In Sixteen Years of Endometriosis – Details, episodes & analysis

Amy speaks with an endo warrior from Pakistan. We talk about: —cultural and societal factors that can impact the ability to receive adequate care—what makes her upset about the endometriosis standard of care—what has helped improve her quality of life physically and emotionally 🎤WHO IS THIS ENDO WARRIOR?🎤 She is a 26 years old girl from Pakistan suffering from endometriosis. It took her 7 long years to get a diagnosis, after being dismissed for years and being gaslit by doctors who told her that the pain was ‘in her head’. Relentless support from family and the determination to fight to get an answer to her pain helped her get a diagnosis. It’s difficult to advocate for menstrual health care in a country that has so much stigma surrounding it. It took a lot of courage and strength to get to a place where she could create an online space for people with similar experiences to connect through her Instagram page @EndometriosisPakistan This is just a small step that she hopes will bring about a greater change! ☀️CONNECT WITH HER☀️ Instagram @EndometriosisPakistan ☀️CONNECT WITH AMY☀️ Instagram @in16yearsofendo Website: www.insixteenyears.com Like my show? Please rate it or leave a review! Support me by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears ⚠️DISCLAIMER⚠️ The information on my platforms is educational information only and not medical advice. Always check with your qualified medical professional before making any changes to your treatment plan. Keep in mind that while I strive to share evidenced-based information on endometriosis, this doesn’t always mean that my information is accurate or complete. Read my full disclaimer here: https://insixteenyears.com/disclaimer/

Today Amy speaks with Dr. Ana Sierra about: —how neuronavigation and neuromodulation can help patients in pain —how nerve involvement may play a role in bladder symptoms and leg pain —what nerve sparing surgery is and why is it important 🎤WHO IS DR. ANA SIERRA?🎤 Graduated from the Autonomous University of Querétaro, she began her studies in minimally invasive gynecological surgery at the Hospital Español and the London Clinic at Anahuac University. Dr Sierra is certified in basic and advanced laparoscopy by the The European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (both courses held in Clermont Ferrand, France). She also did master courses: Anatomical landmarks and Advanced management of endometriosis (in Dubai UAE). At IRCAD Barretos she also completed an advanced management course for deep infiltrative endometriosis. Dr. Sierra is certified by the International Society of Neuropelviology level 1 (clinical neuropelveology) and level 2 (neuronavigation and surgical neuromodulation), and is currently a Board member of the society. She works at Instituto Doyenne in Mexico City where her practice focuses on patients with chronic pelvic pain for people of all genders with and without endometriosis and in San Juan del Rio, Queretaro. 🔗RESOURCES🔗 For clickable links to the resources below, go to www.insixteenyears.com/episode126 🔗4 part webinar series on Neuropelveology 🔗Amy’s review of the Curable app 🔗Como duele tener endometriosis - Episode with Dr. Sierra in Spanish on Amy’s Spanish podcast. ☀️CONNECT WITH DR. SIERRA☀️ Instagram @dra_anasierra ☀️CONNECT WITH AMY☀️ Instagram @in16yearsofendo Website: www.insixteenyears.com Like my show? Please rate it or leave a review! Support me by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears ⚠️DISCLAIMER⚠️ The information on my platforms is educational information only and not medical advice. Always check with your qualified medical professional before making any changes to your treatment plan. Keep in mind that while I strive to share evidenced-based information on endometriosis, this doesn’t always mean that my information is accurate or complete. Read my full disclaimer here: https://insixteenyears.com/disclaimer/

We continue to talk about work accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act: —medical documentation —examples of what are reasonable vs unreasonable accommodations —telework. **DISCLAIMER: We are not employment lawyers or disability civil rights attorneys. This is a general discussion of what we've been learning for our own individual work situations and is not legal advice. We encourage you to double check all information we give in this episode and/or consult a qualified professional for advice if you are in a situation where you want to ask for work accommodations. 🔗RESOURCES🔗 For clickable links to the resources below, go to www.insixteenyears.com/episode117 🔗Other reasonable accommodation issues (Enforcement Guidance on Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship under the ADA) 🔗Telework as a Reasonable Accommodation 🔗Employees' Practical Guide to Requesting and Negotiating Reasonable Accommodation Under the Americans with Disabilities Act 🔗Job Accommodation Network’s Practical Guide to Accommodations ☀️CONNECT WITH AMY☀️ Instagram @in16yearsofendo Website: www.insixteenyears.com Like my show? Please rate it or leave a review! Support me by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears ⚠️DISCLAIMER⚠️ The information on my platforms is educational information only and not medical advice. Always check with your qualified medical professional before making any changes to your treatment plan. Keep in mind that while I strive to share evidenced-based information on endometriosis, this doesn’t always mean that my information is accurate or complete. Read my full disclaimer here: https://insixteenyears.com/disclaimer/

Updated 2/2023. Do you ever feel like endo has robbed you of your life? It can feel like our lives bounce from one sick moment to another, with no escape from pain and suffering. Learning to be mindful and pay attention to the present moment can help us see that our lives are more than pain and appreciate the beautiful moments when they happen. We talk about the importance of being in the present and some ways to achieve this. ☀️CONNECT WITH AMY☀️ Instagram @in16yearsofendo Website: www.insixteenyears.com Like my show? Please rate it or leave a review! Support me by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears ⚠️DISCLAIMER⚠️ The information on my platforms is educational information only and not medical advice. Always check with your qualified medical professional before making any changes to your treatment plan. Keep in mind that while I strive to share evidenced-based information, this doesn’t always mean that my information is accurate or complete. Read my full disclaimer here: https://insixteenyears.com/disclaimer/

Updated 2/2023. For many people with endo, our period is our most dreaded time of the month. Some of us might even be terrified of getting our period because of the excruciating pain it can bring. We might plan our lives around our period because it completely incapacitates us. In this episode, Amy and Brittany talk about some things we can do to try to make this time of the month slightly less miserable, both on a physical and emotional level. ☀️CONNECT WITH AMY☀️ Instagram @in16yearsofendo Website: www.insixteenyears.com Like my show? Please rate it or leave a review! Support me by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears ⚠️DISCLAIMER⚠️ The information on my platforms is educational information only and not medical advice. Always check with your qualified medical professional before making any changes to your treatment plan. Keep in mind that while I strive to share evidenced-based information, this doesn’t always mean that my information is accurate or complete. Read my full disclaimer here: https://insixteenyears.com/disclaimer/

Updated 2/2023. Going on vacation presents a lot of opportunities for endo to flare: the travel itself, different food than we may normally eat, a bed that’s not your own, stress, being on the go. It’s no surprise that traveling, or even just a holiday or special occasion that we celebrate, can be hard on our body. Amy and Brittany talk about some tips to be successful on our vacations and holidays so we can have as much fun, and as little flares, as possible! ☀️CONNECT WITH AMY☀️ Instagram @in16yearsofendo Website: www.insixteenyears.com Like my show? Please rate it or leave a review! Support me by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears ⚠️DISCLAIMER⚠️ The information on my platforms is educational information only and not medical advice. Always check with your qualified medical professional before making any changes to your treatment plan. Keep in mind that while I strive to share evidenced-based information, this doesn’t always mean that my information is accurate or complete. Read my full disclaimer here: https://insixteenyears.com/disclaimer/

Updated 1/2024. Many of us follow an individualized way of eating to help us manage our symptoms. It’s hard enough to follow our way of eating, but then throw in unwanted, relentless, or obnoxious comments about your food choices from family, friends, or coworkers, and you might be discouraged to continue eating in this way. Amy and Brittany talk about hot to navigate comments people make about your food choices. You can definitely still get tips from this episode, even if you aren’t on any specific diet! ☀️CONNECT WITH AMY☀️ Instagram @in16yearsofendo Website: www.insixteenyears.com Like my show? Please rate it or leave a review! Support me by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears ⚠️DISCLAIMER⚠️ The information on my platforms is educational information only and not medical advice. Always check with your qualified medical professional before making any changes to your treatment plan. Keep in mind that while I strive to share evidenced-based information, this doesn’t always mean that my information is accurate or complete. Read my full disclaimer here: https://insixteenyears.com/disclaimer/

Updated 1/2023. For many of us, stress is one of our biggest triggers for an endometriosis flare. What exactly is stress, and how does it affect our bodies? Today Amy and Brittany talk about ways we can try to manage stress, or better yet, eliminate it altogether when possible from certain parts of our life. ☀️CONNECT WITH AMY☀️ Instagram @in16yearsofendo Website: www.insixteenyears.com Like my show? Please rate it or leave a review! Support me by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears ⚠️DISCLAIMER⚠️ The information on my platforms is educational information only and not medical advice. Always check with your qualified medical professional before making any changes to your treatment plan. Keep in mind that while I strive to share evidenced-based information, this doesn’t always mean that my information is accurate or complete. Read my full disclaimer here: https://insixteenyears.com/disclaimer/

Updated 2/2023. Amy and Brittany talk about all the feelings that have come up for us post excision such as sadness, gratitude, shock, anger, and hope. Amy talks about some of the new health problems she’s battling, and we reflect on what it means to work towards acceptance and peace with our endo and health. ☀️CONNECT WITH AMY☀️ Instagram @in16yearsofendo Website: www.insixteenyears.com Like my show? Please rate it or leave a review! Support me by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears 📖AMY'S BOOK: Finding Peace with a Devastating Disease by Amy Corfeli ⚠️DISCLAIMER⚠️ The information on my platforms is educational information only and not medical advice. Always check with your qualified medical professional before making any changes to your treatment plan. Keep in mind that while I strive to share evidenced-based information, this doesn’t always mean that my information is accurate or complete. Read my full disclaimer here: https://insixteenyears.com/disclaimer/

Updated 9/2025. Getting into work everyday when you have endo can be a real challenge. Pain flares, brain fog, and other symptoms can make it hard to actually do your work. Amy and Brittany talk all kinds of tips for a successful day at the workplace, from strategies to meet deadlines, schedules, supplies, emergency drivers, clothes, medical accommodations, and more! 🔗RESOURCES🔗 For clickable links to the resources below, go to www.insixteenyears.com/episode19 🔗FMLA – Family and Medical Leave Act. 🔗Episode 116 and 117 on my podcast - Disability Accommodations in the Workplace. Part 1 and Part 2 🔗Episode 152 on my podcast - Endometriosis and Getting Through the Workday ☀️CONNECT WITH AMY☀️ Instagram @in16yearsofendo Website: www.insixteenyears.com Like my show? Please rate it or leave a review! Support me by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears ⚠️DISCLAIMER⚠️ The information on my platforms is educational information only and not medical advice. Always check with your qualified medical professional before making any changes to your treatment plan. Keep in mind that while I strive to share evidenced-based information, this doesn’t always mean that my information is accurate or complete. Read my full disclaimer here: https://insixteenyears.com/disclaimer/