Endometriosis and IBS

Hi Friends

When two incurable diseases comes together - Endometriosis and IBS, it can very disheartening to the sufferer. There is no scientific proof that Endometriosis affects IBS but all I can say is that it does because I have two friends who have them and I have watched them suffer. For couple of days every month, they are usually bed ridden and most of the time double up in pain. It is disheartening for me to see someone else in so much pain. However, I try to be with them or at least close by whenever they need someone to help around.

I am putting into layman terms and probably oversimplifying. Endometriosis is a misplaced tissue which grows into lesions. This happens in the inside walls of the uterus and during menstrual cycle, the lesions sheds like a wall paint with lots of blood. It is extremely painful. In severe cases, pregnancy is impossible and the only long term solution is hysterectomy (basically remove the womb). There is another version which is called Adenomyosis where the lesions is on the outside of the uterus. Some people have both.

The symptoms of endometriosis are:

• - Pain before and during periods
• - Pain with sex
• - Infertility
• - Fatigue
• - Painful urination during periods
• - Painful bowel movements during periods
• - Other Gastrointestinal upsets such as diarrhea, constipation, nausea.

Somehow, when my friends have their menses, their IBS acts up significantly. Solid foods, even safe foods becomes difficult to keep down. Vomiting and cramps becomes even more severe. We have had limited success by controlling lifestyle changes

Meals

• - congee
• - very well cooked vegetables. The vegetables becomes soft. It is more like a vegetable stew. (I will write the recipe in another posting). No meat at all.
• - lightly friend eggs.
• - light soups (e.g. mushroom)

The meals are eaten in small portions, very often. The idea is to keep the food down.

Hot water bottle and cumin tea comes in handy when bloating becomes more severe.

I notice that if there is bowel movements, the suffering is significantly less. So if there is a need to take laxatives just to help in bowel movement, it would be a good choice.

Massages

• Hot water bottle treatment is very effective in alleviating stomach cramps.
• We increase stomach massage, and everytime, it seems to help alleviate the pain as well. I normally will put the hot water treatment after the stomach massage. And most of the time, they will fall a sleep, which is a good thing.

Rest.

• Plenty of rest.