In Sixteen Years of Endometriosis

Amy and Brittany both follow an individualized diet for endo and chronic illness, which we’ve each been on for over a decade. We talk about the mistakes we made when we changed their way of eating for, such as: —cutting out too many foods at once with no focus on bringing in new foods —waiting too long to learn how to cook —not realizing we needed mental health support for the feelings that came u...

Amy and Brittany each changed our diet over 15 years ago due to help manage our symptoms. While at first we abhorred our way of eating and found it tedious and a chore, we now embrace it as something that helps us feel our best, and we’ve learned new habits and ways of thinking that has made following our way of eating much easier. We talk about this shift in the way we see our food choices and ho...

Amy speaks with Yesenia Villalta about: —the importance of boundaries and some examples of them in relation to chronic illness —if there’s room for joy among our pain and how to find it —how to redefine what a good life means to us with chronic illness Yesenia and I also chatted in episode 129 about the emotions that can come up with endo. 🎤WHO IS YESENIA VILLALTA?🎤 Yesenia Villalta is a bilingu...

Today I’m speaking with Kimether Redmon about how: —the healthcare system is getting more and more dysfunctional and confusing —healthcare provider burnout is common —the average 10-12 minute appointment time doesn’t give enough time to meet the patient’s medical needs, which are becoming increasingly more complex. 🎤WHO IS KIMETHER REDMON?🎤 She is an endometriosis patient as well as a Family Nur...

Amy speaks with Dr. Abdala Karame about: —if endometriomas can be distinguished from cysts in an ultrasound. —how to treat endometriomas and the evidence available on hormonal suppression and endometrioma recurrence. —if endometriomas always grow or not. 🎤WHO IS DR. ABDALA KARAME?🎤 Dr. Abdala Karame is a gynecologist obstetrician and specialists in assistive reproductive technology as well as an...

Amy speaks with Alysia, who tells us about: —her experience with thoracic endometriosis —the challenges of recovering from 2 strokes brought on by COVID —what has helped her get through the darkest times with her health 🎤WHO IS ALYSIA J. DAGROSA, BCPA, CFSD, CLC?🎤 Born and bred in Brooklyn, NY Alysia grew up in a biracial household. Exposure to the rich cultures of both Southern Italy and St Vin...

Amy and Brittany talk about the challenges of getting good sleep. We chat about: —some reasons why it’s tough to sleep well, from histamine to hormones to pain. —our tips for improving our sleep, from using red lights at night to meditation apps to worry logs for our anxiety. ☀️CONNECT WITH AMY☀️ Instagram @in16yearsofendo Website: www.insixteenyears.com Like my show? Please rate it or leave a rev...

Amy speaks with menopause specialist Jackie Piasta about: —menopause, perimenopause, surgical menopause, and early menopause —how the risks of hormonal replacement therapy were exaggerated by the media after the WHI study and how that’s led to unnecessary fear around HRT —taking testosterone as part of HRT: what symptoms does it help and what data is there on it. 🎤WHO IS JACKIE PIASTA?🎤 Jackie P...

Amy speaks with Bev about: —ableism and healthism: what they are, and how they affect people with chronic illness and/or disability —the social vs the medical model of disability —equity vs equality and the social determinants of health 🎤WHO IS BEV HERSCOVITCH?🎤 Bev Herscovitch is a writer, communications professional and healthcare and disability activist/advocate living in Toronto, Ontario. Sh...

Today Amy continues her conversation with Sophie about we want you to know if you are diagnosed with endo. In part 1, we talked about the importance of educating ourselves on endo and the treatment options available. In this episode, we talk about: —how the best improvements to quality of life often come from a full body approach —the importance of finding mental health support —how endometriosis...

Today Amy speaks with Sophie about we want you to know if you are diagnosed with endo. We talk about: —the importance of educating yourself about this disease —how it’s vital to inform yourself of the treatment options available so that you can have more informed consent when you make treatment decisions —how connecting with the endo community can help you feel less isolated 🎤WHO IS SOPHIE KINLOC...

Amy speaks with Lyssette Horne about: —their perspective on the myriad of obstacles endometriosis patients face in receiving adequate care —their personal experience with endometriosis 🎤WHO IS LYSSETTE HORNE?🎤 Lyssette Horne (she/they) is a black, queer, and chronically ill artist, activist, and documentary filmmaker. Lyssette is a fierce advocate for mental health and suicide prevention, harm r...

Amy and Brittany talk about how low self-worth has impacted their experience with endometriosis. We talk about: —the untrue stories we told ourselves about our appearance and productivity and the negative effect that had on our lives —how society taught us those stories through ableism, ageism, fatphobia, and other systems of oppression —how much our lives have improved now that we understand our...

Today Amy speaks with Dr. Maurice Chung about: —the study he co-authored called “A Pain Desensitization Algorithm for Phenotyping and Treating Chronic Pelvic Pain” —the details of this algorithm for trying to establish a patient’s pain generators to reduce pain —nerve blocks for pelvic pain and the role of the bladder in pelvic pain. 🎤WHO IS DR. MAURICE CHUNG?🎤 Dr. Chung received his medical tra...

Amy speaks with Lyssette Horne about: —their experience with ovarian torsion, skin, and breast cancer. —some of the tools and practices Lyssette used to cope during these difficult times. —the ways endometriosis and cancer has changed their body, and how they are learning to find acceptance with them. In Part 2, Lyssette shares about their experience with endometriosis and the obstacles in finding...

Listen to 2 chapters from Amy’s audiobook. In this episode: 📖Amy briefly shares what her book “Finding Peace with a Devastating Disease” is about. 📖Amy shares about the challenges of producing her audiobook as a chronically ill and dynamically disabled person. 📖Listen to chapter 2 “It’s Like Being Upset the Sky is Blue” and the prologue “Is Endometriosis a Devastating Disease?” Amy’s book is av...

Amy speaks with Dr Wendaline VanBuren about: —the 2024 publication called The Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound Consensus on Routine Pelvic Ultrasound for Endometriosis that Dr. VanBuren was a senior author on. —the goal of the consensus, who participated, and the vision for implementation in the future. — the difference between a Routine Pelvic ultrasound, Augmented Pelvic ultrasound, and Adv...

Amy speaks with Yesenia Villalta about: —the stories we tell commonly tell ourselves about our bodies and endometriosis —tips for processing the anger we often feel toward this disease —the importance of getting curious about the shame we feel and how to move toward self-acceptance and love. 🎤WHO IS YESENIA VILLALTA?🎤 Yesenia Villalta is a bilingual and bicultural social worker licensed in Virgi...

Amy speaks with Dr Jocelyn Fitzgerald about vaginal estrogen. We talk about: —what it is, how it’s different from systemic estrogen, and what options are available. —the safety information and benefits for genital urinary syndrome of menopause which include urinary and vaginal symptoms. —its use specifically for patients with endometriosis. 🎤WHO IS DR. JOCELYN J. FITZGERALD, MD FACOG, URPS?🎤 Joc...

Amy speaks with an endo warrior from Pakistan. We talk about: —cultural and societal factors that can impact the ability to receive adequate care—what makes her upset about the endometriosis standard of care—what has helped improve her quality of life physically and emotionally 🎤WHO IS THIS ENDO WARRIOR?🎤 She is a 26 years old girl from Pakistan suffering from endometriosis. It took her 7 long y...

Today Amy speaks with Dr. Ana Sierra about: —how neuronavigation and neuromodulation can help patients in pain —how nerve involvement may play a role in bladder symptoms and leg pain —what nerve sparing surgery is and why is it important 🎤WHO IS DR. ANA SIERRA?🎤 Graduated from the Autonomous University of Querétaro, she began her studies in minimally invasive gynecological surgery at the Hospita...

People with endo have a range of pain from none to mild to moderate to severe. Amy and Brittany talk about pain associated with endometriosis, such when and where we can have it. We give a quick and general overview of multiple reasons for endo-associated pain, such as inflammation, sensitization, and lesion location. This episode is a bird's eye overview and not an all exhaustive list of reasons...

Amy speaks to Dr. Isabel Green about: —common reasons why a patient may have persistent pain post surgery, from an incomplete excision to co-conditions. —the importance of working with our doctor to set patient-centered goals in our treatment. —how for *some* people addressing central sensitization, especially post excision, can be a key to getting out of continued pain; but at the same time, it’s...

Amy and Brittany talk about: —the difficulties of adjusting to a new, unwanted reality as illness impacts every aspect of our lives. —finding ourselves again, finding joy again, finding a life worth living again. —celebrating the small wins and being able to see how far we’ve come. ☀️CONNECT WITH AMY☀️ Instagram @in16yearsofendo Website: www.insixteenyears.com Like my show? Please rate it or leave...

Today I’m speaking with Dr. John Dulemba about: —How surgeons need to understand the limitations of their skills if they don't have a lot of experience yet. —How colostomy rates for bowel endo are extremely low in hands of an expert. —Risks and other considerations when thinking about excision surgery. 🎤WHO IS DR. JOHN DULEMBA?🎤 A now retired excision surgeon who was in private practice in Dento...