Finding my way to alternative medicine

Finding my way to alternative medicine'

By JENNIFER KEEFE
jkeefe@fosters.com
Thursday, March 26, 2009

Editor's note: Foster's reporter Jennifer Keefe shares her thoughts on learning to deal with and control the disease endometriosis, well-known among women but as she is learning, little discussed.


A lot has changed for me since early February when surgery revealed I have endometriosis. While this condition affects more than 5 million women in the U.S. alone, I hadn't heard of it before I was diagnosed. But I learned fast, and what I learned left me feeling uneasy.

With endometriosis, particles of tissue from the lining of the womb (called the endometrium) travel to other parts of the body and attach to other organs forming implants. These particles react each month to hormonal changes in the reproductive cycle and breakdown and bleed. But with nowhere for the blood to go, the particles develop into growths and overtime become larger. These growths commonly cause significant pain during the menstrual cycle and in more serious cases can lead to infertility.

I had gone to my doctor with abdominal pain in January, expecting it to be diagnosed as something simple. Three weeks later I found myself recovering from a laparoscopy and feeling confused. One thing I hadn't really been aware of until after I'd been stitched up was that even though doctors can remove the implants during a laparoscopy, endometriosis can return.

So instead of having invasive surgery every few years, a commonly recommended treatment is Lupron, which can relieve and prevent symptoms of endometriosis. It sounded relatively non-threatening as my doctor gently explained that he would recommend it for six months. But in reading through the packet of information he had given me, my heart began to race. This drug ceases ovulation and would put my body into menopause to "dry up" the implants, which are fed by hormones each month. An additional drug puts hormones back into the body that Lupron takes away.

Side effects include mood swings, hot flashes, decreased bone density and sleep disturbance.

For a person who barely wants to take Advil for a headache, this information was a lot to take in. But I felt as if there was no other option, especially when just two weeks after surgery the unfortunate reality hit that the pain had not gone away. I tried to ignore it at first, passing it off as the result of something I ate or a pulled muscle. But I wasn't fooling anyone, especially not my body.

I felt defeated. I didn't know what to think or what to do.

My decisions didn't happen overnight. There's been a lot of tears, a lot of frustration and a lot of anger. My boyfriend and close friends have been amazingly understanding through my ever-changing emotional state but only I could make a final ruling on what to do. I felt uncomfortable signing up for a drug that gets mixed reviews not knowing how it would affect me, but I could not do nothing. So I began to research. To my advantage, I happened to meet another woman right in the midst of this situation who had gone through the same thing. She'd tried Lupron for a while but when her endometriosis symptoms returned with a vengeance, she turned to something completely different. And she told me all about it.

Armed with books, website addresses and a bunch of personal insight, I set out on a mission. I was going to try changing my diet and using alternative medicine to combat endometriosis.

So you're looking at the new gluten-free, wheat-free, soy-free, sugar-free, dairy-free and red-meat free Jen Keefe. The thinking behind this diet seems sound — of course I'm not sure it will work but there's a fair amount of evidence out there substantiating that it does. The foods I'm removing from my diet have all been tied to estrogen production in the body or act as inflammatory agents. Endometriosis is tied to estrogen production, so removing foods that contain it has been linked to a reduction in symptoms.

A British woman, Carolyn Levett, seems to have a solid hand in this line of thinking as her book "Reclaim Your Life: Your Guide to Aid Healing of Endometriosis," which outlines her success over extensive endometriosis without one day of Lupron, has reached millions of people. She has since published an endometriosis cookbook and created endo-resolved.com, which explains endometriosis, treatments, and has a place for reader comments and a message board.

I was amazed at how many women are out there who suffer from endometriosis and feel overwhelmed.

I haven't ruled out Lupron. But I don't think there's any harm in seeing if the natural route works for me. There are many facets to it like herbal supplements and remedies. Yoga and acupuncture have even been suggested to me. Because my health depends on it, I'm dedicated toward watching what I eat and taking charge of my life. This is a mind-over-matter situation and I intend to follow through, even if it means saying goodbye to my favorite ice cream.

At a particularly low point feeling overwhelmed with life in general, I called my best friend's mother who is a nurse and always has been supportive. She didn't have answers for me and wasn't even too familiar with endometriosis. But she helped me more than she probably knows. She told me that everyone has something that they deal with and the important thing is to realize there are people around you who love you and who will support you. Tomorrow is another day, she said.

It's funny how sometimes the simplest truths can evade us. Tomorrow is another day.

I might not be able to start it with my favorite cereal, but I can use it as one more step toward feeling better.