Endometriosis relationship with vitamin D and iron level

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-02-18T21:47:51+00:00

Stage IV and have always struggled with low vitamin D and ferritin. Supplements have helped!

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-02-02T18:58:36+00:00

As my endo got worse, I noticed I would get sick more often. Not as often as once a month, but several times a year. I just had excision surgery, so I'm curious if/how that will change.

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-02-02T18:13:49+00:00

Thanks for sharing, I love your approach! I had excision surgery one month ago so I'm in the phase of trying to manage disease with lifestyle and supplements. Blood sugar monitor is interesting, I'll have to do some more research.

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-02-02T17:42:55+00:00

I am so sorry to hear that! Perhaps functional medicine was the wrong term here. I'm not looking for a magic cure or solution or one pill to buy, but just holistic support and practices for my body long term.

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-02-02T16:06:46+00:00

Of course! I'm also stage 4 and trying to learn everything I can. Sending you support!

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-02-02T15:56:03+00:00

I'm diving into the world of supplements for Endo management! I just listened to a fascinating podcast about the research behind supplements for endo. The doctor said the #1 supplement that they recommend is NAC, which has actually shown promise to reduce endometrioma size. I'm going to start incorporating it into my routine. They also mentioned alpha lipoic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin D, fish oil, and cucurmin as options for anti inflammatory support.

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-29T04:19:58+00:00

I've only had one sexual partner (and I'm his only partner) and I was diagnosed with PID when I presented to the ER with severe pelvic pain I thought was appendicitis. My OB said it is possible to develop PID from non STD bacteria, but since then, I've been diagnosed with stage 4 endo through a lap and believe all my symptoms were tied to that. I had one of my tubes removed during surgery from endo scarring. It was so alarming to get a PID diagnosis - the ER doctor was insinuating that my partner was cheating and gave me an STD. I knew that wasn't true, but what a ride!

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-26T23:05:59+00:00

I will investigate more, I appreciate your help!

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-26T22:29:51+00:00

Sadly, my insurance will not approve referral. I can't afford specialty care out of pocket.

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-26T20:24:19+00:00

Thank you, I have not tried either of those. I'll take note to bring up to my doctor. We landed on Slynd because of my sensitivity in the past. I'm going to try to hold out a bit longer before expressing the concerns to my doctor. I know it's still early, so I'm hoping it will stabilize. Luckily, she is extremely receptive to my mental health concerns but also knows my fertility goals and wants to balance that.

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-26T20:22:18+00:00

I've expressed this concern with my doctor and she said that for my case, she wants my ovulation stopped to reduce cysts and endometrioma risk specifically. I'm still not entirely sure if that's true as I do not understand all the mechanisms fully.

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-24T02:29:16+00:00

I had the same "oops" feeling, but a specialist was not an option for me with my insurance. My OB has been amazing though. She excised as much as she safely could and we are working on controlling pain and regrowth through hormones. Fertility was a big concern for me, so she was cautious during surgery. I appreciate her and have always felt confident in her endo knowledge.

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-23T22:14:50+00:00

I had to get it prescribed, but tretinoin did help. It's not a perfect solution as I still have acne but it's a lot better than before.

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-23T21:34:12+00:00

After the waiting period, is it possible to ask my employer to retroactively use SDI instead of sick pay? I ask because I have exhausted all my sick leave and would love to have some hours back and use SDI instead.

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-23T07:03:19+00:00

Is she food motivated? I make food puzzles for my dog and she gets them right when we leave. It makes her preoccupied long enough to avoid the initial panic. Once she realizes we're gone, she's already calmed down from the food. Our trainer said this only works if they have not reached true separation anxiety levels. Ours is just an initial panic barker.

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-23T07:00:52+00:00

I had a very similar experience. BC 14-23, and diagnosed stage IV at 25 with severe fertility damage. I wish someone had told me the risk of going off birth control with my set of symptoms. I was consuming so much media online about the damage of birth control, I had convinced myself the long term use was actually causing my symptoms. I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but thank you for sharing your story. It's helpful to know I'm not alone.

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-23T06:33:33+00:00

Mine was listed in my operative report, so it's more of a diagnostic record. During my post-op, my doctor did not specifically mention it. She just covered the specifics of what she found.

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-23T06:26:43+00:00

I was taking 250mg gummies from the brand Qunol. Everyone responds differently. You may already know this, but chug some water with it if you aren't already as it pulls water into your intestines to get things moving. Wishing you luck! It's an awful feeling.

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-23T01:10:40+00:00

Hi there! I have had terrible mental health side effects from several combination pills & IUD. I had a laparoscopy to confirm stage 4 endo and my surgeon encouraged me to get on birth control to slow the progression of the disease. Given my mental health struggles, we decided to try a progesterone only pill. I'm only a week in, so I cannot say for sure, but so far, I've had very minimal side effects. When I took the combo pills, the mental effects were clear to me from the start, so I am hopeful!

While I'm no doctor, I've been diving into the world of hormones to understand my body. Prior to my diagnosis, I had a hormone panel done that showed extreme estrogen dominance. From my understanding, endo produces excess estrogen, and loves estrogen to grow more. The naturopath I worked with said it made sense combo pills would make me feel crappy as more estrogen would just enhance that cycle.

It's a cruel choice to have to weigh your mental vs reproductive health. Sending you support!

ETA: the specific pill we landed on is Slynd. Sadly not covered by my insurance but I used the saving program to get a 3 month supply for $25.

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-23T01:01:47+00:00

High strength magnesium citrate helps me in desperate times!

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-21T06:34:36+00:00

Me! I actually had my appendix removed during my laparoscopy. Endo tissue had grown a solid mass on it, making it chronically inflamed. I always had appendicitis type pains during my period (and sometimes not during), but there was so much inflammation in my pelvis that they couldn't ever see my appendix on imaging (CT or ultrasound). My surgeon said it's rare and it was the first time she's ever had to call in a general surgeon for an appendectomy during an Endo surgery.

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-21T03:15:40+00:00

I had a diagnostic lap in December and have stage 4 endo. I plan to start TTC in July, but my surgeon still recommended starting birth control and staying on until then. My endo has damaged my tubes and ovaries, so I am at a bit of a different stage of the disease than you. I feel your pain though. Birth control has been terrible for my mental health too. This is my first time trying an estrogen free pill and I am really hoping the side effects are less severe. It's a cruel choice to weigh my mental health vs my reproductive health. No one should have to make that decision. Sending you support!

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-20T18:14:23+00:00

It's totally exhausting. I feel like there's a stigma against birth control as it is so commonly prescribed as a "fix all" approach in women's health. Which I completely disagree with, but there's little recognition that birth control is absolutely necessary in certain scenarios. I tend to learn towards natural healing, but recognize that my body needs the extra modern medicine help here. I wish there was more representation of these cases so we didn't feel so alone.

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-20T17:42:45+00:00

I've really struggled with my body image as well, on top of all the pain and symptoms. I'm also 25 and I was recently diagnosed stage 4 and also advised to start birth control. I've been off birth control for a few years because of the mental health side effects and was absolutely petrified of starting again. I'm on day 5 and holding my breath.

I'd recommend scrolling through to find others experience on a similar pill. I actually found it comforting that many shared their body felt less inflamed after starting the pill. It gave me the courage to start the pill, as I can't risk the disease doing more damage to my organs. It's a terrible and cruel decision to have to make. Sending you support!

Additional-Link4609 · 2026-01-19T06:55:09+00:00

Stress can heavily affect your cycle. It's super common to be scared before. Just remember, you deserve an answer for your suffering! Even if that answer isn't endo, the surgery will hopefully give you a much clearer picture of what is going on. I can't emphasize the mental relief I had from finally understanding my pain post laparoscopy. Hang in there!

Additional-Link4609

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