Greetings!

This site was started to collect information out on the web about Endometriosis, and store it in one place where I can easily reference the info. I realised you too might want access to this info, so here it is, available to all.

What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is an incurable illness which affects women.
Endometriosis starts in the lining of the uterus, which is called the Endometrium. The medical field is still trying to figure the disease out, and so there are debates as to how and when the disease begins, and how the disease operates (see left sidebar for research and definitions). The most commonly accepted theory at the moment is that Endometriosis is the result of “retrograde menstruation”, whereby some of the menstrual fluid escapes from the uterus into the pelvic cavity, thereby landing on surrounding tissues and organs, such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes, abdominal wall, intestinal walls, bowel, bladder, etc. This is actually common to most women at some point or another. However, in women with compromised or faulty immune systems, the fluid that escapes is not reabsorbed by the body as it would be in women with more robust immune systems. When the excess fluid is not reabsorbed, it settles on the tissues and organs and becomes a growth. The fluid, now solidified into a growth, contains the same uterine hormones it did when it was inside the uterus.

At the next menstrual cycle, the uterine tissue is activated by hormones to start sloughing off again. The growths outside of the uterus heed the same hormonal call and also start sloughing off, or bleeding. Whichever organs or tissues these growths are attached to at the time then begin reacting to a foreign body, and they set off their pain receptors.

Hence, if the fluid had settled onto your ovaries or fallopian tubes, your abdominal wall or intestinal walls, your bowel or bladder, then when those pain receptors get set off, you’re in for a world of hurt. Over time, the growths turn into lesions, then into scar tissue and/or sticky adhesions.

Doctors to this day still do not know much about Endometriosis, so most doctors rush to other diagnoses and treatments before arriving at a diagnosis of Endometriosis. Many women, myself included, report being diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and treated for that. When treatment doesn’t work, doctors try more damaging medications and treatments. Two of my doctors gave up on me and told me to go see a chiropractor!!!

If you are not sure whether you have Endometriosis, check out the left sidebar under “Definitions of Endo” to see if the symptoms match what you are going through. If you feel there is a match, see a gynaecologist to request a full physical, pap smear and sonogram on the basis that you think you have Endometriosis.

If you already have a diagnosis of Endometriosis, I hope the links I have provided on this site serve you well.

Much love goes out to all of us who suffer from this disease.