By Erika Mitchell

Ever since I was 11 years old I had severe pain every month. Now when I say pain, I mean
doubled-over, in the fetal position, with a heating pad, taking narcotics, just to take the edge –off pain. I
tried every therapy I knew of at that time. Every birth control pill, taking two a day at one point to not
have a cycle. I tried every other kind of medicine, Lupron, Depo-Provera, Megace, the birth control
patch (Ortho-Evra) , and the Nuvaring. I got 2 nd opinions from different gynecologists on how to treat
this condition. I have had a total of 4 laparoscopies. At one point the endometriosis had spread to my
bladder and rectum. Each surgery helped for a while then the pain came back, with a vengeance.
At the age of 21, I had little to no quality of life. Missing work from the pain, unable to go back
to school, and to do what needed to be done on a daily basis. So my husband and I talked, I begged my
doctor for a partial hysterectomy. Being the good specialist he is, he told me to think about it for a
month and come back to see him. I did, and I decided I needed the surgery as I could not live like that
any longer. My husband and I have always wanted to have children, but decided we could adopt. This
was a very difficult decision as you could imagine for us both. Being so young, I wanted to have a child of
my own, but I knew that I couldn’t deal with this pain any longer. I also knew that with endometriosis
many women are unable to get pregnant anyway, especially when it has spread so badly as in my case.
So I had the surgery.

The surgery helped for a few years until I turned 24. Then the pain returned, in the
worst way. I spoke with my doctor and he found on examination that it had spread to my right ovary.
I’m thinking, great it spread anyway! I started taking medication again, Provera twice a day to help with
the pain and hopefully slow down the growth of this disease. When I turned 25 the pain was getting
relentless. Not only did I have the pelvic pain, but also a pain in my lower back and a throbbing in my
legs every night. So bad that I couldn’t sleep. It would wake me up in the middle of the night, drenched
in sweat from severe pain. My doctor found that the endometriosis had attached to my pelvic wall and
was pushing on the nerves in my lower back. This was causing severe pain down my sciatic nerve. I did
everything I could to prevent the growth of endometriosis .I avoided all estrogens and phytoestrogens
for a year. I exercised regularly. However with this disease you are so fatigued it makes it very hard to
keep this up. Many days the pain was so bad I couldn’t work. One day at work I was in so much pain I
couldn’t walk, couldn’t stand up, and almost fell over. My supervisor took me to the hospital. I felt as if I
never had any lesions removed at all!
I asked my doctor was there anything I hadn’t tried. Acupuncture was the only thing. I knew that
this was a last resort, I was willing to try anything. He referred me to a local acupuncturist in the area
with a lot of experience. I paid out of pocket, as insurance will not cover this type of alternative therapy.
It was expensive, and scary to me. The needles weren’t what made me nervous. I didn’t know much at
all about this type of therapy. I researched, and found it had helped many people with chronic pain
conditions.
So I went, every week, for 10 weeks. I am now going once a month for pain management. I am
still taking Provera, but my gynecologist believes I will be able to wean off within the next month! The

acupuncture is working, it is slowing the growth of this disease. This is an incredible thing, as the medical
community has found no cure for endometriosis yet.
So to anyone with a chronic pain condition, try acupuncture. I know that this therapy is new to
many in the United States, but it has been practiced for thousands of years in China and other countries.
Be open, believe that something other than medicine and surgery can help. When you go in for
treatment, try to relax, it is new to you, but not new to your acupuncturist. You may have some pain at
certain sites when the needles are stimulated. It may be more of a slight electrical feeling, numbness or
tingling. But this is temporary! The pain will pass, and in the end, I feel better than I have in years!! I am
not saying I am completely cured and totally pain free. I am not quite 100% yet, but what I will say is
that things are only moving up! I am so thankful that my doctor, Dr. James H. Cane and acupuncturist,
Yann Fann worked together to help me. I sleep through the night now. I can do outdoor activities. I feel
like I am my age, now 26. I have more energy! I wish I tried it years ago. It’s so nice to not be dependent
on pain medication. It’s wonderful to not worry about having such bad pain and when it will strike again.
To be able to work and feel healthy again!
I am writing this in hope that someone like me, can feel better without the surgeries,
medication and hardship I have endured. That maybe they will find a cure, that women can have
children of their own with this disease. I hope that one day soon insurance will cover this alternative
therapy. I am one of the many this has worked for.