This book is CHANGING MY F*ING LIFE

Holy f*ing sh**, this f*ing book is f*ing REVOLUTIONIZING how I see this disease! :-O I have an insufficient quantity of expletives to describe my *PROFOUND* learning and amazement while listening to this book. And just to make that *more powerful* for those reading this review, here's some background on my already fairly extensive research of this condition...

I was tentatively diagnosed with endometriosis at the age of 17 (I'm 39 now, so that was 22 years ago), after I collapsed/passed out from an ibuprofen overdose in my cheerleading class while we were doing aerobics. I was formally diagnosed by laparoscopy, and had a cauterization procedure (which I realized very quickly thereafter did almost nothing for me) done at the age of 20. I studied anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology extensively throughout highschool, massage school, and college, almost pursuing a higher education in medicine, but deciding to follow my passion for dance instead, then returning to school for a psychology degree in my late 20s. For the final paper of a class during my psychology degree, I wrote a heavily researched paper on this condition, and how to treat its extensively life-affecting symptoms, largely with dietary and lifestyle support. That research (which was performed in 2010) was what lead me to my first encounter with the mechanism of excision surgery, and a doctor in Oregon who was having fairly revolutionary success with Endo patients at the time, but which was only *just starting* to be widely known in the gynecological community 10 years ago.

I have been studying and researching this condition and female reproductive health for the better part of 20 years, both formally (in college pre-med courses), and informally (in independent reading and acquisition of knowledge, motivated by my *extreme* cyclic pain). I have more knowledge than the average lay-person, and even the average Endo sufferer, and I *STILL* stopped the playback *Multiple Times* just to shout the words "Holy Sh*t!" or "Of my f*ing gods!" (sometimes many times in a row) when some symptom I've been suffering for decades, and which I *never knew* was tied to this condition, would surface in the reading.

I cannot recommend this book enough, for literally anyone who either has, or know someone who has, *A Uterus!* I'm not even going to limit this to people who have painful periods, because some of the things he shares are things I *never expected* to be related to Endo, like fatigue! :-O And I think the way he presents women's health is something everyone should hear.

Anyway, read it, listen to it (anything narrated by Paul Woodson is *absolutely* worth listening to, anyway, and Gabra Zachman's section wasn't nearly long enough, because she's also stellar), but get this information into your brain and the brains of those around you. It may help a woman or family in *critical* need if this knowledge can be disseminated as widely as humanly possible. And everything he says about "women's problems" being taboo and not talked about is *painfully, horribly* true, and is THE MAIN CAUSE OF WOMEN NOT GETTING THE HELP THEY NEED! Along with *everyone,* EVEN MEDICAL DAMN PROFESSIONALS, just writing off mensural pain as "just part of being a woman." The terrifying quantity of times he mentioned this phenomenon in the book just makes me want to scream. If men had issues with their penises being in *even a small* quantity of pain once a month (if monthly reproductive cycles were accepted as "normal" for a man, that is), you'd better f*ing believe that the research on this sh** would have been blazing trails in medicine *decades* ago. It just f*ing *INFURIATES* me. >:-(

Anyway, this man, at least, is pioneering the conversation, and the help that women need.

I am incredibly grateful I found this book.

4 people found this helpful

Incorrect info

Retrograde menstruation isn't real. It has never been proven and has no place in this book.

2 people found this helpful

If your not getting surgery the I'd pass

A lot of information about surgery, not terribly helpful if you want basically anything else..I returned it

1 person found this helpful

So helpful!!!

While listening to this book I realized how bad my endometriosis was. I ended up in the hospital for sharp abdominal pain at one point and was incapacitated for a week because of it. My tests came back normal though and the doctors said I should be fine. With the knowledge I gained from this book I decided to seek out an endo specialist. I had laparoscopic deep excision surgery last month and even though I’m still recovering, I’m feeling better than I have in a decade! This book has literally changed my life and it could change yours and/or your loved ones’ lives too.

Must listen!! Very educational and insightful!!!

I don’t ever write reviews but I just had to for this! This book is amazing! It is chalk full of so much need to know information. If you or someone you know has endometriosis you need this book!

Recent Endometriosis Diagnosis

I recently underwent surgery for a 7cm ovarian cyst. Once we received the pathology for the cyst, I was diagnosed with endometriosis and told if I want to have kids try now or in 6 months, but no later. This has been terrifying for me at 23 years old, as I have always wanted to be a mother. I thank god I have my husband by my side during this journey. We have decided to try now, as infertility was actually my only symptom of endometriosis. I feel lucky, especially after listening to this book in that regard.

This book has informed me, gave me hope and gave me honesty at the same time. I am feeling more prepared for my follow up appointment on a few weeks. Praying for a miracle.

Endometriosis patient

Very helpful. Must read for everyone especially women who suffer! I wish everyone could read this

Life changing

This is the most meaningful book I have read in years. The validation and understanding is literally life changing. Having suffered with this disease for years, with so many doctors ignoring my pain, the emotion I felt while reading this was profound.

Life changing book

I was told at 12 that periods just hurt and that every woman has to get used to it.

Finally at 31 a gynecologist at Planned Parenthood told me I likely had endometriosis. She told me the IUD I was getting in the hopes of reducing the intensity of my periods was only capable of possibly masking my symptoms and I should do some reading about endo.

The levonorgestrel IUD did lessen many of my symptoms but the side-effects have become unbearable and the pain is evolving and increasing again 7 years on.

Finally, with this book and Iris Orbuch’s book I’ve learned that there is a hope for a pain free life.

SHARE SHARE SHARE

This information is VITAL to women suffering. SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE AND GET THE WORD OUT! Thank you so much for writing this book! I plan to book an appointment very soon with you.