Juice + Disorder

Endometriosis and Adenomyosis

Happy #WellnessWednesday on a Thursday! Today we are back learning about #Adenomyosis & #Endometriosis. As someone who has been living with Adenomyosis for the past 5 years I feel like it is my duty to help educate and help heal. Both endometriosis and adenomyosis are painful progressive disorders of endometrial tissue. Fortunately, these disorders are treatable and non-life threatening, but I understand can be mentally taxing. Both make it harder to get pregnant, and unfortunately, some women can have both conditions.

What is it? Adenomyosis is a condition of the uterus (womb). The cells that usually form a lining on the inside of the uterus, also grow in the muscle wall of the uterus.

The term adenomyosis comes from the words:

adeno – glandmyo – muscle andosis – condition

Some of the symptoms include abnormal periods, painful periods, pain during sex, tiredness, anemia, and dizziness.

How are you diagnosed? Pelvic imaging such as ultrasound and MRI can detect signs of adenomyosis, but the only way to confirm it is to examine the uterus after hysterectomy.

Types of Adenomyosis: 

Diffuse Disease- Widespread disease throughout the uterus

Invasion of the endometrial glands and/or storm into the myometrium

Focal Disease- May also form adenomyosis

Area or mass of disease within the myometrium

There may be both diffuse and focal disease present

What is it? Endometriosis (en-doe-me-tree-O-sis) is an often-painful disorder in which tissue similar to the tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus the endometrium grows outside your uterus.

The term Endometriosis comes from the words:

“endometriosis” = endometrium + the suffix -osis (which means condition). “The endometrium is the mucous membrane that lines the inside of the uterus (womb).

Some of the symptoms include excessive menstrual cramps, pain during intercourse, infertility, pain during urination during periods and painful bowel movements during period

How are you diagnosed? Pelvic exam, Ultrasound, Laparoscopy, Magnetic resonance imaging

Types of Endometrioses:

Superficial peritoneal lesion. This is the most common kind. You have lesions on your peritoneum, a thin film that lines your pelvic cavity.

Endometrioma (ovarian lesion). These dark, fluid-filled cysts, also called chocolate cysts, form deep in your ovaries. They don’t respond well to treatment and can damage healthy tissue.

Deeply infiltrating endometriosis. This type grows under your peritoneum and can involve organs near your uterus, such as your bowels or bladder. About 1% to 5% of women with endometriosis have it.

The Difference between Endometriosis and Adenomyosis:

With endometriosis the cells grow outside the uterus and usually in the ovaries, the cavities of the pelvis, and the supporting ligaments of the uterus.

With adenomyosis the cells grow within the walls of the uterus. As the wall grows thicker, it can cause pain and heavy bleeding.

Both conditions can lead to anemia from menstrual bleeding. This means you don’t have enough iron in your blood. Iron supplements may help.

Treatment:

Endometriosis and adenomyosis usually don’t require treatment unless they cause you problems.

Both may be managed with pain medicines, like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Hormone medicines, such as birth control pills, progestin and progesterone, and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists might also be used.

But the only sure cure for adenomyosis is a hysterectomy to remove your uterus. You must be sure you don’t want any more pregnancies before you decide to have a hysterectomy, embolization, or ablation.

Herbs for Endometriosis and Adenomyosis:

Valerian

Rosa damascene

Frankincense and Myrrh

Vitamin B1 and Vitamin E

Magnesium

Omega-3 fatty acids 

Chinese herbal medicine- Corydalis yanhusuo

Turmeric 

Chamomile

Juice/ Smoothie Recipes for Endometriosis and Adenomyosis:

Make your own smoothie- Choose of each option

½ to 2 cups Greens (Kale, Chard, Spinach)

1 cup liquid (Water, Nondairy milk, Juice)

1 cup fresh fruit (Pineapple, Mango, Banana, Melon)

1 cup frozen goods (Ice, Frozen berries, or Cherries)

Protein (optional) ½ cup cottage cheese, 1 scoop protein powder

Flavor boost (ginger, cinnamon, cocoa powder, vanilla extract)

Pain Relief 

1 rib celery, 1 cup cucumber, ½ cup pineapple, ½ lime wedge, 1 cup coconut water 

Inflammation be gone

1 cup hemp or coconut milk, 1/2 cup frozen pineapple or mango, 1 fresh banana, 1 tbsp coconut oil, ½ tsp of turmeric/ cinnamon and ginger, 1 tsp chia seeds, 1 tsp maca root (opt)

Warnings:

Do not attempt to self-diagnose adenomyosis or endometriosis. The condition can have the same symptoms as other health problems some of which have different treatments. Although you can manage many symptoms related to painful, heavy, or long periods at home, it is important to seek the care of a health professional if your period worries you or keeps you from doing activities you enjoy.

In addition, always consult a health care professional before taking new medications, herbs, or supplements.

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Adenomyosis The Truth Behind The Pain: Angela

Hey everyone, welcome back to my blog; today, we are diving back into a series close to my heart Adenomyosis The Truth Behind The Pain. If you have any questions, please be sure to leave a comment, and if you want to read more about adenomyosis, click here http://humblesoullifeofajuicer.blog/2020/11/18/ibs-and-its-connections-to-adenomyosis-endometriosis/.

Would you like us to use your real name or a fake one?

 Real is fine – Angela Arnold Ross

Where are you from? 

New Jersey by way of Australia

When were you diagnosed?  How old were you? 

Officially diagnosed about 2 years ago at 42 years but I have been fighting to know what was wrong since I had my daughter by c-section at 38 years.

How long have you had Adenomyosis? 

I bet I had it all my adult life – laparoscopic surgery in Australia at age ~19 years for severe “period pain” (think falling to the floor in pain) when I exercised and I think the MD said “endometriosis” then went on the pill until I had my daughter then it got worse from there – I always had bad periods but the pill helped. I fought with my OB/GYN when I moved from NYC to NJ after the baby to find out what was wrong as I was getting worse and worse.

Do you have children? 

One daughter almost 6 (going on 15 😊) On birth control or any medicine for ando? I tried IUD and went crazy on the hormones, tried low dose oral contraceptive as a last resort to surgery and then I think it made it worse! Or have you had a hysterectomy if so when? Hysterectomy was scheduled for 7/16/2020.

If you have had a hysterectomy do you still have symptoms? What are your symptoms? 

Before surgery: lower belly pain (stomach hurts to touch), bloating, back ache, depression, now the pain is so bad it is almost every day and I cannot work out as jumping up and down hurts )

What do you take for pain, nausea etc? 

I tried Tramadol, anti-inflammatories, medical marijuana but nothing has worked.

How long did it take you to be diagnosed? 

5 years of me fighting for diagnosis- all scans normal but have all clinical symptoms except heavy bleeding.

How has adenomyosis impacted your personal life? 

A lot – I yell at my daughter more when I am in pain (it is now chronic so it affects my mood a lot); I am often going back to bed to lie down as I feel terrible (with a hot water bottle) and cant look after my daughter, my daughter now knows that “mommy’s tummy is sore”, Mom is sick all the time.

What’s craziest/dumbest thing some has said to you?

My OB/GYN said “I have never heard of a pelvic pain/endometriosis specialist” – “maybe it is GI issue” (I have IBS and I know it was not GI) … when I told her the diagnosis from the other MD and refused to go to her for my annual “well …. have you ruled out fibromyalgia, pelvic congestion syndrome …” they were two diagnoses she never mentioned in 5 years ….I fired her as soon as I found my new surgeon at her hospital who SHE (amd he) knew!!!

Any other comments or questions you would like seen answered or heard ( what would you like the world to know about Adenomyosis)- the diagnosis is real, you might not look sick but you know your body

What would you like to see on the blog? Anything helpful around follow up after surgery, I am interested to know if I have any pain after surgery 

What diet do you follow? Have you changed it at all since being diagnosed? I haven’t changed my diet … I likely will have to after surgery – I am pretty fit (normally)

IBS and It’s Connections To Adenomyosis & Endometriosis

Hey everyone, welcome back, and today we will talk about IBS and its connection to adenomyosis and endometriosis. I will tell you below for those who don’t know what IBS is or what the other two are.

IBS stands for Irritable bowel syndrome, which is a common disorder that affects the large intestine. Signs and symptoms include cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea or constipation, or both. IBS is a chronic condition that you’ll need to manage long term.

Adenomyosis is a condition in which the uterus’s inner lining (the endometrium) breaks through the uterus’s muscle wall (the myometrium). Adenomyosis can cause menstrual cramps, lower abdominal pressure, and bloating before menstrual periods, resulting in heavy periods.

Treatments: Hysterectomy, Pain Medicine, Birth Control, and Hormone therapy

Endometriosis (en-doe-me-tree-O-sis) is an often painful disorder in which tissue similar to the tissue that usually lines the inside of your uterus — the endometrium — grows outside your uterus. Endometriosis most commonly involves your ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the tissue lining your pelvis.

Treatments:  Hysterectomy, Pain Medicine, Birth Control, Hormone therapy, Conservative surgery, and Aromatase inhibitors 

If you are new to my blog, you should know that I am on the verge of having stage 2 adenomyosis and have IBS. In the medical world, ando ( for short) is known to get progressively worse over time without treatment. Not much research has been done, and I plan to change that now back to business. 

A common symptom of all three conditions are visceral sensitivity. This means someone with either condition has a lower pain tolerance for abdominal or pelvic pain. Their nerve endings may be especially sensitive. This can lead to a heightened response to pain. Some of the additional shared symptoms between all three and IBS include: 

• abdominal cramping 
• bloating 
• diarrhea 
• nausea 
• pain with bowel movements
• painful periods

Because of the shared symptoms, women tend to be misdiagnosed. 

How are they diagnosed? 

Honestly, they wing it. Doctors don’t have just one test that diagnoses either condition. When diagnosing IBS, doctors often try to rule out other medical conditions that cause similar symptoms. For example, lactose tolerance or Crohns disease. They may also order a colonoscopy or endoscopy. For ando & endo, there are a few different ways to be diagnosed, such as:

• Pelvic Exam
• Ultrasound ( Vaginal)
• Surgical laparoscopy 
• Medications 

What is it caused by?

Ando: 

There is currently no definitive cause; however, some research has suggested that hormones may play a role. Specific hormones thought to play a role include estrogen, prolactin, progesterone, and follicle-stimulating hormone. It seems to be a condition to occur later in life, in women who have had children already. Having had a C-section at some point appears to be a risk factor, as the procedure itself breaks through the uterine wall. Also I have seen cases of young women around 9 or 10. 

Endo:

No one knows for sure what causes this disease. Researchers are studying possible causes such as genetics or hormones. Endometriosis occurs more often in women who have short menstrual cycles or a longer-than-normal flow: Women who have fewer than 25 days between periods or who menstruate for more than seven days are twice as likely to develop endometriosis. And dioxin, an industrial chemical, may be a cause.

IBS: 

The third’s time a charm, right? Sadly there is no cause for IBS. There are possible factors like genetics and prior adverse life experiences (e.g., infection, trauma) that predispose someone to get IBS. You may feel muscle contractions, increased sensitivity to food, gas, or stool in the bowel. Other causes are brain-gut interactions. 

How are they tied together?

I know most of you probably scrolled down to figure out what the significant connection is?

With endometriosis, the tissue growths from endometriosis can develop next to the large intestine. Excess tissue can lead to inflammation and contribute to problems with bowel movements. 

With adenomyosis, sometimes the uterus is so enlarged that a lump can be felt in the lower abdomen and can also cause pressure on the bladder and bowel, causing urinary frequency and constipation. It’s typically the same with endo but a little different. 

I know that was a lot of information, so if you have any questions, please send them here.

(https://www.humblesoullifeofajuicer.com/question-me.php)

Check back in a few days for a new post. Stay bright.

Refrences: 

https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/endometriosis

https://www.webmd.com/women/endometriosis/understanding-endometriosis-basics

https://medlineplus.gov/endometriosis.html

http://endopaedia.info/subtype17.html

https://www.moms.com/adenomyosis-explained/

https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/endometriosis-and-ibs

http://sifaka.cs.uiuc.edu/~yuelu2/opinionintegration/health/Adenomyosis.htm

lhttps://patient.info/news-and-features/is-adenomyosis-the-cause-of-your-heavy-painful-periods

Adenomyosis The Truth Behind The Pain: Jen

ADENOMYOSIS THE TRUTH BEHIND THE PAIN:

Hey everyone, good evening, and welcome back. Today we are reading Jen’s story. Jen has had a hysterectomy and is here with an encouraging story.

• Would you like a real name or fake name used? Just going by Jen is fine

• Where are you from?  New Zealand

• How old were when diagnosed? 38 

• How old were you when you got a hysterectomy?  38

• What made you decide to get a hysterectomy?  I had a polyp that caused a lot of bleeding and it looked abnormal on a scan so they needed to remove it. Along with the polyp, it looked like I had diffuse adeno, so we knew the best way forward was a hysterectomy. 

• Pros and Cons?  No more pain, no more bleeding, no more swelling. The con I did not count on was prolonged infection! I knew infection was a risk but I had read it was so small and only affected a small number of women each year. I did not realise I could become one of those women!

• What symptoms did you have before surgery?  Bleeding and pain were my biggest symptoms. I couldn’t walk 10 minutes without bleeding and doubling over in pain. 

• How was recovery?   Recovery was tough. I will fully admit that. In addition to the polyp, I had adhesions and 20 fibroids. My right ovary was bound to my bowel and my uterus was adhered to my bladder in such a way that my bladder could not empty properly. So, my first few days were really, really tough. I remember week 3 was pretty tough too. Do you still have the same symptoms? No. My symptoms have completely resolved except in the case of active infection. I’ve had 3 bouts of infection since my hysterectomy. 

• Do you have any children? Yes, I have one living daughter and have had 10 miscarriages. If not, why did you decide against it?

• How long did it take for your surgery to be approved or accepted?  I first approached a gyn about a surgery when I was 34. I knew something was wrong and that the bleeding and pain I was having was wrong. She told me that she couldn’t possibly give me a hysterectomy because (I’m single) I might meet a man who would want children and she couldn’t rob him of that. I was devastated. It was only when I was 38 and absolutely had no quality of life that I found a doctor through Endometriosis New Zealand that came highly recommended for excision surgery that I made an appointment. I went in basically ready to beg on my knees for a hyst and he was just like, yup. This is what you need. Let’s get some diagnostics to confirm it, but I agree, let’s get it done. I was so happy! Someone finally listened to me. 

• Anything you would tell someone considering getting a hysterectomy? Be prepared for complications. I was not. It’s such a small chance but the treatment for infection is such a horrible thing to go through, especially, if you’re like me, and have recurrent infection. Talk to your doctor about ways they are going to manage to reduce your likelihood of infection and how to catch it. Watch for bleeding post-surgery and really take it easy. I was like a bull in a china shop and did too much too soon. 

• Before surgery, what treatment plan/medicine did you use?  I was on so many pills. Too many pills. Several pills to stop the bleeding. Pills to stop the side effects of the pills for the bleeding. The Mirena. I was on too much at once. I think because I kept bleeding no one knew what to do, and rather than do any diagnostics (like look for a polyp), they just kept throwing tablets at me.  And I didn’t know about polyps. The idea never occurred to me. I had 20 fibroids inside me that we didn’t know about, that a scan did not catch. Surely, they were causing me grief and I was being told to just tough it out. How amazingly ignorant! 

• Anything you would like the world to know? Adeno is a serious, life-altering, life stopping illness that affects women in the prime of their lives. So many people only hear of Adeno once they are diagnosed. I know I was one. We need more awareness, more funding to fight for research and more progressive hysterectomies for our women. My hysterectomy is the very best thing I’ve ever done for myself. 10 months on, even with 3 lots of infection under my belt, I feel free and liberated. I’m no longer chained to the pain, the bleeding and the bloating. I can do so much and live the life I want. Every woman with adeno deserves this freedom. 

Adenomyosis: The truth behind the pain: Abby

Hey, everyone welcome back to my blog. Today we are going to start a series I have been working on called Adenomyosis: The truth behind the pain. I have over 50 and counting women who are ready to tell their story. We will have a new story every week, even a few videos. Of course, we will still have blog posts about getting healthy, juices, boosting the immune system, and more. Thank you for taking this journey with me lets get started. 

1. Would you like us to use your real name or a fake one? 

I prefer to use my pen name, which is “Abby.”

2. Where are you from?

I’m from Malaysia.

3. When were you diagnosed? How old were you?

I was diagnosed with Endometriosis in December 2018, at the age of 25; I was then diagnosed with Adenomyosis in October 2019, when I was 26 years old.

4. How long have you had Adenomyosis?

My symptoms appeared at the age of 9+, since menarche. Still, I was only “officially diagnosed” with Adenomyosis at the age of 26 years old, approximately 16 years, since the onset of my symptoms.

5. Do you have children? On birth control or any medicine for ando? Or have you had a hysterectomy if so when?

Nope. I am still single. I have been on multiple treatment modalities, but have been somewhat unresponsive, till date. A hysterectomy was suggested to me, as my last option, but I don’t think I am prepared to undergo a hysterectomy, as yet.

6. If you have had a hysterectomy, do you still have symptoms? 

-NA-

7. What are your symptoms?

Prolonged Menstrual Bleeding, Severe Pain, Diarrhoea during menstruation, pain on opening bowel (Dyschezia), during menstruation, Nausea, Loss of Appetite, Fatigue, etc.

8. What do you take for pain, nausea, etc.?

NSAIDs, Morphine Syrup (via prescription by my HCP), etc.

9. How long did it take you to be diagnosed?

Approximately 15 to 16 years.

10. How has Adenomyosis impacted your personal life? 

It has taken away the quality of life (QoL) that I deserve from such a young age.

11. What’s craziest/dumbest thing some have said to you?

The pain and bleeding are just in your head // You are just “imagining” everything // The pain is just psychogenic.

12. What diet do you follow? Have you changed it at all since being diagnosed? 

Anti-inflammatory diet. Yes, I have. I’ve eliminated foods like chicken, dairy, certain types of fish and vegetables, sugar, salt, soy and soy-based products, processed foods, canned foods, all forms of preserved foods, and reduced my carbohydrate intake, for instance.

13. Any other comments or questions you would like seen answered or heard (what would you like the world to know about Adenomyosis)

It would be great if more awareness is created, and people around us, be it our HCPs, family, friends, etc., be a little bit more empathetic. Try to understand how it feels and helps us to improve our QoL, by being slightly more kind. That’s the least that could be done.

Thank you abby for speaking your truth.

I choose to start with this story because I feel I do not hear many like this often. As a child, you learn how to take care of yourself. If you are like me, you had a health class in school that explained periods, cramps, etc. But no one talks about chronic illnesses. I feel as though it’s taboo. Most people have the “that would never happen to me” mindset. Most people, especially men, assume “it can’t be that bad.” Even growing up, most women are molded to take care of every person. Women take care of the household, children, pets, and husband. Women bend, but we must never break. This space is safe. You are allowed to be in pain. You are allowed to be vulnerable. You are safe here.