Starting Lupron

I've spent the past 9 months trying the Visanne tablet in addition to the Mirena IUD to control my endometriosis growth and cyclical bleeding from my bowel. It hasn't worked. So now the gynecologist has switched me to a 6 month course of Lupron (technically, Enantone-gyn).

May 16, 2013 Chronic illness, Endometriosis, Medications

Several green and red apples in a bundt cake tin on a balcony under a Japanese maple

20 Cooking and food idioms

Even beginners are faced with idioms if they travel to an English speaking country for a holiday. That’s why it’s important to include idioms in all levels of language courses.

Apr 12, 2013 ESL teaching, Writing prompts

A black and white photo of a grafitti-covered underpass in Leipzig, Germany

Complaints - writing exercise

Everyone has something to complain about. Sometimes something will annoy you enough to write a letter or email.

Feb 26, 2013 ESL teaching, Writing prompts

Sheets of medication - Visanne 2mg - a daily progestin (hormone) for endometriosis

Visanne for endometriosis

Hormonal malfunction is currently thought to be one of the causes of lipedema, where fat is stored in the wrong places. And conservative endometriosis treatments are all about messing with hormones.

Oct 19, 2012 Chronic illness, Endometriosis, Medications

Two finger slices of fruitcake on a white rectangular plate

Language prompts and grammar nuggets

An approach to teaching English conversation classes to tired adults

May 11, 2012 ESL teaching

A cat with a raised bum stretching her front paws out on a yoga mat - perhaps she is doing downward dog?

Exercises and movements to treat sciatica

There are many different exercises and physiotherapy techniques that have been designed to relief the pain of a pinched sciatic nerve.

Apr 20, 2012 Chronic illness, Sciatica

Rain on a window looking out onto a cat-net-lined balcony with the setting sun peeking through the bottom of the clouds near the horizon.

Tips for managing costochondritis

I was diagnosed with costochondritis at age 13, and have been managing the pain for decades. While it turned out to be actually arthritis, rather than true costo, the things I do to manage the pain in my day-to-day life are exactly the same.

Oct 31, 2011 Chronic illness, Costochondritis

A firey setting sun in a cloudy sky over the mountains surrounding Hakodate Japan.

Vitamin D and chronic pain

There is a strong link between low vitamin D levels and people who have chronic pain conditions. But researchers are still not sure which way the correlation/causation lies.

Oct 19, 2011 Chronic illness, Medications