Hello everyone! I was hoping to find other Endo Women who would like to share their personal Endometriosis journey on my blog, so I was very excited when Melissa agreed to share her story with us! Read on to find out about Melissa's winning battle with Endometriosis:
Melissa shares her Natural Healing Journey with
Endometriosis
I remember the first day of my period. I remember it because
it was the first day I had heard those famous words, us endo girls are possibly
too familiar with: “It is normal to experience pain with your period”.
With period pain being a normal part of womanhood, I also
began to accept moodiness, headaches, migraines, nausea and diarrhoea as normal
with my period too. I just expected that every woman in the world endured these
things and hey, it is what womanhood is all about! Right?
It was only after a long trip away, having my period and a
bladder infection at the same time, that I realised that what I was
experiencing was far from normal. After a 7hour drive and few toilet stops, my
abdominal area swelled up, like I was 3 months pregnant. I was 19years of age
and it was the first time, the words Endometriosis entered my mind. I had
visited my doctor with few answers and an inner voice told me it was related to
my womanly bits! I went to the Gynaecologist and he immediately recognised the
symptoms as Endometriosis. My operation was done a week later and they
discovered Stage 4 Endometriosis. I really believed that after the operation,
they had fixed me. That it would be the end of it all.
A few weeks after having recovered from my operation, I was
sitting in my Gynaecologist’s office and he was explaining what Endometriosis
was and started presenting me with various options on what I could do to
“treat” it. I remember it all being a big fat haze and the words: “there is no
cure” and “you have a limited chance of having a child” and “you should try and
fall pregnant as soon as you can” were just whirling around in my head.
I eventually tried a nasal spray that would stop the
Endometriosis growth by stopping my hormones from producing too much Oestrogen.
I had relief from Endometriosis for 6months. I didn’t experience any pain or
any problems at all – I didn’t have a period and it was fantastic! I felt so
alive and excited that there was a “cure” for Endometriosis!
I received a phone call from the doctors office and they
scheduled in an appointment with my Gynaecologist again. He quickly informed me
that I couldn’t keep taking the Syndol nasal spray as it would affect my bone
density. I was young and naive and just wanted the pain to stay away, so I
begged him to let me have it for longer. I remember saying to him, that I
didn’t really care about the consequences, that I just wanted to be pain free
like I had been the last 6months. He told me that we would explore all the
other options out there and find something that would work for me.
I spent the next 10years being a Guinea Pig for every drug,
hormone treatment and pain-killer on the market for Endometriosis. I went
through another 6 operations and ultimately my Gynaecologist and I never found
something that worked for me. All the treatments out there always presented a
series of side-effects which my body seemed to react to instantly.
I eventually immigrated to Australia and something changed.
The truth is, I couldn’t go for another operation – I had no medical insurance
and the waiting time was over a year away. I was stuck. My endometriosis pain
was unbearable! I could barely keep my job from all the pain and my stress
levels were getting higher and higher with worry. I had to do something!
One of the things that I found really interesting in
Australia was just how many Chinese Practitioners were in Australia. They
claimed to be able to treat all sorts of conditions and I felt so desperate I
decided to give it a try! I vowed to myself that if it didn’t work in the next
6months, that I would fly back to South-Africa and get the operation done
there.
I stuck to all the principles of Chinese healing. I changed
my diet, cut out lots of bread and pasta’s, ate more fruits and vegetables,
walked daily and practiced deep breathing exercises. I took the funny herbs
that were given to me each day and followed everything my practitioner had
said.
Within 6months, I was completely pain free. I had NO PAIN!
It was unbelievable and I really believed that was it! I was cured!
I had no idea what my practitioner had really achieved and
just believed they were some miracle herbs and I could go back to “normal”
again.
What I didn’t understand is that the body works in balance
and alcohol, rich fatty foods and stress all throw out this natural balance.
I went on the contraceptive pill (I had a new man!) and slowly
but surely my PMS and all my related symptoms of Endometriosis started to
reappear. I had thrown out the natural balance.
Over the next few years, I learnt some valuable lessons. I learnt
that my body is sacred, that our bodies need balance to heal and thrive and
that everything we add in…matters!
I started my own personal journey with natural healing in
June 2010. I changed. I learnt and I have grown so much!
I no longer experience pain or inflammation. I have lost a
dress-size in 3months! I have taken up running and my sex life is better than
ever!
I share this journey on my blog and how amazing my life has
become since following the natural ways. I share everything with you, so you
can grow and learn from me!
