My Endometriosis Story and Healthy Hormones.
I want to start this off by telling you my backstory.
A few years back, I was working in childcare, I was constantly sick and constantly stressed.
I was pretty unhealthy, really.
I struggled really badly with period pain for as far back as I can remember.
I used to be crippled in pain, curled up on the toilet or bathroom floor, in total and complete pain.
I remember attending a Katy Perry concert the first day of my period, i spent the whole time hanging over the side rail in agony, but i was not missing it!
This lasted for years.
I used to suffer in highschool, while I was studying at TAFE, and throughout my worklife. I used to hate having to justify myself to my bosses when calling in sick and i had so many workmates who used to think I was faking it. I would later hear back from work friends that I was being mocked for not coming to work ’cause she had her period’.
It was a nightmare and truly heartbreaking.
I couldn’t help it!
It was later, way later confirmed that i had Endometriosis.
Back then, it wasn’t as recognised. I didn’t even know it was a thing.
The pain is something that is so unexplainable.
I didn’t question my period pain until after I got married and my husband and I were trying to conceive. It took way longer than expected and with every negative pregnancy test, it broke my heart that little bit more so I thought I would go and get checked out to see if there was anything ‘wrong’.
My doctor at the time referred me to a specialist in this area and I was booked in for a Laproscopy — which is a keyhole surgery to remove as much of the endometriosis tissue as possible.
I was heartbroken. I felt like i was put on this earth to be a mother, and the thought that i may be infertile was so distressing beyond words.
Just before all of this, I had found essential oils.
I was using them for my constant head tension i had from constantly being sick in my line of work.
I was still getting to know them, but i came across the Clary Calm roller.
It’s a blend of essential oils from doTERRA that help to balance hormones and support your body with emotions, and PMS symptoms – that pricked my ears up and i started using that.
My surgery was booked in for a few months time, and so i used the oils in the meantime. The next 3 periods that i encountered were still painful BUT i remember being so shocked at how much less painful it was, and i was still able to function.
I didn’t think much of it at the time, but by the fourth period i really noticed the difference. Sorry for the TMI, but girls who are in the same position will understand — I didn’t have that ripping feeling in my uterus, i didn’t bleed a bucketload in one hour, and even little things like my monthly pimple on my chin, bloating and rectum pain didn’t happen.
My surgery got moved forward to that month and i can remember saying to my mum that i felt like i didn’t even need this surgery anymore.
But she convinced me to just have it.
So i did.
I had the surgery, and my doctor told me afterwards that she was really surprised how little endo i had in there, but had that much pain.
I knew in my heart of hearts that the essential oils i had been using had made an impact on my body.
The proof was in the pudding!
No pain for the first time in my period life, just randomly?
I don’t think so – BUT i cannot prove that, obviously, but i feel it.
I am however grateful for the surgery as it gave my baby-maker a makeover and a cleanout all ready to start fresh.
5 weeks later we had a Bali trip booked, and i returned with a growing baby in my belly.
It’s funny, because i thought i had brought home a parasite because i was SO sick!
Turns out it was a parasite, but one that we had prayed so deeply for.
I remember sitting on the toilet after taking ANOTHER pregnancy test, and at that point i had lost all hope and was so not mentally prepared for another negative test.
I sat there, with it turned on it’s face for ages and i just prayed.
I slowly turned it over, and there it was, a big. fat. positive!
I just burst into tears and sat in complete shock for ages.
but that story is for another day….
I was told that being pregnant is a chance to reset your hormones and the endo will dissapear, but after my baby it could come back tenfold.
I continued my Clary Calm roller and other oils and i have not had any return of Endo and my baby has just turned two.
For those of you who don’t know what Endometriosis is;
“Endometriosis is a condition in which cells similar to those that line the uterus – the endometrium – grow in locations outside the uterus.
During ovulation, the endometrium and the endometrium-like cells thicken. Unlike the endometrium, the misplaced endometrium-like cells cannot leave the body via menstruation. They bleed, cause inflammation and pain, and then heal. Over time, this process can create scar tissue.
Fibrous scar tissue can form on the lining inside the abdomen causing the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes and bowel to stick to each other. Endometriosis may cause very painful periods and may reduce fertility, but there are a number of treatment options.“
Now, after learning about Endometriosis, and now knowing it was a thing, i began researching it — the part that kept striking me was hormone imbalance.
I learned a lot about how our environment harms our hormones and our body with things that we have in our homes and unknowingly use daily.
Things like cleaners, washing detergent, deodorants and perfumes — all of which i used.
I also learned that aromatherapy played a huge part in balancing your hormones, and emotions basically went hand in hand with hormones.
SO, in order to naturally heal my body, my first steps were to reduce my toxic load and use essential oils to support my emotions/hormones.
Reducing your toxic load;
This is important and can be super overwhelming.
My advice to you is to pick somewhere and start there, you don’t have to change everything all at once.
I did some research that showed how many chemicals that we use in our homes, in our skincare, hair care and the worst one, laundry detergent are huge endocrine disruptors which are basically poisoning us as they absorb into our bloodstream.
I slowly started reducing the amount of toxins from my body and the toxins out of my home — which started with washing powder, cleaning products, body soaps and hair products.
Laundry detergents are one of the BIGGEST endocrine/hormone disruptors there is out there.
Think about it,
Your skin is the largest organ in the body.
We put chemicals and highly toxic fragrance on it, it absorbs into our bloodstream.
AND
where does the blood stream pass?
It filters through EVERY organ in our body, taking with it the lovely chemicals and toxic fragrance to be absorbed.
I was lucky, i already had a doTERRA account open and they have a washing liquid, foaming hand wash, toothpaste and Cleaner Concentrate so i ordered them and that was my starting point.
doTERRA have provided a whole range of low tox items so it makes it an easy swap.
You can find my DIY cleaning product recipes here:
Next, i learnt the importance of removing toxins and chemicals from our ‘lady areas’ and how damaging it is to our health to have these chemicals and synthetic fibres around our reproductive organs.
Pads/Tampons/Fem products.
It was a real shock to learn that the ingredients in our lady products were actually doing more harm than good to our bodies, and it was confusing as to why they were actually allowed to be sold?
They have some gnarly chemicals that leak into our body – think about it, you are placing that right ‘up there’, and then the chemicals are leaking directly into your reproductive organs…
So one thing i had to do was eliminate them.
I started with cloth pads because honestly, i was terrified of the thought of a menstrual cup.
I started with Bare and Boho’s brand, and then purchased some Hannah Pad’s. I liked them. They were comfy, really absorbent, and derived from natural products and re-usable.
It didn’t bother me rinsing the blood from them after use. It’s really easy.
I eventually tried a cup, but i’m not gonna lie it was around my baby’s 1st birthday. I finally found a video that explained it really well, and that’s what inspired me to give it a go.
It took a while to get used to that one though, but the swap is worth it to make a huge impact to reducing your toxic load.
Statistics show that girls have less painful periods while using more natural options, and they’re periods become more regular due to the toxic load being removed.
Using essential oils internally:
Essential Oils like Lemon oil are high in Limonene which helps to give the body a gentle detox and remove petrochemicals from the body.
Drinking water with 2 drops of Lemon Essential Oil every day helps to reduce your toxic load.
Then my favourite, Copaiba Softgels help support with inflammation and pain. They come in a ready made capsule for you to take when your period arrives and then when needed – absolutely incredible things!
You can also add 2-3 drops of Copaiba oil into an empty veggie capsule if you don’t have the softgels.
Now, it’s important for you to know that i always and only will recommend doTERRA oils, not any other, because i love the companies morals and ethics when it comes to purity and sustainable farming. Also, the purity standards on essential oils aren’t goverened, which allows many other companies to sell ‘unpure’ oils to people.
Using Essential Oils in general;
You can use oils for literally everything, i was using them to make my own products in my home, i had them in diffuser and made up roller blends for specific needs.
As mentioned before, my Clary Calm was a huge staple, and even now, if i fall out of the habit of applying it often, my moods and my periods turn horrible. Clary Calm is called the Bitch-be-gone roller for good reason!
Diffusing oils to uplift my mood and emotions have been an amazing tool for hormonal stress and frustration, even just wearing mine in a diffuser necklace helps me.
It’s something i can’t explain to you, just how powerful these oils really are.
You’ll just have to take that first leap of faith and discover what i’m talking about for yourself.
I am more than happy to send you samples if you want to take the leap!
There are obviously loads more you can remove from your home like your beauty products, microwaves, plastic containers and bottles,
but i don’t want to overwhelm you with too much.
I hope that this helped to shine a light on something you could do to change the way you ‘period’.
If i can help at least one person through this horrible, invisible and VERY REAL disease, then i will feel so blessed.
So if this did help you, i would love to connect with you or hear about it in the comments.
If you’d like to get onto these oils and have a go at healing your body, lets chat.
But you can read about them here:
– What are essential oils?
– Why choose doTERRA?
– How to purchase doTERRA.
Lots of love, Hayley xo