People have asked me what it is like to have a flare-up. So I'm going to share the nitty gritty here about what it is like, and no I'm not
going to censor myself.
Unfortunately right when I started this posting I began a three-day, and STILL going strong, flare-up. So I'm writing this from current and past experience. I've also decided to include pictures because I feel like pictures can say things words cannot.
This first picture is me RIGHT NOW. Yes, I'm crying, in a ball on the couch. It hurts too much to sit up and for some reason being in a ball position helps, or is the common position in which I find myself during a flare.
I experience a wide variety of symptoms
during a flare:
Nausea, like not able to move nausea
Vomiting, I've spent many a night on
the bathroom floor
Increased bleeding, sometimes large clots pass
Hot flashes
Chills
Excruciating pain
(Some types of pain:
pulling, squeezing, stabbing,
squashing, pressure...)
Back pain
Leg pain
Bloating
Crying
Moodiness
Sometimes, but not always a flare can be accompanied by a far along pregnancy type bloating. I was bloated yesterday and am not today. I cannot find any triggers to my bloating but it is quite uncomfortable as you can imagine.
The following picture is from one of my hospital visits this year. For some reason, for me anyhow, nighttime is the most painful,
whether home or in the hospital.
Though various parts of flare-ups change from time to time, the only constant is my kitty. He is ALWAYS there to support and love me. He will frequently cuddle with me when I'm crying and if it gets really bad he'll lick my forehead to try to help. He is such a great kitty cat. He knows when I don't feel good and tries with all his might to make me feel better.
In 11 days I will be undergoing excision of endometriosis and lysis of adhesion surgery with the AMAZING Dr Cook of Vital Health Institute.
A note about Vital Health Institute:
After years of being ignored and blatantly mistreated by the medical profession, I contacted this office with low expectations. The first person I came in contact with is one of the most incredible, caring, compassionate, kind people I've met, Margaret. She's one of those people that always leave you feeling better than before you talked. Truly amazing. With her being so amazing it should've come to no surprise to me that Dr Cook would be so amazing, but it did, it truly took me aback to be so cared about by a doctor, even after he learned I have endo. Normally that is the point where doctors label women as weak, drug-seeking, mental, exaggerating, etc. But Dr Cook has dedicated his entire career to the health and welfare of women with endo. He is so gentle, respectful and truly wants to help me to feel better.
I just can't say enough about this man and his entire office staff. I'm greatly looking forward to surgery day and to this all becoming a distant memory. I'm also looking forward to writing my first post-op blog, which will likely be written from my hospital bed.
Thank you ALL for reading and wanting to learn what endo REALLY IS. I hope this blog serves as a vehicle of awareness, no matter how small. It is important for people to see how much this disease truly impacts and changes every aspect of our lives and the lives of those around us.
~namasté.
