You may consider her an expert living a decade with endometriosis. Bereft of many oppportunities unlike most healthy “young” and active women. Confined to restrictions, living in a seemingly endless pandemic. Taking pleasures from the simplest sips of coffee to a pain-free day.
Estrogen plays a huge role in endometriosis. If you have endometriosis, high levels of this hormone may promote and increase inflammation, trigger pain and stomach issues.
Endometriosis is one of the few estrogen-dominant conditions that affects 1 out of 10 women worldwide. Others include;
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
- Breast cancer
- Uterine cancer
- Fibroids, noncancerous uterine tumors
Sadly, there’s no cure to endometriosis and there’s limited treatment available. Usually in the extremes such as operation or removal of ovaries or uterus. On the onset of corona virus pandemic, I was introduced to gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist treatment. This is to induce temporary menopause and targets the decrease in the size of implants or adhesions.
It was quite effective, ovarian cysts became smaller and both ovaries now visible in the recent ultrasound with the loosening of adhesions. A bittersweet management for endo as one of the major side effects of GnRH treatment is an increase in anxiety and depression. This may be due to the dramatic drop in estrogen levels caused by these meds or from the imbalance itself.
And so this is expected, we can turn out to be a beautiful mess of writhing emotions – quoting the book I’m currently reading. Dealing with physical, mental and emotional, as if everything now is a struggle…
To all endowarriors dealing with depression, i feel you…
mypanoplies 