Should I go gluten free?

Many women with endo also have an irritable bowel (IBS). When they go 'gluten free' they feel better, but do they really have a problem with gluten? If you cut down on foods with gluten, you also cut down on foods with wheat in them. Wheat releases a type of 'sugar' in the gut called fructan, which some people find difficult to absorb. A little bit of bread is fine, but if they have a larger amount, they have wind, pain, and maybe diarrhoea. The latest information shows that it is fructose and fructans which often cause the problem, rather than gluten.

Have you found any foods that bother you? or anything that helps?

sharp and stabbing pains

Sharp and stabbing pains are really common in women with endometriosis. If you are woken at night with pain when it is not your period, it is often sharp or stabbing pains that are the problem. Unfortunately, these pains don't usually get better with surgery. They are due to a change in the way that the nerves from the pelvis send pain impulses to your brain.

The problem is certainly NOT 'all in your head'. It is 'all in the nerves'. Doctors call this 'neuropathic pain'. It is also common in people with a bad back, sciatica, and diabetes. You have probably already realised that most normal pain killers don't help this type of pain.

The good news is that it can be managed successfully with a combination of:
- medications (amitriptyline, pregabalin, gabapentin or valproate)
- exercise (start slowly or you will get worse to start with)
- regular sleep (will be easier once you are on a medication)
- moving on from, or resolving stress in your life

Stress did not cause the problem but it can aggravate it.
While the pain is severe, it does not mean that you have cancer and is not a dangerous pain.

If you have our book on pelvic pain, it is covered in more detail on pages 58-67. The medications that help this pain are covered on pages 180-182. Your local doctor will be able to prescribe these for you.