Participate in an Endometriosis Study and Help Expand Treatment Options

Thank you Edelweiss Study for sponsoring this post. Be sure to visit the Edelweiss Endometriosis Study landing page to see if you or a loved one qualifies to participate.

Endometriosis is common but very misunderstood. Many women suffer in silence because treatment options are limited. Successful treatment options can make a huge difference in your quality of life if you suffer from Endometriosis. Clinical trials like the Edelweiss study, which is currently looking for participants, are so important for finding better treatment options.

I was diagnosed with Endometriosis in college. I’d never heard of it before but when I started researching it, I was terrified of what it would mean for my future. 

I’d suffered from debilitating pelvic pain for years before I even sought a diagnosis. Truthfully, it never occurred to me that it was a problem. I just assumed that everyone was in constant pain and periods were terrible. It was my normal. I’ve heard that when you are in chronic pain you may get used to masking it. You don’t look like someone who is in constant pain because you don’t know any different. I was very good at hiding my symptoms so I could function. 

Hearing that I had endometriosis finally gave me a name for the symptoms I had dealt with for years. In a way that was comforting, but they also had no real solution to help me deal with the issues that I was having.

I was told that I would likely never have kids, and that was devastating to hear. Fortunately, that ended up not being accurate in my case, but I’ve spent the last 20 years dealing with nearly constant pelvic pain and horrendous periods. I’ve rescheduled vacations, chosen to stay home instead of participating in fun things because of heavy bleeding and pain, and lost so much sleep due to my symptoms. 

Fortunately, for me, there’s the hope of an end in sight. Last month I was scheduled for surgery to clean out my endometriosis and have a hysterectomy to help deal with my constant pain. It was a drastic step but one that was way overdue. 

I’m hopeful my pain levels will be much more manageable going forward. I had tried nearly every option out there to make my symptoms more manageable. 

Current treatment options (and I’ve tried them all) include birth control, painkillers, hormone therapy, acupuncture, and changes in diet.

With so many women suffering from varying degrees of Endometriosis, there really needs to be better treatment options. 

As someone who has dealt with it for as long as I can remember, I can tell you that Endometriosis is life-changing. It impacted nearly every choice that I have made over the last 20 years. 

Endometriosis is most common in women during their reproductive years but it doesn’t care about race, age, or socioeconomic status. There are far too many women suffering in silence.

The Edelweiss study may be an option. The Edelweiss Study is looking for women living with moderate to severe pain associated with endometriosis. 

Research is an essential key to finding better treatment options and improving the quality of life of so many women who deal with chronic pain. 

Learn more about a study for women with Endometriosis here.