I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Endometriosis prior to giving birth to my two children. I made many lifestyle changes to reduce symptoms like avoiding gluten, eating organic, reducing alcohol, implementing stress reducing activities, and choosing nontoxic personal care products. However, my pain still persisted. I was just hard on myself assuming I am not doing it all "good enough". Then, I took an endometriosis diagnostic test called EndoSure, and discovered that I did not have any active endometriosis.

The EndoSure Test is a non-invasive, 30-minute, highly accurate diagnostic test with instant results. The Electrogastrogram (EGG)/ Electroviscerogram (EVG) collects and analyzes the unique specific myoelectrical signal caused by the presence of endometriosis. Its proprietary advanced precision digital modeling of the data provides nearly 100% diagnostic accuracy. The painless endo test procedure is performed by utilizing topical electrode pads similar to those used in an electrocardiogram (ECG) to measure the myoelectrical activity of the smooth muscle of the GI tract. EndoSure is not available yet in the U.S., except for research purposes since they are still awaiting an FDA approval.

It was suggested dysmenorrhea may be what I am experiencing. Underlying issues that can cause dysmenorrhea include uterine fibroids, adenomyosis, and most commonly, endometriosis. It is more common among those with heavy periods, irregular periods, those whose periods started before twelve years of age and those who have a low body weight.

So, that got me thinking. What is really going on? Then, I scheduled an appointment and a vaginal ultrasound with the endometriosis center at The Cleveland Clinic and they discovered an enlarged uterus and diagnosed me with Adenomyosis. Just my luck, one more reproductive health issue! I guess all of my hard work to fight endometriosis did work, but I was just unlucky that endometriosis and my c-sections contributed to developing another reproductive condition. That explained a lot and changed things for me- I was now strongly considering a hysterectomy.

A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure that will remove the uterus resulting in the cessation of your menstrual period and inability to conceive. Approximately 600,000 females get hysterectomies in the United States each year.

The different types of hysterectomy surgeries are:

• Total hysterectomy: Removing your uterus and cervix but leaving your ovaries. Because you still have your ovaries, you won’t enter menopause immediately after surgery.
• Supracervical hysterectomy: Removing just the upper part of your uterus while leaving your cervix. You may also have your fallopian tubes and ovaries removed at the same time. Because you still have your cervix, you’ll still need Pap smears.
• Total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy: Removing your uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes (salpingectomy) and ovaries (oophorectomy). Removing your ovaries will start menopause immediately (if you haven’t already completed it).
• Radical hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy: The removal of your uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, ovaries, the upper portion of your vagina, and some surrounding tissue and lymph nodes. Providers use this type most commonly when cancer is involved. You’ll enter menopause after this type because you won’t have ovaries anymore.

A hysterectomy is considered for the following conditions:

• Abnormal or heavy vaginal bleeding.
• Severe pelvic pain.
• Uterine fibroids and other noncancerous tumors.
• Severe endometriosis.
• Uterine prolapse that can lead to urinary incontinence or fecal incontinence.
• Cervical, ovarian or uterine cancer.
• Conditions with the lining of your uterus, like hyperplasia or adenomyosis.
• Serious complications of childbirth like uterine rupture.

These are the reasons I felt a hysterectomy was right for me:

1. The Adenomyosis Diagnosis: Since adenomyosis is uterine tissue inside the muscle wall of the uterus, I felt removing my uterus had a strong chance to reduce my misery.

2. I Was Not Going to Use Synthetic Progesterone or an IUD: I had written off birth control after years of being on it then going through infertility, and I did not want to use an IUD or synthetic progesterone (Sylnd) to stop my periods.

3. NSAID's Were Not an Option: After watching my mother suffer from a severe upper GI bleed from chronic Motrin use for her back pain, this was not what I wanted to lean on for 5+ years until menopause.

4. My Mental Health: I was tough for many, many years, but I was getting very tired of the cyclical, roller coaster I was on. It seemed that every time I wanted to meet with girlfriends, it was that time, and it was robbing my joy with friends. My symptoms included very painful stomach cramps, leg cramps, headaches, body aches, fatigue, bloating, gastrointestinal upset, heavy bleeding, and low mood.

5. HRT: I wanted to be able to use HRT through menopause and estrogen fed my disease: I started the patch and found I was so bloated I was waddling and looked three months pregnant. I want to be able to support my declining estrogen in menopause to protect my skeletal system, cognition, and cardiovascular health.

6. Irregular/Possibly Heavy Periods: My period was started to become irregular just these last two months, and I saw a preview of what chaos was to come in menopause. I could not get that sick when I was needed personally and professionally.

6. I Have Too Much to Do: I have a 7-year-old daughter, a 9-year-old son, two aging parents, a full-time job, friends, and a business I have a dream of growing.

There are holistic practitioners that can help here at Align Women's Wellness and work alongside you with an integrative approach to ensure you find the root cause of your symptoms and that you have support navigating the best decision for you!