Finally, a new batch is live at Slant. Go forth.
I received my first shot of Lupron Depot on Tuesday. Lupron Depot is a helluva drug, just ask the women who have taken it. Not only is it used to treat severe endometriosis, but it is also used to treat prostate cancer. Things I should expect: symptoms of menopause – hot flashes and night sweats, insomnia, thinning hair, rash, acne, reduction in breast size (I’m not sure my breasts can get any smaller!), weight gain, and the total crazies. I’ve heard that women become raving lunatics while taking Lupron. I have to take the Lupron for six months. My doctor said that the Lupron greatly reduces the pelvic pain and helps stop the growth of any left-over microscopic endo and halt any new endo from growing.
As far as pain goes, I still have it. Actually, the day I received my first shot, I thought I was giving birth to a sharp knife. Doc gave me more Lortab. I also become exhausted if I go out for just a few hours which is a total bummer. I was feeling good last Saturday so we spent most of the day out, but when we got home, I literally crashed. I could barely move my head. Doc said this is absolutely normal because all my internal energy is being used to heal all the organs where the endo was cut away. He reiterated that I had “extensive” surgery and that I just have to be patient.
I made an appointment to see a psychiatrist next week to monitor my moods while on the Lupron, per the advise of Doc. I told her right off the bat that I will not take antidepressants and she was fine with that.
Lina started spring soccer last week and we are all excited. I’m the “team parent” this year and I’ve already started looking at trophies and have one picked out that I think the girls will like, plus it doesn’t look like any of the trophies from previous seasons. I’m happy to be involved in something.
Hey Rachel,
Just a quick suggestion… Are you familiar with electrotherapy for pain management? I have a small device (runs on a 9 volt battery) with two electrodes that hook up the the nerves on (of all things) my ankles. It’s similar to acupuncture in terms of how it works & it’s designed to treat chronic & severe pelvic pain. I bought it through my physical therapist (she specializes in women’s health) and it works quite well. Just a thought, especially if you know a good PT you could ask about it! Hope you feel better soon
Susan
Susan,
I’m intrigued! I do not have a physical therapist but maybe I should find one. Does the device you use have a specific name? Also – how often do you use it? Does it take all the pain away, or does it just make it manageable?
I’m very interested!!!!
Rachel,
It’s called a TENS (or Tenz) device, which stands for “Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation” and it’s non-invasive, drug free and is pretty effective for controlling pain. Whether it reduces or eliminates the pain varies from patient to patient, I imagine. I think it works. My chronic pelvic pain is greatly reduced. I went from having (terrible!) pain pretty much daily to only a rare bout now & then. I was using it as needed (for a while, quite frequently) and I don’t need it very often anymore. Only when I have a flare-up. I don’t have endometriosis, but had other physical problems, so it might be different for you. Still, I think it’s worth looking into. I do think it has to be purchased through a PT. I would ask the doctor if he might be willing to prescribe physical therapy for pain management & then seek out those places that specialize in women’s health, as they are usually much more knowledgeable about this kind of thing than regular therapists. The woman I worked with also taught me some exercises that were helpful, and even showed my some acupressure techniques for migraine headaches. She was wonderful.
Reading you and wishing you comfort….Clare
Thank you, Clare!
Susan, I would be so grateful if I only had to deal with this pain on an infrequent basis. You know, prior to this, I never really thought about what it must be like for people living with chronic pain – it seems unimaginable. Also, I never knew anyone that suffered with chronic pain, it was something that was just out in the universe, never real for me, as ignorant as that sounds. Now, I’m mostly in shock about it all. The fact that it is so unrelenting is what really gets to me.
I’m going to inquire about a PT when I see my doc again. Thank you so much for telling me about this as I don’t think I would have found out otherwise, despite the tons of research I’ve done.