End with Empowerment | EndoSister Melissa Turner |

Women with Endometriosis need to become Empowered – Melissa Turner

I felt like a hamster running around experiencing the same things over and over again. It went something like this:

Pain: surgery: hormonal treatment: side-effects…. go off treatment: pain: surgery: try new treatment:side-effects…. go off treatment: pain: surgery: try new treatment. This poor little hamster was running around and around and around. I did that loop over and over again – I experienced 7 operations, countless hormone treatments and knew every specialist on a first name basis. My handbag was a collection of drugs for every known side-effect my body was experiencing and my life was completely dominated by Endometriosis.

My poor body was no better off and on the last operation, I just couldn’t do it anymore. I felt alone, hopeless and depressed. To me, it felt like the entire medical community had let me down. I didn’t feel any better off after 15years of trying everything that had been suggested to me. I felt like those words of “there is no cure” were hampering every inch of hope that was left in me, that somehow I could lead a normal life.

To be honest, for years I really believed that I would just have to “toughen up” to be stronger, to fight harder. To be determined that this incredible pain would not get the better of me. I fought so hard, that I exhausted every inch of myself in doing so. By the end of it, my spirit was broken and somehow the Endo had won. Something had to give…..

I am not sure if there was a precise moment which changed it all for me. I wouldn’t say it was some magical, lightbulb experience. I think I just couldn’t find anymore strength to carry on running around and around that hamster wheel!

It began gradually for me, the little changes that I made. I just started to recognise that there were certain foods that seemed to trigger my Endometriosis and make it more prominent. My doctor never indicated that diet would have anything to do with the pain but somehow, I noticed it seemed to increase intensity when I ate more sugar or dairy or had that lovely piece of chocolate cake!

Over time, I started to write down the foods that were affecting me and gradually reducing them. I then went on a massive exploration, I call it my Endometriosis Journey, to discover more about the connections on food and my Endometriosis pain. I discovered amazing things! I discovered that there were certain foods that were creating more inflammation in my body. There were certain foods which were making my Endometriosis grow more frantically and there were foods that could do the opposite. I could eat to reduce the pain and I could eat to take control!

It was amazing to me that I could finally take some sense of power in my Endometriosis journey. That I didn’t have to rely on just hormone treatments and surgery but that I could play an active part in how my body felt.

Over time, I discovered that there were other things that were influencing the Endometriosis pain. I recognised the importance of moving my body – I practice Yoga daily. I became much more open to ideas about my inner thinking and how my thoughts were influencing my Endometriosis pain. I have done cleanses and fasting for my healing! I also learned about herbal remedies and supplements that could support my healing.

What began as a simple exploration about the foods I ate, has evolved into a complete holistic approach towards my Endometriosis and it feels so incredibly empowering. I feel so in control of my Endometriosis. I feel like I know it more than I ever did, for all those years I was running around that hamster wheel.

I want more women to recognise the power of these things. They honestly, sound so simple and perhaps even irrelevant. Perhaps we feel that they are not powerful enough to fight that nasty endometriosis. Perhaps we feel that it is not enough. Trust me when I say this…. Endo doesn’t need to rule your life and you can become empowered about it.

After having Endometriosis since the age of 19 years of age, I now no longer experience pain with Endometriosis – or very rarely if I do. I had Stage 4 Endometriosis and there are days when I honestly feel like I simply don’t have Endometriosis anymore.

It has been an amazing journey. I needed to learn to put myself first, put my body first and learn about what it truly needed. I hope you do the same.

You can read more about Melissa and her Journey with Endometriosis on her blog www.endoangel.com. Melissa is a huge advocate for using a natural approach for Endometriosis. She is currently studying to become a certified Naturopath and has created E-Courses and Books to share her knowledge with others suffering with Endometriosis.