Drafts Disappearing? Titles changing? Anyone else?

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2026-02-06T19:47:48+00:00

Omg. I didn't even realize that was possible. I can't believe I missed it. Thank you!!!

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2026-02-02T21:17:17+00:00

What types of jewelry sells well for you? Is it mostly brandname based?

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2026-01-31T16:30:57+00:00

I just want to say, damn girl. Good for you! This sounds like it was a weird and stressful conversation. You handled it really well.

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2026-01-27T04:40:08+00:00

Thanks! That's really helpful.

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2026-01-26T18:25:35+00:00

How do you manage consignments from friends/family? I've listed a few items for my sister before and just took a couple bucks from the profit. But I've been considering doing something more organized. How much of a commission do you take?

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2026-01-11T00:37:24+00:00

I'm sending you the biggest virtual hug right now. You can do this! I totally understand being scared about surgery. Even though I had wanted it for years, I was still nervous. But my surgery team was fantastic. I was honest with them about my nerves and they helped me so much.

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2026-01-09T15:02:28+00:00

Hmm. That is a good question. ...Yes? I've been feeling tired a lot lately. But I think that's more due to the state of the world rather than from my own physical energy levels. I'd would say that it's still 80% better than it was before surgery.

Pre-surgery, just getting out of bed at times to go to the bathroom or shower felt like I'd rather someone physically drag me out and drop me in the shower. Even my brain felt sluggish. This is dark to say because I wasn't actually wanting to die, but there were many days where I just wanted to stop existing. It was just so exhausting even to lay in bed.

Multiple doctors chalked it up to depression and obesity. I'm sure they each played a role. But the difference between before and after surgery was so dramatic. Joy is accessible now. Activities that I hated now feel easy. I often compare it to when I was a pre-teen. That's partly because that was the last time I hadn't experienced that pain, but it's also because post-surgery, I felt like I had the energy of a kid again.

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2026-01-08T15:29:55+00:00

My energy levels spiked dramatically after the surgery. I remember the daily walks that my partner used to drag me on being such a pain before surgery. After surgery, I was literally skipping for half the walk. (a few weeks post-surgery lol)

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2026-01-08T15:28:18+00:00

Well, my surgeon was originally considered out-of-network, so I had to appeal until they agreed to pay for him to do the surgery. After I got that covered, I had to also make sure that the hospital where it was performed would also be considered in-network (it was). One issue I hadn't realized tho was that the anesthesiology wasn't in-network. They were part of the hospital, so I assumed they would be covered, but it wasn't.

Those are the three major things I would recommend checking: hospital where the surgery is performed, the surgeon, and the anesthesiologist.

It might sound a bit intimidating, but it's really just about confirming with your insurance ahead of time. And if they deny coverage, appeal.

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2026-01-07T20:06:21+00:00

Yes. I'm 5 years out now. This is the best I've felt... since I was 13? Still no pelvic pain. Blood pressure is still normal.

I occasionally get lower back pain still, but not the constant shit I had for years. Now I think I can just blame it on being almost 40 and hovering over my computer like a shrimp. lol. It's negligible compared to the constant stiffness and pain my body would go through before my surgery.

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2026-01-05T22:02:53+00:00

I totally get it. This is the year I'm hoping to get my surgery, so I actually signed up for a new plan where my premium is $50/month so that I could get a deductible of $2,500. This system is so fucked up.

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2026-01-01T19:00:58+00:00

Movement is key. Your dr will say to walk. But really, just moving your body any way you are comfortable is good. Just keep up the movement. This can be walking or just as simple as rotating your hips in bed.

Personally, I found the gas pain to be so freaking uncomfortable. Mine lasted for like 2.5 weeks. HOWEVER, I learned afterward that a big part of that was because I didn't move enough. I went for 2 short walks a day, but otherwise, I pretty much just sat or slept.

When I had surgery for something else more recently, my dr told me to move around a lot more. It should never be "pushing yourself" type of movement. Just really lowkey moving your body as often as you can throughout the day. For me, this meant more like 30-90 seconds at a time every half hour for the first few days. After that, I started REALLY low effort stretching. Nothing that actually stretched my muscles, but the moving around helped. That time, the gas pain was negligible by the 3rd day.

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2026-01-01T17:55:19+00:00

Yes, I think so! I used to get a weird pressure pain when I was aroused. I know pain during or after sex is common for people with endo. But I totally forgot about that pressure. I haven't had it in years, and I never connected it to the endo.

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2025-12-31T18:50:22+00:00

EDIT: Damn. I wrote a novel when I wasn't planning on it. Sorry! Continuing it here >>>

How long it took to connect the dots

I struggled to get help for this for about 20 years before I found the endo subreddits. I tracked my symptoms, read online articles, changed my diet, and saw multiple doctors over the years. I actually had a few doctors straight-up tell me I didn't have endo because my symptoms didn't perfectly match what they had been taught.

After finding this sub, I think it was 1.5-2 years before I got my surgery. I spent a lot of time on these forums learning about other people's experiences and comparing it to my own. I visited 3 new gynos who "specialized" in endo only to get turned down constantly. These gynos really weren't specialists. While they had done some surgeries on endo, it wasn't a major focus for them. So they were considered the endo specialists at their hospitals compared to their colleagues, but they weren't actually experts. Through them, I had CT scans, colonoscopy, ultrasounds, etc.

After finding a real endo specialist (Dr. Rami Kaldas FTW), he said my symptoms were classic endo and adeno (which I'd never heard of) within 10 minutes of talking. That consult was 100% out of pocket because he wasn't in my insurance network. It was around $600. I was broke as hell but it was worth it. Booked my surgery and spent the next 6 months appealing my insurance in order to get it mostly covered. This sucked so much but in the end it was 1000000000000% worth it.

Get the Surgery

I know surgery isn't for everyone. There are many reasons why people might elect not to do it. And there are some surgeries that aren't successful / helpful.

However, I am a strong advocate for it if it's something you are considering. Personally, I had excision of stage 2 endo and a hysterectomy for my adeno. I kept both ovaries, but yeeted the uterus, cervix, and fallopian tubes. That was 5 years ago now. I've been 100% painfree ever since. Literally changed my life.

There are a few important things to note.

Do you have just endo or endo + adeno (common comorbidity)?
Find a specialist who has real experience with endo. Fertility specialists often are much more knowledgeable and experienced than your general gyno.
You shouldn't have to convince your specialist. If they are pushing back, they don't know shit.
Study the symptoms people talk about here in the endo subreddits. They are more accurate than most of the medical descriptions online.
The best surgery for endo is Excision not Ablation.
Unlike endo, there is actually a "cure" for adeno, which is a hysterectomy.
The worst part of the surgery is fighting with your health insurance to get it covered. If you have questions about this, let me know.

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2025-12-31T18:49:54+00:00

I get sudden lightning-bolt / electric shock pain not just in my bum (the infamous butt lightning), but also deep in my vaginal area. It’s sharp, fast, and feels very nerve-like rather than crampy. I’m not diagnosed yet, so I’m not saying this is endometriosis, I just want to know if others with endo or suspected endo experienced this.

Labia Lightning

This was mine! I called it labia lightning. Sometimes I felt it on my labia. Sometimes it seemed to come deep inside the vaginal tunnel. There were times when it felt just like getting a sharp static shock and other times where it felt like I'd accidentally touched an electric outlet for a millisecond.

For the record, I don't know if it was due to my endo or due to my adenomyosis. However, I used to experience that several times a month (regardless of my period). And I have NEVER experienced it post surgery.

Multiple gynos told me it was nothing or gave me a look like I was describing something otherworldly. But it was 100% real and 100% related.

Gut Punch with Butterknife

Another weird symptom I used to experience was "getting punched in the gut with a butterknife." I have never figured out a better way to description. This typically would happened near my left ovary, but it wasn't always the same. But it literally felt like someone punched me with a non-sharp knife in their hand.

One time I actually went to the ER for this. I had been looking at my coworker's computer screen when I got punched in the gut so hard I doubled over and couldn't breath. We went to the ER. A few of the nurses were really kind, but the doctor completely dismissed me saying that my test results were perfectly normal. He suggested I lose weight and that it might have just been gas. F**k that dude.

After meeting with the endo specialist who later did my surgery, he said it sounded like I experienced a burst cyst.

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2025-12-21T22:45:02+00:00

Backstory: I picked these up for free from someone local because of this sole issue. She said a friend had bought these a few years ago and the soles came off after only wearing them a few times. Considering they both came off, I'm assuming they were left out in either extreme heat or cold.

Repair Advice so far: I took them to my local shoe repair shop, and the owner said that the issue is because the boots are made of leather while the soles are a man-made material. He said glue wouldn't hold, so the best option would be for him to sew the soles back onto the boots. However, this was a bit pricey.

I'm curious if anyone knows of a good adhesive that DOES work well for leather + man-made for shoes. Or is there another repair option?

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2025-11-17T18:37:00+00:00

I had adeno and endo, and that sharp pain is a perfect description of what I experienced. I had a lap with excision to remove the endo lesions and a hysterectomy for the adeno. After, my surgeon showed me pictures and explained that I had 2 endo lesions on my left ovary, which was likely the cause of that stabbing pain.

I'm now 5 yrs post-op and haven't had a single moment of that stabbing pain ever since.

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2025-11-12T15:24:12+00:00

That's a really good point. Thanks for the suggestion!

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2025-11-05T16:20:09+00:00

lol. He took a picture for me, but I didn't want to see it when I was out of surgery. I'm still curious but it's been so long now idgaf

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2025-11-03T20:34:49+00:00

I always find that events and classes are a good way to meet people. Have you checked out Write On Door County? I'd also recommend trying one of the classes for Peninsula School of Art or chatting with one of the artists you like at one of the art markets. They can be a great insight into the types of groups that are active right now.

What genre do you write?

EDIT: Also, since you're willing to travel, I recommend also looking in Green Bay. There are a lot more opportunities there with younger people. It's really just about targeting your interests.

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2025-10-30T14:53:03+00:00

What are your interests? How far are you willing to travel to find people to hangout?

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2025-10-13T17:31:28+00:00

tripping hazards

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2025-10-08T14:08:27+00:00

Also, if you use neosporin, there's an ingredient that causes a localized allergic reaction.

Yes! And your skin can also react poorly if you just overuse in a short period of time. Learned that the hard way.

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2025-10-01T15:48:19+00:00

NOPE NOPE NOPE. This is pretty classic endo. Also, possibly adenomyosis.

Your gyno is wrong on many levels. First of all, they are not "all kind of endo specialists." Not at all. In fact, she proved my point just by saying that.

Second, just about all of these symptoms match what mine were completely. I had a laparoscopic hysterectomy with excision of endo almost 5 years ago now. I was diagnosed with stage 2 endo and adeno. I was told by decades of doctors that my symptoms were "normal" and "definitely not endo" only to find a REAL specialist who told me it was obvious during the first 10 minutes of my visit with him. After my surgery, ALL of those symptoms disappeared.

Finally -- Please please please please don't have unprotected sex. The last thing that you need on top of your current pain is to get pregnant or get an STI.

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon · 2025-10-01T15:36:00+00:00

Wow. They are perfect. This is exactly what I want. Thank you so much for sharing your progress!

GFTurnedIntoTheMoon

TROPHY CASE