jenwill Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Hi all! I'm doing the Whole30 program starting January largely due to my endometriosis. I've struggled with infertility due to the endometriosis and managed to conceive with IVF. My husband and I are hoping to have another child but without the IVF because holy $$$! I've done some research into how certain foods - e.g., gluten - can contribute to inflammatory issues. I was wondering if anyone could share their experience with endometriosis and/or infertility when on the Whole30 program? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Diet changes totally changed my quality of life with my endo!! I had my lap almost 4 years ago and within a week or two, my pain levels were just as high as before and I was a wreck. I tried hormonal birth control and was on pain meds in an attempt to manage my symptoms, but the side effects were awful and the drugs didn't really make a dent in things, so I looked for another approach. I changed my diet, and within a week, I was off pain meds. Within a month or two, I was brave enough to go off birth control and I haven't looked back! I still have 2 days of pain a month, but it's a whole lot better than being bloated and in pain every single day. Diet changes have totally given me control over my endo and gave me my life back. (I also did pelvic physical therapy to deal with adhesions and am on bio-identical progesterone as my sex hormones are low across the board, and progesterone helps keep the pain in check, too.) In the past 6 months, discovered the Whole30 and have completed 2 of them. I'm about to embark on another as it helps me to re-set after a post-holiday binge. It's taken me a while to determine what my triggers are. I've had some allergy testing through my functional doc to help fine-tune that. Citrus makes my uterus ache almost instantly, beer makes my joints hurt within 30 seconds, and dairy gives me pain that's very specific to where I had adhesions, among other things. I like the Whole30 in that it allows people to eat really clean, then slowly introduce foods back in to determine what your triggers are. Everyone is different. I don't have any kids and am trying NOT to get pregnant, but it's interesting what diet can do for fertility. Diet changes can not only help imflammation, but they can also help balance those hormones and extend the luteal phase, which can in turn help fertility. I belong to an online community for women with endo and although many don't believe diet changes can make a difference, I've seen many on there get preggers within a few months of a strict diet. One member had been trying for 9 years with extensive endo and diet changes did the trick. I realize it may not work for everyone, but for some, it can be done naturally! I know there are a lot of doctors out there that make us think that if we have endo, we need drugs or surgery to just get by with it. Although I think there's a time and a place for both, I can't help but think we can heal our bodies as much as possible just by treating it right. If you haven't read ISWF yet, I'd highly encourage you to do so as it goes into this in much more detail. It's incredibly empowering to make some changes on our own and see how our bodies respond. I wish you nothing but the best in trying for #2 naturally and for embarking on a Whole30! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenwill Posted December 30, 2012 Author Share Posted December 30, 2012 Karen, thank you for the informative post! I'm glad to hear that the diet worked for you - it's amazing to see how food impacts overall health. I did try to go gluten- and diary-free the past year and have noticed a significant decrease in pain. The only issue? I have a hard time sticking to the diet so am hoping Whole30 helps with that and with identifying triggers. Interesting to read that citrus affects you - I definitely will be paying close attention to what I eat in January and record any symptoms; I'm also looking forward to getting my copy of ISWF. Again, thank you for your post; I'm thrilled you had such remarkable results. I hope I can say the same in 2013! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I think once you read ISWF, you'll be even more inspired. I have my moments where I cheat, too, and I always pay for it one way or another. I'm about to embark on a Whole60 this time as I need the extra time to be good to myself and get it into my thick skull that the cheats have to stop and that my body will thank me for it. A good friend of mine had stage 2-3 endo and had a lap 3 years ago to remove what they could. A bit later, she found out she had celiac and cut out all gluten. Her migraines and endo symptoms went away completely within a few months. Fast forward to this year, she had a tubal, and her surgeon didn't find a spot of endo left inside - it was all gone. I realize that's anecdotal and may not happen to everyone, but still, it happened. A lot of times, we're told endo is just something we have to live with, but I'm not completely convinced. If we cut our finger, though there may be a scar left, we're expect that it will heal if kept in the right conditions. Why can't we think the same way about our internal problems? Food for thought! I wish you the best of luck with your Whole30 and hope you find some inspiration in ISWF! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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