Chronic Ama

I downloaded the FitStar app via my Fitbit a few months ago. I have used the free version about 4 times so far and I really like it. The free version gives you a workout a week, which isn't much, but it definitely helps with motivation. The nice thing, for me, is that the work outs are only about 15-20 minutes long, which is about all I can handle at the moment.  Staying active has become important to me in the last few years. Well, in the last 5 years since my hysterectomy. Since then, I have still dealt with pelvic pain from ovarian cysts (until I made them remove my last ovary in 2015) and endometriosis pain in my back and legs (which was finally diagnosed properly in 2015 after being suggested time and time again since about 2009), as well as debilitating migraines. Even after my 17 minute workout this morning, I am recliner bound with the heated blanket keeping heat on my back, hip and IT band, which are the source of my latest battle with pain, that I will be victo

No, I'm not writing this to start an argument or to say you're wrong. I'm not against what you believe in and I don't want you to think I don't care about birth control.  I'm writing this to show you why there is so much more to women's health than birth control. Yes, it is used as a treatment for acne, irregular periods, painful periods, heavy periods, etc. But, did you know those are also symptoms of other diseases.... other INCURABLE diseases? I bet you didn't. Acne and irregular periods are common symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Painful and heavy periods are symptoms of endometriosis. I have both. I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2006 and then officially diagnosed with endometriosis in 2015, even though endo was suspected in 2010. Birth control was pretty much the gold standard to treat PCOS when I was diagnosed, but what happens when you want to have kids? Birth control is health insurance's favorite treatment for endom

I just learned to never search for ovarian cyst pictures after you've just eaten a big lunch. Did you know some of those things can grow hair!! Gross! Thankfully the one I had just three weeks ago wasn't any hairy trouble. It was more trouble being told to go to the ER in case I needed surgery for a cyst or possible abdominal adhesions that were causing ovarian torsion or some other misdeed. Of course they couldn't find anything at the ER that was causing me pain. And a great pain I did have for a few days! Even a follow up with my OBGYN still had a big question mark on my pain. I was, of course, a little scared and a little pissed to be having problems again, especially with no answers. Thankfully an ultrasound done last week revealed I did have a cyst burst, but it was a cyst caused by ovulation. It seems I may be in the small percent that has occasional painful ovulation.  I was supposed to follow up with the doctor this morning, but they had to cancel.