endometriosis and adenomyosis - any lifestyle changes help?

[Angels1111]

Has anyone found any lifestyle changes that help with these conditions? Have just been diagnosed

Probably not what you wanted to hear but I have found that the coil has been miraculous for my Ad - I’m also on HRT so absolutely not done you diet changes but my life is more comfortable.

I mean considering it's tissue across your body for Endometriosis and adenomyosis is growing into the uterus wall, no lifestyle changes are going to get rid of it. I mean pacing with chronic illness can be useful, what specifically are you thinking about?

I think the OP is looking for support, she didn’t ask how to get rid of it!!

My daughter has both Endo and Aden and she has started an anti inflammatory diet. She lives a life of daily pain but has had excision surgeries for deep infiltrating endo. She finds strong solpadol and heat pads will take the edge off the pain. She also sees a physiotherapist every few months.

For some reason a lot of Drs/consultants seem to think that the coil is the answer to everything but it’s not the case with her. She’s had several coils and they all dislodged and had to be removed.

I know that, but I was trying to say was does she want support for treatment or support for life with chronic illness? Pacing is the best advice I'd give, it's annoying and hard to get right, but long-term makes your life the easiest.

Personally I don't think the anti-inflammatory diet helps (doesn't mean you can't try it) but I'd OP wanted some advice on different medications etc, I'd then give it, I'm not sure what she means on support (treatment or the mental side of living with a progressive discussion), some people don't like medications, which is fine, I have found that the best way for me. A mix of antiemetics, antispasmodics, high dose opiods and NSAIDs, meds for bleeding, and a mix of other gastro meds is the way that helps me, but I know some people wouldn't want to go that route.

My Obi does also have some great TENS machines as well. I also use a walking stick/rollator as I have nerve and back issues, and am hoping to get sacral nerve stimulation, then excision surgery where you can, for adenomyosis, it's up to you and where you are in your life on a hysterectomy. If you don't want that ablation can help, but that does only address the bleeding and not the pain, the mirena coil if inserted well (and get all the pain relief) can also help as it thins the uterus lining and so they'll be less bleeding.

Anti emetics, pain relief and anti histamines have helped me. These then allow me to do positive lifestyle things - for me this is regular exercise, prioritising rest and sleep, pacing activities (eg if I have a busy day I know the next day or two need to be quieter), avoiding standing for prolonged periods of time - specifically standing still, it makes my bloating and back pain a million times worse. I eat low carb - I think this helps as reduces bloating for me. I’ve recently started to take magnesium and reduce some caffeine (replacing coffee with tea). Jury out on how effective.

Oh and heat blankets, hot water bottle, hot anything! Literally sat here clamped between heat blanket on my back and hot water bottle on my front,

I tried absolutely everything including diet changes, physio, hormone treatment. Ultimately I had to have a hysterectomy and it has vastly improved my quality of life. It hasn’t cured my endo as I kept my ovaries but my pain has drastically reduced. The only other thing that helped me hugely was heat. I bought an electric heat pad from Amazon for about £15 and it’s great.

The mirena coil has changed my life and I would encourage everyone with endo to give it a go. For a long time I was very anti birth control but I’ve had to accept it’s literally the only way to “treat” my endo. I now have very minimal bleeding/pain, no nasty PMS moods and I’m not anaemic anymore.

Eating healthy - but not obsessively so has been the best diet for me.

Same with exercise - walks and mostly Pilates/yoga but higher energy classes when I feel up to it.

Make sure you get your bloods tested and take supplements if you need, also make sure you rest when you need!

The only thing that's worked for me is going back on the mini pill (I'm 45 and have no fallopian tubes) to stop my periods.

My life is changed by not having them any more. Can't believe I lived with that pain like it was normal.