Endometriosis, chronic back pain, insomnia

Hi Dr. Mom,

I am 38 years old, I have no children. I live in Norway.


1988 I was in USA as au-pair and was a vegetarian for 6 months. I was a lot of time inside house, cooking and I also ate more deserts then usual, and I gained 12 pounds.
When I returned back to Norway, I lost those 12 pounds without doing anything special.
Except for those few months in USA, I have always been slim.


I have been experiencing symptoms of Endometriosis since I was 30. I got cysts on my ovaries, and had surgery after I was diagnosed.

From the appearance of first symptoms (pain in uterus even when I don't have menstruation) it took several months before I went to doctor.

From the first visit to a doctor, until I was diagnosed with Endometriosis, it took about 6 months, but I was operated few months after the diagnosis.
I had heavy bleeding at the time.

During the surgery, they removed cysts from ovaries, and most of the cysts between vagina and rectum.

To prevent future cysts of endometriosis, I have been taking daily contraceptive pills, for 8 years.

I have been using several different contraceptive pills, but there were times when I was bleeding so I would for example start bleeding after any normal physical activity, like running, dancing etc.

There were times I was bleeding for several weeks in a raw. That would happen maybe 2 or 3 times every year. Doctors would sometimes switch the contraceptive pills.



My background: I attended dancing school since I was 5 years old. I always liked to dance, and have been dancing ever since. There was a period since I was 16 until I was 20 when I was not attending a dancing school.

I was pregnant when I was 29, but I choose abortion. The man I was with was not a husband or father material.
That was 1 year before I was diagnosed with Endometriosis.

Winter 2005 I got some neck pain. It was most likely stress related. I started taking acupuncture treatments at that time, and have been visiting acupuncturist from time to time, with breaks of several months.

Acupuncture have helped me for neck/shoulder pain, and also with insomnia and with stress.

January 2006 I got chronic back pain. My back was locked, but I was away from work just a few days. I started going to a Chiropractor and to a massage therapist for several months, and I was better.

Autumn the same year my back started getting worse, but I was still working a lot.
I was walking every evening, and walking was helping me.

January 2007 it started getting worse.
March 2007 I needed pain killers in order to sleep, or to be able to go to work.

I stopped working in the middle of March 2007, but later I was working just 30% of time. I had a lot of stress on my work, conflicts with bosses, and being forced to work beyond my tasks. That stress was for sure a factor in my back pain.

From March 2007 until June 2007 I have been taking treatments of a manual therapy.
From June 2007 until march 2008 I have been taking chiropractic treatments.


October 2007 I quit working, and was attending a clinical therapy where stability exercises and walking in a forest were main part of therapy.

Otherwise, I am slim today, and I try to live healthy.

I practice walking in a forest every week, dancing salsa at least once a week, and I exercise at a local gym once a week, stability exercises, no weight lifting.


I work today as teacher, mostly standing or walking. I have pain in my back if I have to sit for longer time, that is why I choose teacher job.


There was a period when I would get pain after just 10 minutes sitting, but it is much better today.


I started experiencing insomnia at the same time I got problems with my back.
I was forced to take pain killers in order to sleep, not every day, but very often. The back pain was keeping me awaken.


Yesterday evening I had a headache, and I had to take a pain killer in order to sleep. I try to avoid pain killers, but almost every week there is at least one day I need it in order to sleep.


I stopped with contraceptive pills 1 week ago. The first time since 8 years ago.



I want to see if taking contraceptive pills had anything to do with my back pain.

I can't say that quitting pills had improved my back pain, but it is too early to say, I guess.



I have tried taking Lugol's Iodine, a few drops in the morning, but those days I took it, I was unable to sleep , so I had to quit. To be concentrated on my job, I need sleep, and anything that takes away my sleep can't be taken while I am working. I will try Lugol's Iodine again during the Christmas Holiday.


I have tried Liver Flush 4 weeks ago, Hulda Clark's recipe. I can't say that one flush I tried had any impact on my health or on insomnia.


My insomnia is variable. I might have problems sleeping 2 - 3 days a week.
That can mean I may get just 2 - 3 hours sleep during one night, and I feel that is not enough to be able to work and stay concentrated.

Stress makes my insomnia worse.

Back pain makes my insomnia worse.

Headache makes my insomnia worse.

Walking on asphalt makes my back pain worse, so I avoid that, I try walking in a forest, or on uneven surface.

Walking in a forest, or on any uneven surface makes my back pain go away, but it does come back the next day.

Physical activity that burdens my back, like carrying backpacker with books to school, makes my back pain worse.

Stress (a lot of things to do) makes my back pain worse.

Not sleeping enough makes my back pain worse.
(insomnia and back pain are kind of a vicious cycle - one feeds another).


Thank you in advance for any suggestion that you may have.


So far, no treatment or exercises I have been taking have taken my back pain away for longer then just a few days. No cure, just treatments that don't give long lasting results.

I have visited many specialists for back pain, and many gynecologists.

Treatments I tried that have not given long lasting results:

chiropractic
massage
manual therapy
acupuncture
physiotherapy
different kind of exercises
palm healing
meditation and auto-suggestion


Thanks

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