The Mind Body Connection

Something I am finding really useful at the moment is working with a life, health and wellness coach. Her name is Lorraine Faehndrich, she is based in New York and I do my coaching once a week over Skype with her. Her website is www.radiantlifedesign.com

To understand more about this work I was asked to read a book written by mindbody pioneer, Dr John E Sarno The Mind/Body Prescription. Dr Sarno has conducted research and clinical practice relating to musculoskeletal pain. 


Although Dr Sarno in this book is talking about the back for the most part, this is also relevant to other parts of the body. I think when we hear the words psychosomatic we assume it is in your head but Dr Sarno points out that your head maybe causing you physical symptoms. I think you have to have an open mind but if like me you have been suffering for a long time with nothing helping the pain, then like me you may think what have I got to lose? 


I figured what's the worst that could happen if I worked on some stuck emotions from the past, perhaps I would have a clearer and happier head and the best case scenario would be it could help the pain.


Through out our sessions, it was pointed out to me that I had become disconnected from my body at some stage and my head had taken over. This is so true I am so headstrong, its even been at the detriment of my body. I am learning to listen to my body now.


When my head is spinning with worries or I'm being hard on myself, I have learn't some tools to take time out to breathe properly and just be with my body. This really helps me calm down my brain. 


I understandably have been at war with my body as it has caused me so much pain and stopped my enjoying so much that life has to offer over many years and I have had to fight to keep going. I thought accepting what was happening was giving in to it but I now see that it is actually a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Lorraine has helped me to accept what's happening now and embrace where I am. Your body cannot heal until you stop being at war with it. I am kinder to myself now. We are strange as we would not treat anybody else like we sometimes do our selves.


All very interesting. I would love to hear your views as always. I'll keep you posted


Lily Lou x

The decision to try for a pregnancy when in so much pain

Back in December I had a negative comment about trying to conceive whilst being in pain and I thought it would be good to post my thoughts and feelings on this subject. As it certainly hasn't been an easy decision to make. Having Endometriosis and having lost my job, does this give me any less right to try for a family? I don’t think so, it’s just been really unfortunate circumstances.

I thought long and hard for a period of time before trying to conceive. As I am in such a cycle of pain and my endometriosis has got to a point where my work stopped my contract. I did wonder if this decision was the right thing to do. But is making no decision doing anything? It certainly won’t change my current situation and a hysterectomy is not an answer to this in a definitive way. You could go all through that and still suffer.

There’s a whole book written about Fear the fear and do it anyway. Just because I’m scared should this stop me from trying? If I don’t try then I feel I would look back and regret it and I personally would prefer to try and know it just didn’t work out than not too try at all. But it still leaves me then wondering and worrying about if I then did fall pregnant and go back to being in that much pain how will I cope with that much pain and a baby. There is no guarantee and in all honesty, no one knows. You just have to base your decision on the facts you know at that time and what you want out of life. It is scary for me as I have no family nearby to help out. But I do have an amazing partner, although he is holding down a full time job so wouldn’t always be around.

Other people have managed it. In my case being pregnant may be the one thing to stop my periods for a while as I can no longer take hormones as they do the opposite for me and make me bleed. Maybe being pregnant will give my nerves a chance to calm down which in the long run will help the pain. I would like to speak to some ladies that have had a bowel re-section and then gone onto have children and see how they are doing. It would be great to hear some positive feedback and also if they still have some pain, how they cope with that and children.

Any thoughts, as always I'd love to hear

Lily Lou x

Endometriosis Awareness Week

This week is National Endometriosis Awareness Week! 

It starts today, Monday 5th March until Sunday 11th March 2012. We really need to raise awareness of this debilitating condition. This year Endometriosis UK are focussing on teenagers, this is due to the sheer volumes of us that started experiencing symptoms in our teens and were left undiagnosed and so untreated until much later in life. 


Endometriosis  Uk are using this week to launch their 'Is this Normal? campaign aimed at teenagers and young women, often left feeling alone, isolated and in extreme pain. They have a new blog which talks about periods. Please pass this onto anybody you feel this might help. http://aboutmyperiods.wordpress.com/

One of the easiest ways to for us as women to raise awareness is to talk to those around you. Does everybody in your group of family and friends know what Endometriosis is? Would you feel happy asking them. I really want the next generation not to go through what I have gone through so we need to try and educate them to what is normal and what is not.


The Endometriosis UK website http://www.endometriosis-uk.org/


As always I'd love to hear from you


Take Care and lets spread the word


Lily lou x