Yoga Magic

I have recently been rediscovering the magical properties of Hatha Yoga.

As an endometriosis girl finding ways to complement my energy levels and cardiovascular activities are a challenge; I used to go to yoga before having the Mini Divas, and have been back for the the last 3 weeks for some much needed strength and stretching.

What I love about yoga is the fact that I might have a mind racing full of the day's events, I may feel tired and worn out before a class, yet without fail I come out feeling energised, calm and restored. Hatha yoga for me has been like rediscovering a kind of magic potion, and I never fail to be amazed that this über ancient meditation and exercise form can work on so many levels.

looking after number 1

This is one thing lately I have been thinking a lot about. I have been seeing huge improvements in my health and management of chronic fatigue and endometriosis as regular readers will know. The results have been coming mainly from eating a high raw diet, cutting out the CRAP ( literally Carbs, Refined Sugars, Alcohol and Processed foods), and exercising as much as I can whilst resting when my body needs it. Simple, right?

Looking after myself takes time. Time to make a green juice or smoothies and to wash it up, (those gadgets can create a lot of mess!) time to go for a run or a yoga class. As a working, self employed mum, it can be all so easy to make excuses or feel bad about making that time for myself, and I think a lot of us can relate to that. But guess what....the kids are seeing more of me now I am not in bed for 3 or 4 days a week in chronic pain. They are benefiting from having a mum who is present, not foggy headed and perpetually sore, who is energised and full of life. I am not 100% well, I am still on a journey but my goodness the difference is huge.

Running and riding for endo

Ok endo warriors, my fellow sisters in pain and suffering, this is for you.

I am taking part in 2 events to raise money for endometriosis - the Nike Run to the Beat in September, and Cycletta 40km bike ride in Brighton in November. This is a big deal for a mum of two with extreme pain and fatigue who is on a mission.

I may have to walk the courses on the day, I may crawl it, but I will do it.

I would like to thank Freya lingerie for supporting me during my training and for sponsoring me to attend the Cycletta event.

If you would like to help me, you can donate to my JustGiving page here,.  Contact me for info on how your brand can get involved. If you want to join me and take part with me, let me know, and above all else please spread the word and donate.

Let's do this.

 

Downloadable endo symptom diary

As an advocate of endo awareness and an endo warrior myself I want to help as many women as possible get a diagnosis for their pelvic pain in the least amount of time.

Mine took 8 years, and it is my mission that women who suspect that they might have endo have the right information to hand to show their GP's.

Here is a printable symptom diary to help track pelvic pain and symptoms.

Downloadable symptom diary

Help yourself, pass the word around and I hope it helps.

DD
x

The wheat cheat: intolerance and loving yourself

I have an intolerance to wheat.

I know this.

It makes my endometriosis pain much worse.  I feel hideous when I eat too much of it and I detoxed from it back in February.

Life, but not as you know it.

This little post is to share with you all how saddening, maddening, frustrating, painful and tiring it is living with endometriosis and it's associated entourage of symptoms.

Every few weeks the pain gets so much that my body hits a wall of exhaustion and chronic fatigue sets it. I don't just mean tiredness like you have after a big night out, or even the wall of foggy sleep deprivation I felt when the twins were still night feeding.  No, this is a tiredness that makes my very bones ache. My glands come up, I feel sick with tiredness, my pain reaches a whole new level of attacking every nerve, sinew and muscle. My head aches, my whole body feels battered. Shattered. Broken.

NHS, private ethics and me

 

So, my lovely readers, where do you stand with the ethics of private healthcare versus our good old NHS?

Do you have an opinion? Ever thought about it? Me neither, until recently.

My interview on Sherryl's World on Bang FM

For anyone who missed it, here is the link to my interview last week on Bang FM with the wonderful Sherryl Blu talking about endometriosis.

Thanks to Sherryl for the airtime and for fabulous Team Bangs on the Run crew member Cass for the opportunity.

 

Jo Gifford drops into Sherryl's World to discuss Endometriosis - Mon 25th July 2011 by Sherrylsworld on Mixcloud

Project Endo callout for creativity!

Right, you lovely lot.

Project Endo is starting to take shape and I would love YOU to get involved.

For the very first campaign I would like to use some imagery that depicts Project Endo and what it is about, and how endometriosis affects women, their lives and families.

Endo pain

Options for the Optionless

Yesterday I went to visit the lovely people at the endo clinic in Addenbrookes. It has been 7 months since my laparoscopy and Mirena insertion, and, as you all know, although I have had a certain amount of relief initially, the pain is very much still prevalent.

The thing about endo is that although 1 in 10 women have it there is pretty much bugger all they can do. It’s about management, rather than cure.

The F word

One would have thought, dear readers of my blog, that I would be wise to it by now.

One would imagine that I would re-read my posts, check through my diary, and say "ah, last month at this part of my cycle I was in bed for 2 days, so I shall therefore be prepared".

No. The f word comes to bite every month, without fail, and I am always annoyed by it.

Fatigue.

Immense, all-consuming exhaustion. Bone aching, head to toe, marrow-draining tiredness. The kind that rest and sleep don't quench; this is a body in pain, an inner dis-ease of dis-order, the kind that reminds me that ease and order are, for the moment, a million miles away.

This kind of fatigue is non-negotiable, calendar gate crashing and whole-heartedly shit. I have a life to live, children to play with, work to do, runs to train for, but no - endometriosis says I must be in bed, dreaming with the familiar hallucinations of white-hot pain.

Nudge me in a month's time. I always forget.

 

Dealing with disruption

One of the biggest factors, for me, in dealing with a chronic illness is the life disruption factor on a daily basis.

The pain, fatigue, self image issues, emotional rollercoaster and depression are all massive players in the life of an endo girl, but the very fact you can't PLAN anything without knowing full well that pain may be hideous that day is a very difficult one to deal with.

Day 1 - Polly Nobles 7 day kickstart and my raw reservations

[caption id="attachment_1085" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="The fabulous Polly Noble"][/caption]

 

As regular Dexterous Diva readers know, I have dabbled with the raw food lifestyle on and off to deal with the chronic, life changing symptoms of endometriosis.

Back spasms and Brazilian banana cake

Today is Friday, the day when Chief Staff member Nanny N has the Ninos for me while I work/slump/shop. Mainly slumping by Friday it has to be said.

An odd week this week, not least due to the fact that glorious Summery sunshine has been suddenly axed for Autumnal blusters. Glad I didn't buy another maxi dress. Of course my mate Endo has been bubbling silently this week, leaving me totally shattered (too tired even to get to yoga which seems a bit daft, but it's the honest truth.) As a result I hadn't been out and about this week as much as usual in favour of just managing to be at home and cope, which has been a tall enough order. Nanny J called in with extra Green and Black supplies on Tuesday, Wednesday I did manage a couple of laps on the bike with the child trailer, but in general it has been a sloooow week.

Sleepless in St Ives

It has been a Green and Blacks day.

My blood sugar level tends to go haywire just before pain kicks in, so this afternoon I was a zombie and we had no sugar boosting snacks in the house. A Tesco delivery later and all is good with the world but endo is keeping me awake. I am shattered but cannot sleep, the pain burns and radiates throughout my body prickling my nerve endings.

Sofa, duvet, wheat bag and laptop while the painkillers do their magic.

My friend endo

Endometriosis is my long standing companion. It will feature a lot here, so here is my history, in brief, for those that like to know about these things:

From the age of 19 I felt as if my batteries were running on half power, my abdomen would bloat to make me look 6 months pregnant, and I would have pain that felt like I had been beaten up from my back, abdomen and legs. Following numerous dead end GP visits and tests for glandular fever and gall stones I was left to go home with paracetamol for "just one of those things". Not liking the sound of this I sought help in the form of acupuncture and Chinese medicine in Cambridge. This really aided the pain and for some time I was symptom free of this odd ailment.

Fast forward a few years, I am living in London and the pain comes back. My energy levels struggle, and this time the pain feels as if I am also being burnt with a white hot poker on the inside of my body, the beaten up pain is still there and the fatigue is all encompassing. I have a doctor who finally sends me for a scan and we discover I have PCOS (Polcystic Ovarian Syndrome) which goes some way to explaining my hormonal problems but not the incapacitating pain. I keep hounding this poor doctor as he is the first one I feel has actually taken me seriously, and the pain becomes so bad I am having to take large chunks of time off work, dosed up on seriously strong painkillers.

Finally, a laparoscopy shows the source of all this trouble - endometriosis. I had never heard of this condition, and if I had maybe I could have pressed for help with my symptoms earlier. It took, in all, 8 years to get diagnosed. For a lot of that time I was told there was nothing wrong so felt convinced this was all in my head. At least the source had been found.

I have had 4 laparoscopies in all, 3 with diathermy to burn off the endometriosis. The darn thing keeps growing back though, so here I am again now waiting for another consultant appointment. The amazing and miraculous thing is, of course, that I am now a mummy, Eva and Mia are truly my little miracles and I treasure them each and every day knowing how lucky I am to have them since so many with endo are not so lucky. The universe has been great to me, sending me twins when 1 child was a tall order.

I know look after my endo with a monthly full body massage, acupuncture and a diet containing as little wheat and dairy as possible, although I go off the rails occasionally. I did a 2 month detox of mainly raw food and felt so much better for it, so my aim is to eat 75% vegan and raw, with the other percentage for keeping the balance and allowing myself to live normally.

Exercise I am convinced helps the pain by releasing endorphins, but the tricky bit is to know when to make myself so more, or when to stop as the pain can be overwhelming. I am aiming to run a 10k again this Autumn, 5 years after I last did one so I am in training twice a week running with a friend, and also doing yoga and cycling.

Endo is horrendous physcially and emotionally. It drains energy, vitality and robs it's victims of time, relationships and in some cases fertility. I have been lucky, but my journey continues with living with my constant companion.

Today is a low level endo day...burning pain and tiredness but I will try to do get out and about with the girls this morning and rest later this afternoon when The Staff come to spend some time with the Ninos. Thank goodness for staff for days like this.

http://www.endometriosis-uk.org/