Period pain that stops your life deserves a closer look.
Endometriosis is common, and it often takes years to get a diagnosis. Whether you have one or are still looking for answers, we start with your pain and what it stops you doing.
- 1 in 10 women of reproductive age have endometriosis, about 190 million people worldwide. World Health Organization
- 4–12 years is the average time it takes to get a diagnosis. World Health Organization
- 25–50% of women with infertility have endometriosis, by the World Health Organization’s estimate. World Health Organization
What it is
What endometriosis is.
Tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, causing inflammation and scar tissue. It can also affect trans men and non-binary people who menstruate.
According to the World Health Organization, common symptoms include:
- Severe pain during periods
- Heavy periods
- Pelvic pain that doesn’t go away when your period ends
- Bloating and nausea
- Difficulty getting pregnant
Getting a diagnosis
The wait can be long. Support doesn’t have to wait.
On average, it takes between 4 and 12 years to get a diagnosis of endometriosis, according to the World Health Organization. That’s a long time to live with pain.
Diagnosis and surgery happen with your family doctor and gynaecologist. In the meantime, a visit can focus on your pain and what it stops you doing, whether you have a diagnosis yet or not.
Treatment
What treatment aims for.
Treatment aims to control symptoms and limit long-term effects. So the goal of a visit is a plan for your days, built around what affects you most.
Your first visit
What we’ll chat about at your first visit.
- A pain history: when, where, how strong, and what it stops you doing.
- Your cycle and bleeding pattern.
- Bowel and bladder symptoms around your period.
- Any imaging, surgery or pathology reports you have.
- What you’ve already tried, and what helped or didn’t.
- Mood and sleep, and your plans for pregnancy, if any.
Working together
Part of your care team.
- You
- Your family doctor
- Your gynaecologist
- Dr. Leizl Yance, ND
Diagnosis and surgery happen with your family doctor and gynaecologist. With your consent, I coordinate with them, so your plans fit together.
Come say hi.
Your first visit is 75 minutes, all about you. Come see me at Functional Medicine Uptown in Waterloo, or join by video from anywhere in Ontario.
Not sure yet? Book a free 15-minute intro call first.