Endometriosis: There is No Cure

I will now go back to my "origin story". Back to 2002.  I had already scheduled my surgery for October, but of course, because of the size of my cyst, it was risky to involve myself in physical activities.  I had to exempt myself from strenuous tasks.  I remember that I could not run or walk fast.  I just had to maintain a moderate-paced walk.

As my surgery drew near, there was this urge in me to try and avoid it.  No, I was not afraid of the surgery or even of death. I was just bothered by the inconvenience of it.  My doctor told me that after surgery, I had to rest for 2 months, and then my surgery would only thoroughly heal after 2 years.  I asked my Ob-Gyn if there was a possibility for my cyst to be treated through oral medicine.  But she explained to me, that given the size of the cyst, oral medicine would not work anymore.  Surgery was the only solution.

At that time, I thought that after the surgery everything would be okay - that the cysts would not recur, and that the endometriosis would be cured as well.  I was wrong.  I discovered the harsh truth only later on. Endometriosis has no cure. There are treatments.  But there is no cure.

Surgery/hysterectomy is not a cure.  It will only minimize the intolerable symptoms of endometriosis. Hormone therapy, birth control pills, and other medication do not cure endo.  They can only slow down the growth of endometrial tissue or cells and keep them from spreading to other organs. Dietary changes, alternative medicine, and herbal therapy are not cures, as well. These can only reduce the symptoms of endo.  Menopause and pregnancy do not cure endo. After menopause and pregnancy, symptoms still recur.

I had no choice then but to go through the surgery.  Thankfully, my ovaries were still healthy, and the doctor only removed the cyst.  Since I was still young that time, I recovered quickly.  Two weeks after my surgery, I was already going to the mall. I also did not take a leave from law school.  I enrolled for the second semester.

For endo warriors, have you had any experience of people telling you that endo has a cure? Drop me a line and tell your story.

I HAVE ENDOMETRIOSIS: What is Endometriosis?

After I was hospitalized last October 2019, some of my grad school classmates asked me why.  And I told them that I had an infection due to my endometriosis.  One of my male classmates retorted that he could not even pronounce my condition, much less understand it.

I observed that in Filipino societies, we seldom talk about our health conditions, and we are, at times, dismissive about the sufferings of other people.  We say things like "Your depression is just a phase", and "Anxiety is not a real health problem". We even have this local Hiligaynon expression "Layo sa atay"- which can be roughly translated as "It's far from your liver".    What we actually mean when we say this is that a person's health condition is not serious, and he/she will not die from it.

In fact, when I went to the PWD office two years ago to get a PWD ID for my endometriosis, the person who entertained me said, "Those are just cysts and mayomas.  They can be removed through surgery.  Your condition is nothing serious."  Nothing serious.

Endometriosis is a serious condition. Some women who suffer from endometriosis can not function well because of the pain they are experiencing.  Some can't even have regular jobs because when the pain occurs, they can't get out of bed and at times, need to be hospitalized.

I am not a doctor but I know and I understand my condition.  Here is the description of endometriosis from Live Science:

"Endometriosis is a medical condition that occurs when the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, grows in other places, such as the fallopian tubes, ovaries or along the pelvis. When that lining breaks down, like the regular lining in the uterus that produces the menstruation, it has nowhere to go. This causes cysts, heavy periods, severe cramps and even infertility." [Chan, Amanda. (2015. March 5). Endometriosis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments. Live Science. Retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/34722-endometriosis-causes-symptoms-treatments.html]

In other words, endometriosis is when a woman's endometrium or endometrial cells grow in places where they are not supposed to grow.  Symptoms and complications vary for each woman.  Here is a short list of the symptoms and complications I have had due to my endo:

• Pelvic pain during menstruation and ovulation
• Difficulty and pain during bowel movement
• Heavy menstrual bleeding or bleeding between periods
• Fertility problem
• Hematosalpinx (bleeding in the fallopian tubes)
• Intestinal adhesions
• Indigestion

If you are an endo warrior like me, what symptoms or complications have you experienced?  Comment below.