Navigating Life with Endometriosis: An Endometriosis Dietitian's Endometriosis Journey (Symptoms, Diagnosis and Management Strategies).

Hi, I'm Rachel, a Fertility and Endometriosis Dietitian and co-founder of Hera Nutrition. I am dedicated to helping endowarriors just like you, to optimise their diet to help manage their endometriosis symptoms.

In this blog post, I wanted to get a little vulnerable and share my story of Navigating Life with Endometriosis.

Before you continue reading this blog post it is important to note: please do not make any decisions regarding your health or endometriosis treatment based on what I am doing (or anyone else for that matter!) All medical decisions should be made after discussion with your GP and/or specialist as what works for me may not be appropriate for you. 

My Endo Story, so far…

I was diagnosed with Endometriosis at around age 18 after experiencing very heavy periods (sleeping with a towel as I often bled through those super pads that feel like nappies), intense pain and fatigue. I had 2 laparoscopies before age 20 due to my symptoms returning. I was diagnosed quite early as endo is common in my family so it was already on my radar from a young age.

However, I know that this is not the case for the majority of people with endo (The average time to diagnosis is 6.5 years!).

From age 15-16, I was on hormonal birth control which I found to work quite well for heavy bleeding and pain however, I was still experiencing bloating and chronic fatigue which at the time I was not aware was a symptom of Endometriosis.

I decided to swap over to the Mirena in 2020 which I found made a huge difference in my mood! It worked well for the first few years but then I noticed more of my symptoms returning in late 2022 (bladder and bowel pain, bloating, fatigue) so, in November 2023 I had the Mirena removed to see how my body responded to being off hormonal birth control. (This was something I was very nervous about as I wasn't sure how my body would respond).

Since having the Mirena removed I have noticed improvements in my motivation and my libido however, my Endometriosis symptoms are also returning.

The symptoms I am experiencing include:

• Pain with bowels, bladder, ovulation, period and sex

• Abdominal bloating (hello #endobelly) 

• Lower back and leg pain

• Chronic fatigue

• Headaches 

• Heavy bleeding (prior to being on hormonal birth control)

Even though I diligently take my supplements every day and follow an anti-inflammatory diet, my symptoms have unfortunately returned. As we know, there is no cure for endometriosis! However, implementing the strategies I teach my Endometriosis clients has helped reduce my symptoms at times and delay surgery.

I have now found an Endometriosis specialist Gynecologist and decided to book my third excision surgery later this year. I'm hopeful that this will help manage some of the symptoms I'm currently experiencing.

If you would like to hear more of my Endometriosis Story you can do so via our Podcast, Hera Health Hub (linked below!)

I wanted to share my story with you to you and let you know that I understand the struggles you may be facing as someone living with endometriosis. It can be a challenging condition to live with, and I want you to know that you're not alone.

Endometriosis can impact every aspect of your life, from your work, to your finances, to your relationships. It can cause chronic pain, fatigue, and gut issues that can make it difficult to manage your day-to-day life. 

Living with a chronic illness can be frustrating and overwhelming and incredibly lonely if you don't have anyone to talk to. Please don't hesitate to reach out to your health care team (GP, Dietitian, Gynaecologist etc) if you have any questions. I'm here to help!

If you would like more information on how you can work with us, click HERE or shoot us a DM on Instagram @heranutrition_