Endometriosis – Nutritionist, Hannah’s story

Nutritionist, Hannah, has battled with Endometriosis since being diagnosed in 2015. During this time, Endometriosis wasn’t commonly discussed or understood therefore diagnosis wasn’t as easy as it is today (written: Dec, 2022). Here, Hannah shares the story of how she was diagnosed with the medical condition and what she found to work best for her.

Disclaimer: what works for one person may not be the same for yourself. If you think you may have endometriosis or require further testing, please speak to your health care professional for advice.

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a medical condition where endometrium, similar to the lining of the womb, grows in other areas of the body. These can be found on fallopian tubes, ovaries and other areas of the female anatomy.

It is a condition that affects 1 in 10 females in the UK. However, it is possible that there are many more people with the condition who haven’t yet had a diagnosis. Painful periods for women are common, therefore symptoms of endometrioses can often go undetected as a result.

Hannah’s symptoms

Symptoms of Endometriosis can vary from person to person however, there are some common symptoms to be aware of. The NHS has a list of symptoms on their website, you can find that here.

Hannah’s main symptoms were:

• Heavy++ periods
• Excruciating pains (including lower back and down the legs)
• Low mood++ for 2 weeks of a month
• Pain when exercising (when not on period)

Hannah decided to seek further medical attention when the symptoms started to take over her life and she knew that painkillers were not the way to continue. The symptoms she struggled mostly with was the pain during exercise, the heaviness of the periods and the affect it had on her mood.

Investigations

Hannah went to a lady GP who specialised in female health. Immediately after discussing Hannah’s symptoms, the GP told Hannah that she suspected Endometriosis. A referral was made to gynaecology where internal and external scans were performed, including an MRI. A laparoscopy may also be performed for some people however, this is sometimes done further down the line. This investigations confirmed that Hannah had Endometriosis.

Outcome

Endometriosis was diagnosed and “treatment” was discussed. Treatment is a loose term as there is no actual treatment. The only treatment is to have the endometrial growths lasered off however, they can still grow back and it is an invasive operation. It was agreed that Hannah takes a prescription pill and surgery can be discussed at a later date (typically when a female wants to try for a baby).

The pill helps to manage the blood flow and pains, as well as helps to balance hormones which caused the depressive mood. In addition, the pill helps to prevent further growth of the endometrium therefore should (theoretically) keep the endometriosis under control.

Was diet or alternative remedies an option?

If you search online it will guide you through alternative remedies and diet advice to help cure symptoms of endometriosis. Typically the advise is to focus on anti-inflammatory foods which does have some scientific evidence to back it. Foods rich in anti-oxidants have anti-inflammatory benefits, as well as specific nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids. These have been found to reduce the pain associated with endometriosis, as well as improve quality of life.

Hannah had adapted her diet accordingly but after many years of trying, she didn’t see an improvement in her symptoms. In addition, she tried yoga, reflexology, meditation and breath work, with little success. Although breath work and yoga has many benefits for the body and mind, it wasn’t enough to cure the symptoms Hannah had.

Conclusion

Endometriosis is a growing illness with more women being diagnosed and more knowledge circulating. This is a great step in the right direction and we hope more women get the diagnosis and treatment they require. For Hannah, despite the research backing dietary changes, these weren’t enough to help relieve her symptoms.

Taking the pill is what worked for Hannah, and she has seen a drastic change in her symptoms. Her periods are manageable, she no longer has mood swings, and she can live her life as normal as possible. For her, unfortunately dietary changes alone did not help. Despite the pill getting a bad reputation, she would suggest that if dietary and holistic methods do not work you you, please consider alternative methods of treatment.

Further links

If you or someone you know may need support, please see the links below for further information.

Endometriosis UK have some useful information on their website.

Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists have a useful patient information leaflet, find here.

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