from the Gardasil Vaccine: A Long and Complicated Process – Charlotte Nielsen 1,842
83. Pelvic Therapy for Endometriosis, Adhesions and Sexual Pain – Belinda Wurn 1,818
84. Hormones, Hysterectomy and the Hippocampus – Chandler Marrs 1,777
85. Why Fatigue Matters in Thyroid Disease – Chandler Marrs 1,718
86. How Do You Deal with the Lasting Effects of Endometriosis? – Samantha Bowick 1,697
87. Depression with Endometriosis – Samantha Bowick 1,678
88. Easing Endometriosis Pain and Inflammation with Nutrition –  Erin Luyendyk 1,648
89. Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis and Ovarian Teratomas – Chandler Marrs 1,634
90. Autoinflammatory Syndromes Induced by Adjuvants: A Case for PFAPA – Sarah Flynn 1,595
91. Endometriosis Awareness Month: A Wish Noted – Philippa Bridge-Cook 1,513
92. The Role of Androgens in Postmenopausal Women – Sergei Avdiushko 1,477
93. It Wasn’t by Choice: Dysautonomia – Margaret Aranda 1,454
94. Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics Associated with Nervous System Damage – Lisa Bloomquist 1,453
95.  Vitamin D3 and Thyroid Health – Susan Rex Ryan 1,439
96. Dealing with Doctors When You Have Undiagnosed Endometriosis -Angela Kawakami 1,439
97. Endometriosis and Being a Trans Person: Beyond Gendered Reproductive Health – Luke Fox 1,436
98. Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome and Mitochondrial Dysfunction: Research and Treatments – Philippa Bridge-Cook 1,430
99. Living with Ehlers Danlos is Hell – Debra Anderson 1,420
100. What is Fluoroquinolone Toxicity? – Lisa Bloomquist 1,415

Hormones Matter All-Time Top 25 Articles

Article Title and Author

Reads

1. Post Hysterectomy Skeletal and Anatomical Changes -WS 105,336
2. Sex in a Bottle: the Latest Drugs for Female Sexual Desire – Chandler Marrs 99,098
3. Endometrial Ablation – Hysterectomy Alternative or Trap? -WS 70,999
4. Adhesions: Cause, Consequence and Collateral Damage – David Wiseman 40,299
5. In the ER Again – Heavy Menstrual Bleeding -Lisbeth Prifogle 39,821
7.  Sexual Function after Hysterectomy – WS 35,188
8. A Connection between Hypothyroidism and PCOS – Sergei Avdiushko 31,193
9. Is Sciatic Endometriosis Possible? – Center for Endometriosis Care 24,691
10. Endometriosis: A Husband’s Perspective – Jeremy Bridge-Cook 23,251
11. Skin Disorders post Gardasil – Chandler Marrs 18,105
12.  Gardasil: The Controversy Continues – Lisbeth Prifogle 14,174
13.  Wide Awake: A Hysterectomy Story – Robin Karr 14,134
14.  Endometriosis and Risk of Suicide – Philippa Bridge-Cook 13,836
15.  Love Hurts – Sex with Endometriosis – Rachel Cohen 13,782
16. Endometriosis after Hysterectomy – Rosemary Finnegan 13,294
17. Hysterectomy: Impact on Pelvic Floor and Organ Function – WS 13,056
18.  Adverse Reactions, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, Gait, Balance and Tremors – Chandler Marrs 12,901
19.  How Hair Loss Changed My Life – Suki Eleuterio 12,835
20. Mittelschmerz – what should you know – Sergei Avdiushko 11,919
21.  Often Injured, Rarely Treated: Tailbone Misalignment – Leslie Wakefield 11,521
22.  An Often Overlooked Cause of Fatigue: Low Ferritin – Philippa Bridge-Cook 10,821
23.  Mommy Brain: Pregnancy and Postpartum Memory Deficits – Chandler Marrs 10,591
24. Adenomyosis – Philippa Bridge-Cook 10,249
25.  I Wanted to Die Last Night: Endometriosis and Suicide – Rachel Cohen 9,826

Depression with Endometriosis

3841 views

Endometriosis causes problems in every aspect of a woman’s life including her mental state. It is a disease that occurs when tissue resembling uterine tissue is found outside of the uterus. It bleeds just like normal uterine tissue and causes extreme pelvic pain. The pain can be around your period or it can be every day. Every person is different. I went a long time with having pain every day and it became unbearable for me. I know personally I have felt like I was not good enough for anyone because of things the disease has taken away from me. I know many women have felt suicidal and some have ended their lives because they could not handle the pain or the struggles that come with the disease.

Doctors don’t take Endometriosis Seriously

When doctors do not take you seriously or act like they do not care what is going on with you, it is hard not to withdraw from the world. Why would you want to talk about something that people do not understand? I have had feelings of not knowing what my next step is because I cannot physically have children. This disease can take a woman’s fertility. How is that an easy thing to handle? I have found myself saying that I am not depressed or I would not be depressed if I did not have the disease as part of my life. However, the reality is endometriosis is part of my life whether I like it or not and I am depressed. After everything I have been through, I have gone through spells of wanting to give up on finding answers. This is because I am tired of medical professionals pushing me aside because they do not know how to help me.

A Hysterectomy at 23 is Depressing

Having to choose to have a hysterectomy at the young age of 23 is depressing enough, but having to explain this every time I go to a new doctor is a horrible experience each time. Even though I fill out the patient forms and put that I have had a hysterectomy, I still get asked when my last period was. It is crazy to me that we fill out these forms and then the nurses and/or doctors do not read them before asking questions. I have had nurses tell me that I am too young to be going through this at my age. I do not need this constant reminder that I will never be able to get pregnant and will be missing out on that experience. Even though I chose to have a hysterectomy, I did not have much of a choice. This is something I struggle with every day. It is depressing to try so many different treatments hoping one will end your pain, and then have nothing to help. I feel like with each doctor’s appointment I lose a little hope of ever being pain free. It is depressing to make plans and have to cancel them because of your health. I always feel guilty for doing this. We did not ask to have endometriosis. I have been to over 20 doctors at 25 years old. This makes me feel like all of my symptoms are in my head because doctors have been unable to tell me why I am still in pain or help get rid of the pain.

Endometriosis Pain is Real: We are not Drug Addicts

Many doctors do not want to give women with endometriosis pain pills because they think that their patients will become addicted to them. So instead, we suffer in pain. Chronic pain is crippling and affects every day life from things like taking a shower, working, cooking, or taking care of children. It also affects you mentally. It is hard to concentrate when you are in pain. Because people cannot see what is going on inside of your body, some may think that you are not in as much pain as you say you are.

Social Support for Endometriosis is Critical

I have been going to counseling for a few months now to help me deal with all of my health issues. It helps to have someone to listen to everything I have going on. There are many Facebook groups for women with endometriosis as well as for supporters that I have found helpful. These include: Endo Warriors, Nancy’s Nook Endometriosis discussion and education, ENDOvisible, among others. There is also an Endo Buddy program through Endo Warriors. When you sign up, you are paired with a woman who has endometriosis. I was paired with someone around my age in my state. We talk almost every day to see how the other one is doing and to help each other deal with our problems, especially ones that are endometriosis related. It is helpful to have someone to talk to that understands what you are going through. Even though I have found it is hard to talk to people about this disease, it does help me mentally to let people know what I am going through and how I am feeling. They may not know what to say, but it is always good to have someone to listen to you. It has also helped me to write about my experience with endometriosis to help other women that suffer with the disease and to gain more awareness for it. It helps to have a great support system. My family and friends have been there for me throughout this entire journey and I am so thankful for that. Without this support, I do not know where I would be.

All of this is very hard to deal with, but this is my reality and the reality for millions of other women. Depression is real with endometriosis and it is time that it is recognized. Too many women have lost their lives to this disease. We are not crazy and our symptoms are not in our head. It is time that we end the silence so that one day women will not have to deal with endometriosis or the other things that come along with the disease.

If you would like to share your story about endometriosis or write about endometriosis research and news, write for us.

I Wanted to Die Last Night: Endometriosis and Suicide

7857 views

I wanted to die last night. There, I said it. Ugly thing to say, right? Might even make you want to inch just slightly away from me. Feel free to. Sometimes I want to inch away from myself as well. But before you judge, try to listen to what I have to say. Assess my words with an open, empathetic heart, and think about the way you would feel if you were in my shoes. It may sound as though I am trying to pull at your heartstrings, to make you feel depressed for me and my life, but I am not.  I just want you to understand what it’s like to be a woman who suffers from endometriosis. I just want you to understand. These are the realities of living with endometriosis.

Dealing With the Physical Reality of Endometriosis

Pain. Imagine your abdomen and pelvis are encased in barbed wire so that the spikes of the wire are actually piercing them, stabbing them sharply every time you move. Now imagine that the barbed wire is actually attached to some sort of electrical current that shoots electricity through the spikes, increasing the intensity of each penetration. Next, add a machine that alternates shooting the electrical spikes into the body and pulling them out again in random intervals, thus adding a surprise and shock factor to the pain. Lastly, in addition to the shocking electrical stabbing pain, there are deep, underlying waves of pain that crush and release the muscles, causing a cramp so excruciating it takes your breath away. Imagine living with that agony on an everyday basis.

I live with a veil of pain draped over my body. Not stubbed toe pain, sprained ankle pain, or even broken heart pain. The pain that I feel every day is an all-encompassing event, specially formulated to break both my body and my spirit. It is a visceral and animalistic torture that brings me to my knees in surrender. That is the reality of living with endometriosis.

Fatigue. I want you to try to recall a night during which you slept very little. Maybe you had a party the night before, or perhaps you were up doing work. Now think about the way both your body and mind felt the following day. Did you function as well as usual? Were your movements as fluid, your mind as sharp? Or did it feel as though you were moving through quicksand, your brain wrapped in cellophane? How would you deal if you felt like that every day?

I live with a crushing form of fatigue that makes my every move devastatingly cumbersome. I often feel as though I am nine months pregnant with quadruplets, constantly carrying around an enormous weight that is attached to my body, sucking whatever strength I have left.  My limbs feel like they are wrapped in lead, and my eyelids covered in cement. All my body wants to do is sleep, every minute of every day, but it can’t. My life doesn’t take a nap when I do.

The Emotional Reality of Endometriosis: Depression

I wish I could say the physical aspects of endometriosis are all that plague me. Unfortunately, this is not the case. You see, for every physical malady that plagues women with endometriosis, there is an emotional component that is equally, if not more, devastating.

Guilt. Guilt is like an itchy woolen sweater that is two sizes too small: suffocating, uncomfortable, and in desperate need of being shed. It permeates the many aspects of my life and makes me miserable. I feel guilty for having endometriosis to begin with, as I sometimes wonder what I did wrong to deserve it. I also feel guilty that I cannot give my husband the emotional or physical attention he needs. I feel guilty that my close friends and family have to spend their days taking care of me when I am incapacitated and that I spend my days idling around the house while they work hard. I feel guilty for canceling plans that I made weeks ago and the lack of ability to make plans to begin with.  Guilty that I cannot be a good friend to others. And guilty when I think of my children who I cannot take care of the way they deserve to be taken care of. Finally, I feel guilty that I cannot give my husband any more precious children due to the hysterectomy I had that was not even successful.

Inadequacy. Due to the symptoms of endometriosis, I often feel inadequate and obsolete. I feel like I lack the ability to do anything important, like my job, or household work.  Relationships with my spouse, kids, parents, siblings and even my friends are often placed on the back burner as I struggle daily to merely exist. This inability to maintain relationships, keep my job, take care of myself or family members or even be intimate with my spouse overwhelms me with the feeling that I am incompetent, useless, and valueless. Sometimes I even feel as though my existence on this earth is pointless if I can’t be a functioning member of society. These feelings of incompetence sometimes also lead to depression, embarrassment, guilt, and rage.

Anger. Imagine being told that the agonizing pain you feel every second of every day is not real, that you are making a big deal out of nothing. How would you feel?  Anger? Rage? Imagine being told that you are a “druggie” when you ask your doctor for pain medication to ease the misery you are dealing with. Anger again? Or how would you feel towards “God” or “The Universe” if you let your mind wander to the opportunities you would have if you didn’t have endometriosis? It’s hard not to be furious when you think of everything you are missing or losing due to this disease. What if you’ve tried for years to get pregnant with no success or just miscarried the child you’ve wanted all of your life. And imagine being so debilitated by your symptoms that you are unable to perform your everyday activities. How would you feel? Frustrated? Angry? That’s exactly the way I feel.

Jealousy. For me, jealousy rears its ugly head when I see other people performing activities that I am too sick or fatigued to perform. It is hard not to be jealous of a healthy person when I am stuck in bed, too exhausted to move, or lying on the couch, writhing in pain. Just seeing someone go food shopping without discomfort causes jealousy within me, as I would do anything to be able to perform everyday activities without pain. Jealousy is also inevitable when we I see other women, basking in their pregnant glow, and I know that I will never again carry a living being inside of me.

Loneliness. Yes, I am extraordinarily lucky to have a wonderful support system in my life, and I am enormously thankful for that support, but there is a profound, hollow loneliness that sometimes overwhelms me when it occurs to me that despite their best efforts, my loved ones cannot fully understand what I am going through. Even my sisters with endometriosis cannot completely comprehend my individual suffering, as every person suffers uniquely. Therefore, I am sometimes led to feel as though no one understands me, and there is no thought lonelier than that.

Loss. Endometriosis is a disease that is full of loss and mourning. On a basic level, I mourn the loss of a “normal”, illness-free life. A life that is chock-full of boring, everyday activities and errands. I am no stranger to mourning or to loss. Having a miscarriage created a deep, inconsolable hole within me that will remain with me forever.  But most of all, having a hysterectomy has caused a ubiquitous feeling of loss within me as I mourn, not only the loss of potential children, but the loss of a part of my womanhood.

Depression. Oh, depression. That dark, suffocating feeling when the world looks like it has no color in it and our futures seem murky and unclear. For me, depression is caused by many different things. Being alone all the time, not being able to spend time with family and friends due to pain, fatigue or other symptoms is depressing. Excruciating pain is depressing. Feeling like my illness is misunderstood is depressing. Feeling like I need to be embarrassed of my illness is depressing.  And lastly, the thought that there might not be any hope for my recovery because there is no tangible hope for a cure, that I might have to deal with the incapacitating symptoms of endometriosis for the rest of my life, is the most depressing thought of all. That is why I wanted to end my life. Yes, I contemplated suicide. Like so many of my sisters with endometriosis, I hit bottom. I was tired of the pain, tired of the despair, tired of the guilt, and tired of being tired. But mostly, I was and am, just tired of the pain.

Living with Endometriosis is Horrendous

Now that I have exposed my vulnerable and aching heart to you, my friend, you have a choice to make. I will never blame you if you choose to stay away from my complicated and sometimes depressing life. Like I said, if I had the choice, I would probably do the same. But let me say one last thing before you make your decision. Life with endometriosis is horrendous, but women with endometriosis are not. We are strong, determined women who fight fiercely and love fiercely. We try our best. We are not lazy or pathetic and we don’t give up. We may not sugarcoat the painful emotions and terrifying symptoms that we deal with. Our honesty may even frighten you. But when you meet a woman with endometriosis, you are meeting a proud, indomitable warrior. A soldier who goes into the fire on a daily basis and emerges with a thicker skin time and time again. A woman who should not be pitied for her pain, but admired for her ever-present resilience and strength. That, my friend, is who I am. Take me or leave me. It’s up to you.

Endometriosis and Risk of Suicide

10328 views

The alarming text came to my phone on a Friday afternoon: “I want to die.” It was from a friend with endometriosis who was suffering with intense pain again, and feeling like the continual suffering was unbearable. That text led to a visit to the ER, which ended up resulting in a three day hospital stay in a short stay mental health unit. Unfortunately, not much has changed: the cycle of pain continues, and my friend remains uncertain of how to cope with the severe pain which is sure to come again.

Sadly, this was not the first incident of severe depression and suicidal thoughts that I have been aware of associated with endometriosis. In the past month alone, throughout our support network I am aware of four other instances where people expressed suicidal thoughts and wanting to die because of the despair and hopelessness of dealing with pain that most people do not understand.  And many people with endometriosis continue to suffer in severe pain despite medical treatment, so it can be particularly difficult to be hopeful for a better future.

Chronic pain from any cause has been shown to be associated with depression. This is not a surprising finding, as anyone who has lived with pain for any significant amount of time will know that the social isolation, inability to participate in normal activities of daily life, and sheer exhaustion, can lead to feelings of depression and hopelessness. Patients with chronic pain have a two to five fold increased risk for developing depression, and each condition affects the other: depression can worsen the perception of pain, and pain can worsen depression. Furthermore, studies have shown that when pain is moderate to severe, impairs daily functioning, and is difficult to treat, it is associated with worse depressive symptoms and outcomes.

Although the association between endometriosis in particular with depression has not been studied, it stands to reason that endometriosis may be even more highly associated with depression than other chronic pain conditions. In general, pain associated with endometriosis tends to be dismissed by medical professionals and thus undertreated (for example, see this story). And people with endometriosis may not get the social and emotional support they need from those around them, because of a general lack of understanding of the disease and the effects it can have on a person’s body and spirit.

One study has examined the association between chronic pain conditions and risk of suicide. Most clinical pain diagnoses were associated with an increased risk of suicide, and the highest risks were for psychogenic pain (pain without a known physical cause, usually attributed to psychological factors), migraines, and back pain. It is particularly interesting, but maybe not surprising, that psychogenic pain posed the greatest risk for suicide in this study. Because psychogenic pain is defined as pain without known physical cause, it is impossible to treat the underlying cause, since it is unknown, and the pain symptom itself is probably undertreated by doctors who claim that the cause is all in the patient’s head.

This type of thinking will sadly be very familiar to endometriosis patients. Many of us have been told that our pain is all or mostly in our heads, or is psychological rather than physical (for example, see this story). Imagine the despair that can be caused by dealing with severe pain, worse than childbirth, month in and month out, or sometimes even every day, and being told by doctors that the pain was just in your head? Knowing it is not, and that without treatment you will have to live with this pain for the rest of your life? And imagine losing your job, or having your partner leave, because of your disease. It is easy to see why depression turns to hopelessness, turns to thinking you would rather die than live.

However, with compassionate and appropriate medical care, the pain of endometriosis can be treated. Pain can be treated with appropriate medical pain management, with diet, acupuncture, and physical therapy. Endometriosis itself can be treated with surgical excision, often with long-lasting relief from pain. Nancy Petersen, who founded the first surgical excision center for endometriosis in the U.S., with David Redwine, MD, has stated that although approximately 75 percent of their patients had previously been told their pain was in their head, most of their patients had biopsy-proven endometriosis, and had pain relief after endometriosis was surgically removed.

Nancy Petersen has stated that “endometriosis may not be fatal, but despair can be.” We need to continue to move towards recognition of endometriosis as the life-altering disease that it is. We need to continue to strive to make effective treatment accessible for all patients with endometriosis. We need to make all care providers understand the severity of the pain that endometriosis can cause, so that the pain itself can be treated appropriately. And we need to recognize the potential for depression and even suicide, and bring these difficult discussions of the emotional consequences of living with endometriosis out into the open.