Endo Battery Fast Charged: EP 13

Welcome to Endobattery Fast Charged, a series dedicated to keeping you informed and empowered in the realm of endometriosis. Teaming up with board-certified patient advocates, we bring you the latest articles, research and insights to equip you with accurate information and a deeper understanding. Whether you're expanding your knowledge, staying updated or seeking clarity, you're in the right place. I'm your host, alana, and this is IndoBattery Fast Charged charging and empowering your life with knowledge. Welcome back to IndoBattery Fast Charged.

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Today we're diving into some pretty exciting new research, stirring up conversation in the Indo world. But first let's get one thing straight Correlation does not equal causation. It's like noticing that every time I clean my house, someone immediately drops by unannounced. Is my cleaning causing the visitors to appear? No, but it is suspicious, isn't it? Anyway, grab your favorite drink, get cozy and let's break down what this research is saying and what it really means. Let's get started. This first study that we're going to look at takes a bit of a personal note for me, so if I sound passionate about it, it's because I am, because if you've heard this, just get pregnant and your endometriosis will go away. It's a suggestion that's been passed around like an old wives tale, and, like many old wives tales, it's not exactly grounded in reality.

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While some people with endometriosis do experience temporary symptom relief during pregnancy, a recent study titled Endometriosis and Risk Factors in Pregnancy, labor and Delivery a case control study paints a more complicated picture. Spoiler alert pregnancy is not a magic fix for endometriosis and it can even add its own set of challenges. Researchers compared 91 pregnant individuals with endometriosis to 273 without it, matched by age, to see how their pregnancies and deliveries stacked up the results those with endometriosis were more likely to face issues like gestational hypertension, at 4.4% versus 0.8%, and preeclampsia, at 2.2% versus 0%. Oh, and placenta previa, where the placenta inconveniently covers the cervix. That showed up in 3.3% of the endo group and a grand total of zero in the controlled group. As for delivery, endometriosis didn't exactly make things easier. C-sections were nearly three times more common, at 29.6% versus 11.3%, and postpartum hemorrhage or excessive bleeding after delivery occurred in 26.5% of endo cases, compared to 11.9% in the non-endo group.

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So while some people might expect pregnancy to act like a vacation from endometriosis, the reality can feel more like a stressful detour with added complications. So what's the takeaway? Endometriosis increases the risk of certain pregnancy and delivery complications, and doctors need to keep this in mind while providing care. It's not about fear-mongering. It's about making sure people with endometriosis are well-informed and well-supported during pregnancy. So the next time someone offers you the just-get-pregnant cure-all, feel free to share these facts with a smile or well-timed eye roll, because while pregnancy might not fix endometriosis, being prepared and surrounded by knowledgeable care can help ensure the best possible outcomes. Have you ever said or thought or heard no doctor ever asked me, so I thought it wasn't a valid concern. That quote, which also inspired the title of a recently published study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine no doctor ever asked me, so I thought it wasn't a valid concern.

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Endometriosis patients' perspectives of barriers and facilitators to sexual health. Communication in general practice captures a stark truth about how sexual health is addressed, or more often ignored, in healthcare. Here's the thing it's not great. Researchers dug into this issue by asking 141 people with endometriosis to share their experiences, and the results were as frustrating as they were illuminating. Turns out, patients want to talk about sexual health like painful sex, but often don't because barriers get in the way. These barriers break down into four main categories Systemic issues, like healthcare policies that ignore sexual health. Doctor-specific problems hello. Lack of training. And patient comfort, because who loves bringing up this unprompted and interpersonal dynamics? That awkward are we even on the same team vibe between doctor and patient? It's no wonder patients leave appointments with unanswered questions about something as central to their well-being as sexual health. Let's start with the systems. Policies seem to treat sexual health like a forgotten cousin at a family reunion, technically part of the big picture, but never invited to the main table.

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Doctors, meanwhile, don't get much help from the medical training. You'd think there would be a crash course on asking questions like does sex hurt or how does endometriosis impact intimacy for you? Instead, many patients report their doctors are about as equipped for this conversation as a fish is for a marathon. And then there's the patient perspective. It's not easy to bring up sexual health concerns when the vibe in the room seems quick. We've got five minutes. What's the worst thing bothering you today? Add in societal stigma and internalized shame and suddenly patients are stuck thinking maybe this isn't worth mentioning. Lastly, let's talk about the doctor-patient relationship. If your doctor seems more interested in wrapping things up than understanding your experience, are you going to spill your guts about painful intimacy? Yeah, I didn't think so.

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The study, while insightful, did come with limitations. Its participants were likely those already struggling with sexual dysfunction and motivated to speak up about it. But even with that caveat, the message is clear. People with endometriosis want these conversations to happen. They just need doctors to step up and ask the questions. Healthcare systems need to prioritize sexual health, medical training needs a serious upgrade and doctors need to lean into the awkwardness of these conversations. After all, a simple does sex hurt? Could go a long way in validating patients' concerns. Until then, studies like this will keep sounding the alarm and patients will keep waiting for someone anyone to actually ask.

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If you've ever wondered whether endometriosis surgery could spice things up in the bedroom, this study, titled how Does Surgery Influence Female Sexuality in Patients with Endometriosis, compared to those with Benign Gynecological Conditions, has some answers, though it may leave you scratching your head a bit. Researchers set out to compare how surgery impacts sexual function in patients with endometriosis versus those with other benign gynecological conditions. The results Pre-surgery everyone's sexual function scores were similarly unimpressive, because nothing says romantic evening like pelvic pain and gynecological woes. Post-surgery, though, things got interesting. For individuals with endometriosis, having surgery to remove the disease led to a significant improvement in sexual function scores. Translation cut out the endometriosis and it seems like your body will give you a standing ovation, or at least stop actively booing.

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However, folks dealing with other conditions, the surgical magic didn't translate into a noticeable sexual renaissance. It's almost like endometriosis was the ringleader of the circus and once it was evicted, the whole chaotic act settled down. What's especially telling is that, despite the shared surgical experience, only the endo group saw real improvements. This hints that endometriosis isn't just a physical burden. It's a heavyweight champ in the ruin everything fun category. And while the study reaffirms what others have already suggested, that cutting out endometriosis improves sexual function, it's nice to see the pattern hold firm, almost like science yelling. Yes, we've been telling you this for years. But in summary, if endometriosis is your uninvited party crasher, surgery is the bouncer kicking it out. For other conditions maybe, surgery is just the equivalent of someone turning down the music slightly. It's helpful, but it's not revolutionizing the vibe. So while this study doesn't solve every mystery about sex and surgery, it does give endometriosis patients another reason to consider excision, because sometimes life and love really is better on the other side of the scalpel.

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When it comes to surgical treatment for endometriosis, a recent study highlights the stark difference between laparoscopic excision and ablation in terms of patient-reported outcomes. The study titled Patient Perception and Experience of Laparoscopic Excision vs Ablation of Endometriosis a crowdsourced comparative evaluation of symptom and quality of Laparoscopic Excision vs Ablation of Endometriosis a crowdsourced comparative evaluation of symptom and quality of life outcomes reveals that excision surgery outperforms ablation across nearly every measure, from symptom relief to overall quality of life. Patients who underwent excision reported a significant improvement in all physical symptoms, with reductions ranging from 28% to 46%. In contrast, those who had ablation experienced only modest relief, such as 11.3% improvement in painful periods and 8.5% improvement in heavy menstrual bleeding. Alarmingly, no other physical symptoms showed measurable improvements after ablation. These findings underline excision's role as a more comprehensive treatment option for managing endometriosis-related pain and discomfort.

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Beyond physical symptoms, the difference in functional, psycho-emotional and social outcomes were just as striking. Ablation appeared to either leave functional issues unchanged or worsen them, while excision led to noticeable enhancements in patients' ability to perform daily activities. Emotionally, patients who underwent ablation reported declines in quality of life, whereas those treated with excision noted improvements across 22 out of 24 measures. Socially and sexually, the patterns persisted. Ablation worsened conditions, while excision resulted in significant progress, offering patients improved intimacy and relationships. Economically and educationally, the impacts of the two procedures also diverged. Ablation contributed to economic and educational setbacks or negligible improvements, reflecting its limited ability to address the burden of endometriosis effectively. Conversely, excision surgery helped patients regain financial and educational stability, further highlighting its holistic benefits.

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The study's conclusion is clear Excision is a superior surgical option for managing endometriosis symptoms and enhancing quality of life. This finding aligns with many patients' lived experiences. As well as those who undergone both procedures consistently report excision as the more effective approach. As such, the evidence strongly supports excision as the gold standard for surgical management of endometriosis, reaffirming what advocates and specialists have said all along. For anyone navigating treatment options, this study offers compelling evidence to consider excision surgery as the optimal path towards symptom relief and improved life satisfaction. It's a reminder that effective care is not just about addressing symptoms, but about empowering individuals to reclaim their lives. Thank you for joining me for this episode of Endobattery Fast Charged. If this left you invigorated to learn more about these articles, the links to each of these articles is in the description of this podcast. If you have an article or a study that you would like me to take a look at and break down a little bit, send that to me at contactendobatterycom. And until next time, continue advocating for you and for those that you love.