You can choose your college, you can choose your major and you can choose your room aesthetic, but you can’t choose your chronic illness. Endometriosis is a tough disease to have, particularly when you’re a college student. You’re dealing with papers, lectures, new social circles and all of the other factors of university life already, so why do you have to deal with endless pain, swelling, bleeding and all of the other nightmares that come along with endo too? Unfortunately, that’s just a reality for quite a few college students, but fortunately, you’re not in it alone. There is plenty of help and support out there for you, and it is possible to still enjoy your university days despite your illness. This is just a small support guide for all of the endo warriors who are making their way through college life, so take it in and see what works best for you.
Heating Pads
A heating pad is the best item to have in your endometriosis kit! Heat is always wonderful for soothing and loosening muscles, and you can easily find both regular and electric heating pads at Target, Walmart and on Amazon. If you’re looking for a do-it-yourself heating pad, you can take a sock and fill it with uncooked rice, tie it off, and heat it for two minutes in a microwave. Heat is an endo sufferer’s best friend!
Over-the-Counter Pain Pills
Over-the-counter pain pills are great for when you get hit with pain suddenly, or if you know you have a demanding day ahead. Midol is specifically meant for period-related issues, containing not just acetaminophen but usually caffeine or antihistamines as well, so it can help relieve bloating and fatigue as well as just the pain. Ibuprofen and naproxen, such as Advil and Aleve, are anti-inflammatory drugs, so they specifically block the production of the lipids (known as prostaglandins) that lead to cramps. Acetaminophen blocks chemicals in the brain that cause pain, so while it isn’t an anti-inflammatory drug, it is still an effective pain reliever when used in moderation. Be careful not to take more than the recommended dose of each- you don’t want to have to deal with side effects in addition to everything else.
Baggy Pants/Clothing
Keep yourself comfortable by opting for cotton or rayon clothing, and don’t be afraid to add baggy clothes to your wardrobe rotation. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wearing sweatshirts or pajama pants outside of your home, but if you’re really against wearing “loungewear” out, that is perfectly okay too. Baggy clothes can actually be very fun to style, and when you love how you look, you’ll actually feel a little better. The expression “when you feel your worst, look your best” definitely goes a long way when you have endo, so have fun with your loose-fitting pants, oversized shirts, etc.
Be Honest and Open
Communication is absolutely vital when you’re dealing with your health and well-being. Don’t try to hide your illness from your professors or try to “just push through,” and if you have roommates or housemates, you should communicate with them about your symptoms and when you’re having bad days. Pushing yourself too hard or trying to keep everything to yourself is only going to make things worse in the long run. When you’re honest and open about your needs and your pain, you start to build a support network of sorts. You’ll have that many more people who are willing to help you out, whether that be by grabbing some Midol for you while they’re out or bringing you your favorite snacks. Your professors will also be appreciative of your honesty, which will make them more willing to accommodate you when you need to be accommodated. This can be by allowing you bathroom breaks whenever needed, excusing absences on particularly bad pain days or for doctor’s appointments, or even for reasonable extensions on assignments. You can register for disability accommodations, which grants a higher level of legitimacy to any requests you may make of your professors. Once again: communication is absolutely and positively vital.
Have Access to the Foods You Need
Building on the ideas of communication and accommodation- making your school aware of any dietary needs you may have is also very important. If you stick to a gluten-free or dairy-free diet, as many with endo do, be sure that your school’s dining services will make these options available to you. Nowadays, with veganism and gluten-free eating becoming more common, it should be a little easier to access foods without gluten or dairy, and most grocery stores in your school’s area will have plenty of options from which you can choose if you want to have some extra food in your home (Annie’s Vegan Mac and Cheese is a universally loved and easily prepared choice). Additionally, it’s a great idea to keep some ginger and turmeric on hand, as those two spices have anti-inflammatory properties that help relieve the pain and inflammation that come with flare-ups. Drinking hot herbal tea with ginger and/or turmeric can go a long way, particularly when the endo belly is bad, and chamomile tea can also do wonders in terms of its anti-inflammatory properties.
Limit Caffeine
Contrary to the role of ginger and turmeric, caffeine will be unhelpful on bad endo belly days. (Endo sufferers tend to have a rather toxic relationship with iced coffee, which is a rather unfortunate reality.) Yes, yes, college students all seem to run on caffeine, and if you really need it, it’s better to opt for caffeinated teas than coffee or energy drinks. Energy drinks are mostly carbonated, which only adds to bloating, so it’s better to stay as far away from those as possible. Chai, for instance, is naturally caffeinated, and it usually contains ginger, so that’s a wonderful option. The heat will also feel great and help relieve some swelling. As great as a good old iced coffee is, it’s never too late to form a new (and healthy!) relationship with herbal teas.
Your School’s Physical/Mental Health Services
Your school’s health services should be part of your support network. Granted, many schools’ health services are, sadly, very unhelpful, particularly when it comes to physical health, but they should be alerted nonetheless just in case. Mental health services are also major because of the emotional toll that endometriosis takes, and that kind of toll should not be handled alone in addition to all of the other stress that college causes in general. It can feel really isolating to have to say no to social events because you’re not feeling well, and it can also be really frustrating to be struggling with an incurable illness that is hardly taken seriously. Sometimes the fear of missing out can lead to overdoing it and pushing through when you really shouldn’t be, and you forget that nothing is more important than your health and well-being. Joining a disability support group, if your school has one, can also be really beneficial since you’re surrounding yourself with other chronically ill students who are in the same boat as you.
Once again, endometriosis is a really tough illness. Just the fact that you’re going to college while struggling with such a difficult disease is an amazing feat in and of itself, so remember not to be too hard on yourself. Do what you can, and don’t let anyone else dictate what you can and cannot do- only you know how you feel, and only you know your true limits. Keep your head up and your heat on. You’ve got this.