Endometriosis Support Buddies

[still hopping]

Hi ladies
I also have the endo burden in my life.
I saw this post and thought to share one thing that I have changed in my life that has really helped with the symptoms of endo... and its diet. It is not an easy fix and takes commitment... I don't see it as a 'diet' but a change of lifestyle
It has not only made endo better but I am a lot healthier, have more energy and my body has throughout several years come down to the weight I am naturally supposed to be...
The below is a copy and paste from a journal I started writing... Of course if you are trying TTC do talk to your doctor if you are making drastic changes on your current diet...
Big hug


THE BASICS TO MY DIET

After being diagnosed with Endometriosis stage 2 following a laparoscopic operation I found out information on how your diet can help prevent Endometriosis lesions and the pain from coming back. *I decided to give it a good go. The key for it working being to see it as a change of lifestyle and not a diet. In order to accomplish this I had to find food that I enjoy eating to have on a daily basis but did tell myself that at times, whether a treat at the weekend, going to someone's house or out for dinner, I will have small amounts of "forbidden" food.

In a nutshell, these are some lists on foods to avoid and foods that you benefit from in this "diet":

Should eat:

Good sources of fiber (decrease circulating estrogen):
Whole grains
Beans, peas, legumes
Brown Rice
Vegetables and fruits
Oatmeal

Modulate estrogen (one or two servings a day recommended):
Mustard greens
Dark green veg
Broccoli
Cabbage

Stimulate the good prostaglandin production:
Oily fish
Walnut oil
Pumpkin seeds
Dark green leafy veg
**
Good foods for immune system:
Beans, peas, lentils
Onions
Garlic
Carrots
Live yogurt (good for intestinal flora)
Rhubarb
Seed and sprouted seeds
Ginger
Green Tea—boost immunity and expels dioxin from body

Hormone re-balancing:
Peas beans and legumes
Red and purple berries
Garlic
Apples
Parsley
Fennel
Cabbage, cauliflower
Nuts and seeds
Celery, carrots
Rhubarb

Good supplements: Magnesium, Zinc, Calcium, Iron,* Selenium, Vitamins B, C, A and E


Should Avoid

Wheat and refined flours (including breads, (specially white), cakes and pasta products as they contain phytic acid and gluten)
Red meats* (contain prostaglandins and growth hormones)
Refined sugars and non-organic honey
Caffeine* (is a phyto—estrogen) (avoid coffee, tea and soft drinks)
Chocolate (a little bit of very dark chocolate is fine)
Dairy produce (milk, cheese, butter and cream as they contain prostaglandins)
Eggs (only eat organic as they can contain the chemical residue of dioxin)
Fried foods (negative prostaglandins)
Saturated fats and oils (butter, margarine, lard)
Soy products and soy protein products
Convenience foods (contain additives)
Tinned foods (use sparingly—tinned tomatoes and coconut milk are some exceptions that are ok to use)
Additives and preservatives
Alcohol (consumes vitamin B which is stored in the liver. Good liver function is vital to eliminate excess estrogen)

DAILY SUBSTITUTES:
Some challenges were around finding substitutes to what would have been my basics: Pasta, rice, bread and milk.*
After some research I did find great substitutes that work for me, they have no empty calories, are highly nutritious and I enjoy eating:

*My pasta substitutes: Shirataki or Konjac noodles -*amazing source of protein and fiber but without carbohydrates and low in calories. Gluten free pasta - low in fat, sodium and sugar but high in iron. I personally much prefer the Shirataki noodles but the GF pasta is a good enough substitute when the noodles are a times hard to come by (I personally don't eat gluten free pasta as don't enjoy the texture)

*My rice substitutes: Quinoa - High in protein,*good source of*dietary fiber*and*phosphorus*and is high in*magnesium, calcium*and*iron. Buckwheat -*low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, vitamin B, Magnesium, Copper, Manganese, Iron, Zinc Selenium, antioxidants and essential amino acids.

*My bread substitute: I used to eat Pumpernickel bread - rye bread high in fiber,*heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, B vitamins, calcium and magnesium. In the last six months I have become gluten free which makes me feel better - I know eat Corn or Quinoa crispy bread.

*My milk substitute: Almond milk -*rich in nutrients including fiber, vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, manganese, zinc, potassium, iron, phosphorus, tryptophan, copper, and calcium. It also has no cholesterol. Yakult*(light)-*probiotic dairy product made by fermenting a mixture of skimmed milk with a special strain of the bacterium Lactobacillus casei. I have one of these in the morning which is good for the intestinal flora

Being now gluten free, I eat food that is naturally gluten free and not gluten free made products as the contain 'gums' to give them the right consistency that are not great for your health, plus a lot of gluten free made products have higher amounts of salt, sugar and other additives to make them tastier.

As the overall diet is quite high in fiber content, I do have to make a*conscious*effort to drink*plenty of water throughout the day.

I am not going to lie... to start with it's not easy... It takes a lot of will power and discipline (and hours of reading labels at the supermarket) until you find what works for you. Don't give up, it becomes a lot easier and it's truly worth it!

 

[Unlucky41]

Thanks stillhoping I am trying to enforce this diet but being Asian rice is our bread and butter. I have basmati rice which I heard is ok but with portion control. The hard think is when you go out for breakfast. Love my eggs but not sure if it is organic at the cafes. Once a week is too much you reckon?

I definitely felt better not having diary, beef and cutting down carbs!

Do you take any herbs as well?
Are you still ttc ?

 

[Unlucky41]

I just take Pamprin Max for the pain, and use Icy Hot patches on my back. I will actually start using the progesterone cream this cycle too, hopefully that helps some.

My cramping started yesterday and is still present. Usually I don't get cramps until day 3, super annoying! I see chocolate in my future.

Oh I am the same with chocolate but I try to portion control so I usually take a bite and chuck the rest in the bin out of fustration like a crazy lady.

Just want to ask you ladies what you think if dhea for endometriosis? I heard it is not good but others said they used it and helped.

 

[still hopping]

You made me laugh Unlucky41!... I know exactly what you mean! I am Spanish and giving up bread is one of the hardest thing I have ever done in my life!!
I think with the eggs, not knowing the source if it's only once a week it is ok... like with most things, it gets worse as it accumulates... I stick to my diet at home throughout the week but if I go out or are invited to someone's home for dinner, I just tell them I am gluten free and eat pretty much anything else I am served
With the chocolate, I am lucky I am not much of a sweet tooth although at times do feel like sweet stuff but not that often. I only keep 80%+ cocoa chocolate at home and have a square or two every other day. If i am really craving something sweet I have homemade icecream in the freezer that I make and sweeten using honey or raw stevia... or have a bowl of organic rice puffs with milk and honey... I have found that these 'tricks' work for me..

About dhea I haven't heard much... but being a hormone I wouldn't take it without expert advice specially if you are trying TTC

I am on my first round of IVF at the moment, first transfer TWW... I have my beta test this coming Wednesday... fingers x'ed! Only one embryo survived so none to freeze... One egg for one cycle is not a great stat but you never know... I am keeping positive

I used to go to a herbal doctor who specializes in fertility and take herbal tinctures twice a day together with some suplements. It really worked for me and helped the endo too but since starting the IVF treatment the doctors at the clinic preferred me to stop as they did not know if it could interfere with the treatment. If you are interested in what was in the tinctures I can have a look as I have it noted somewhere.

You have gone through a journey and a half!!! Best of luck with this second natural cycle... as you say... It only takes one egg!!!

 

[Unlucky41]

Still hoping I have tried herbs as well but the Chinese herbalist never gave any real details what they are giving you. Safe to say it didn't work took it for a while before my lap and never had a bfp with.

The journey of ivf. Best of luck for the first cycle one to transfer is nor a bad place to be. It is always a trial and error. We have 5 eggs no matured eggs my dreams were crushed for our first ivf. Keeping postive is good. It only takes one. Surely we can expect our bodies to produce one good egg!

 

[jules87]

Thank you StillHoping for the food ideas. I've read up on treating endo with diet, but it can be pretty overwhelming. Your list helps simplify it quite a bit.

I know I'm in the habit of sharing tmi, but I'm super frustrated at the moment. I "started" my new cycle on Friday/ Saturday. Had cramping and all that other fun stuff with it. By the end of Saturday, nothing; Sunday, nothing. Today, no cramps or anything yet. I'm so sick of being irregular. I used to be able to tell you exactly what day it would fall on and exactly how the next 10 days of my life were going to go. But, for the past 6 months or so, it's been a different story.

I hope you all had a great weekend! We didn't do much, just hung around the house and got a few things done. I kind of like staying home though, I'm a bit of a homebody.

 

[still hopping]

Oh Jules, that's awful... I was reading earlier posts and saw that your periods last up to 10 days! I guess the only solution doctors would give you to regulate your periods would be to put you on the pill??

Have you tried Vitex? It's natural and one of the things it can help with is regulating periods ... plus many other things

Take care and be kind to yourself hun

 

[mama.mouse]

I just take Pamprin Max for the pain, and use Icy Hot patches on my back. I will actually start using the progesterone cream this cycle too, hopefully that helps some.

My cramping started yesterday and is still present. Usually I don't get cramps until day 3, super annoying! I see chocolate in my future.

Oh I am the same with chocolate but I try to portion control so I usually take a bite and chuck the rest in the bin out of fustration like a crazy lady.

Just want to ask you ladies what you think if dhea for endometriosis? I heard it is not good but others said they used it and helped.

I'm on DHEA hun. Not specifically for endometriosis, I had a bit of a stress breakdown and my doc prescribed it for chronic fatigue. He said it would also assist with my "polycystic tendancies". I feel great actually but not really certain if it has made a major difference endo wise. My LP was a one day longer last month and it is usually only 11 days so thats positive! But I am also on metformin and Vitamin d3

 

[jules87]

Oh Jules, that's awful... I was reading earlier posts and saw that your periods last up to 10 days! I guess the only solution doctors would give you to regulate your periods would be to put you on the pill??

Have you tried Vitex? It's natural and one of the things it can help with is regulating periods ... plus many other things

Take care and be kind to yourself hun

Yep, 10 days. It's annoying, half my cycle the is harassing me.
You are the second person to suggest Vitex to me. Must be good stuff! I will look into it, anything to help with my periods/ endo. You're right, the only option my doctor will go for is the pill. But, he knows we want kids, so he's against that as well, even temporarily.

I'm on DHEA hun. Not specifically for endometriosis, I had a bit of a stress breakdown and my doc prescribed it for chronic fatigue. He said it would also assist with my "polycystic tendancies". I feel great actually but not really certain if it has made a major difference endo wise. My LP was a one day longer last month and it is usually only 11 days so thats positive! But I am also on metformin and Vitamin d3

Interesting that he prescribed DHEA for chronic fatigue. I wish the doctors here would listen to me about that.
That's exciting that your LP was a day longer. Hopefully it keeps working, whatever it may be.

 

[mama.mouse]

It really could have been more towards my hormonal imbalance I suppose? He gave me so much information that daY I kind of just hoped DH was listening (he wasn't lol)

 

[jules87]

I started Vitex today! Think good thoughts for me, I could really use something, anything, to help. lol.

 

[Unlucky41]

Jules I have been on vitex for two months and my temps after ovulation is higher meaning progesterone is higher. One step in the right direction eh?

Hope to hear your feedback as well

 

[still hopping]

I had my beta last Wednesday and came back positive... I still can't believe it... they were slim odds with only one embryo out of the IVF round... first time getting a positive ever in six years of trying... result came back hCG 100... back on Monday for more bloods...fingers crossed it sticks! So happy, scared, excited, shocked, emotional, worried...
Everything is so fragile that anything can happen at this early stage and more than excited, I am scared... please, please, please let this be it!!

 

[Unlucky41]

Very exciting still hoping. Congrats! You must be over the moon. Keep us updated with your beta

 

[Unlucky41]

Stillhoping this cycle was all natural right? Your diet finally paid off great news

 

[Unlucky41]

Sorry stillhoping just realised it was ivf first round. Still this is great news!

 

[lemon_tree]

Hi ladies, another endo fighter here, hoping to join you!

Jules, thanks for starting this thread. 10 days of AF every cycle sounds terrible, I really hope the vitex brings some relief!

Still hopping, congratulations!! I'm so happy for you, and hope your bean sticks. It's always awesome to see IVF work.

AFM, my husband and I have been TTC for over two years now. I've had heavy periods with horrendous cramps since I was a teenager (I'm 32), and a few years ago got diagnosed with uterine fibroids. Earlier this year, I had surgery to remove it to help improve our odds of conception, and during the surgery they discovered patches of endo all over the place, including on my left ovary. They took out all the endo they could see, but didn't give me an official grade.

The diagnosis sucked but it was good to find a reason why my AFs were so heavy and painful all this time as the doctors didn't thing the fibroid would cause so much pain or bleeding or be the primary cause of my infertility.

I'm in a waiting period now while my uterus heals from the myomectomy, and then I am going straight to IVF at his fall. The endo may have damaged my ovaries so I am nervous but trying not to worry too much. In the meantime, I am on the pill to keep the endo and fibroid regrowth in check in the interim before we TTC again.

I have low AMH, a blocked right tube, and a lot of hope.

Like hoping, I'm also on a diet where I've cut gluten, red meat, dairy, soy, and alcohol out of my diet. It's hard, but I'm feeling better. And I'm grateful for Trader Joe's super dark chocolate truffle bars. There's soy and dairy in most bars, but not these babies.

Happy Monday, all.

 

[jules87]

Still hopping- that is very exciting! I look forward to hearing more from you. Fingers crossed and prayers that this one sticks for you!

Lemon- welcome to the group! I can't imagine waiting until 32 to get a diagnosis. I started seeing doctors about the endo when I was 20, and finally got a diagnosis at 26. You are a trooper! Good luck when you get started with IVF. I'm happy you have joined us and I look forward to being there during your journey.

AFM not a whole lot of exciting news in the ttc realm since we can't ttc. The witch stuck around through the weekend (8 days this time), I had more days of cramping than usual... I"m worried that my endo has gotten worse and that I may not be able to get back to ttc when we are done treating my headaches.
Anywho... I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I have a jam packed week and I'm wondering how I"m going to get through it all.

 

[lemon_tree]

It was a lifetime of, "well, periods hurt, but we deal with it as women" and then everything got blamed on the fibroid. Until the fibroid came out, and endo was discovered, and then it was all "Oh this makes much more sense." Who knew that soaking through a super plus tampon in 2 hours wasn't normal?

I will say, my periods did lighten up a big when I switched to a menstrual cup. Have any of you tried one or had a similar experience? My cramps got lighter and my periods shortened by a day or two. (This was before my diagnosis.)

Jules, that sucks about your endo pain. I hope your body is kind to you.

 

[mama.mouse]

Welcome Lemon! Oh my gosh I always insisted on going to a male gynaecologist because I had a woman once and she said to me "period cramps are part of being a woman" and I thought this b**** is not actually serious.

At least now you know what's going on! Understanding endo is the first step to overcoming it I think!

Congrats StilHoping what wonderful news! I'm 7DPO now on my first Clomid cycle in a little while. I really "feel" different this month by trying not to hang on to it this month.

Jules I went through a stage that each time I cramped a little longer or AF was lighter or heavier or I felt unusual I booked myself in at the doc and eventually he was like RELAX SERIOUSLY. He said things are not like they were, we need to stop worrying about it. It's hard though when you are used to your ovaries attacking you every so often!