Endometriosis and Health Care

2009-05-12T11:57:00.000-07:00

I was doing some research on healthcare reform and came across these blogs, it was interesting to read what others think about what may happen when Congress tackles health care reform..

Blogs Comment On Obama Budget Proposal, Health Care Reform, Other TopicsMain Category: Women's Health / GynecologyAlso Included In: Sexual Health / STDs; Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP; Abortion

~ Blog Posts Examine Reproductive Health Provisions in Obama's Budget Proposal, David Castillo/Nancy Northup/Marilyn Keefe:

The "outlook is somewhat bleak for family planning" under Obama's fiscal 2010 budget proposal released on Thursday, David Castillo writes in a Family PlanIt blog entry. Although Title X received a $10 million increase, it is "a far cry from the nearly $400 million increase family planning supporters have been asking for," he writes, adding that it is "unfortunate that the budget missed an opportunity to make a substantial investment in a program that is proven to work." He also notes that the budget proposal would increase eligibility for family planning services under Medicaid for women with incomes up to 200% of the federal poverty level (Castillo, Family PlanIt, 5/7). Meanwhile, Center for Reproductive Rights President Nancy Northup writes in a Huffington Post blog entry that she is "deeply disappointed" with Obama's "failure to strike government funding restriction on abortion" from the budget, especially the Hyde Amendment, which restricts federal funding for abortion under Medicaid. "At a time in our nation's history when Americans at every income level are losing their jobs and their health benefits, guaranteeing access to affordable, quality health care, including reproductive health care, is imperative," Northup writes. The Hyde Amendment "unjustly impedes women's access to timely, quality health care and disproportionately harms those women who already face significant barriers to obtaining services," she continues, adding, "Sound public health policy means protecting the well-being of all women" (Northup, Huffington Post blogs, 5/8). Marilyn Keefe of the National Partnership for Women and Families writes in a RH Reality Check blog entry that although the budget "contains a dose of heartache," it also "contains some recommendations that should buoy those of us working to improve women's reproductive health," including increases to Medicaid family planning, Title X and international family planning groups and cuts to funding for abstinence-only sex education programs. However, it is disappointing that Obama's proposal "leaves the door open" to maintain some federal funding for abstinence-only programs and fails to remove federal abortion restrictions, Keefe says. "There's agony to go with the ecstasy, and perhaps more than anything real disappointment with the too prevalent view that compromise on reproductive health issues is necessary to foster bipartisan dialogue in this country," Keefe concludes (Keefe, RH Reality Check, 5/8).

Unfortunately, I kinda had this idea in the back of my mind with regards to health care and how it would affect women who are trying to get treatment for Endo....Women are having issues b/c 1.it is considered a pre-exisitng 2. it is not taken seriously 3. lack of education on the topic along with many other reasons and this blog highlights how, if nothing drastic happens with health care it will continue to be an ordeal for women coping with endo....it's hard enough to get proper reporductive health care for women who are "perfectly healthy" let alone women who have a reproductive issue. I would, again, like to say this is a blog, someones opinion on this topic, I put it on my blog to try to get different perspectives on this issue......until Congress starts taking on health care we have to base our ideas/opinions on speculation..

This next post is about the "fight" against health care reform...we know it will be happening when the time comes....
" "Words Designed To Kill Health Care Reform," Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Huffington Post blogs: Merkley writes that he was "shocked" when he read a memo written by GOP strategist Frank Luntz "laying out plans to dismantle any effort to give all Americans access to quality health care." The memo "is not a strategy to push certain ideas about health reform" but is "a strategy intended solely to kill reform effort altogether," Merkley says. He continues that Luntz's "strategy is predicated on deception," including a "ridiculous" effort to call health care reform a "'bailout for the insurance industry,'" a "statement ... developed to serve the same interests who stopped at nothing to derail health care reform" in the past. "We certainly do not all agree on what a reformed health system should look like, but there are people on all sides who are negotiating in good faith," he continues, concluding, "The country deserves that debate on the merits, not poll-tested attack lines intended to prolong the broken system we have today" (Merkley, Huffington

2009-05-05T21:20:00.000-07:00

Endo Overview:

I realized after posting a few times that I never gave a description of what endometriosis is.....so here is a summary courtesy of the Endometriosis Association(www.endometriosisassn.org for further information):

" Endometriosis is a painful, chronic disease that affects 5 1/2 million women and girls in the USA and Canada, and millions more worldwide. It occurs when tissue like that which lines the uterus (tissue called the endometrium) is found outside the uterus -- usually in the abdomen on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and ligaments that support the uterus; the area between the vagina and rectum; the outer surface of the uterus; and the lining of the pelvic cavity. Other sites for these endometrial growths may include the bladder, bowel, vagina, cervix, vulva, and in abdominal surgical scars. Less commonly they are found in the lung, arm, thigh, and other locations.
This misplaced tissue develops into growths or lesions which respond to the menstrual cycle in the same way that the tissue of the uterine lining does: each month the tissue builds up, breaks down, and sheds. Menstrual blood flows from the uterus and out of the body through the vagina, but the blood and tissue shed from endometrial growths has no way of leaving the body. This results in internal bleeding, breakdown of the blood and tissue from the lesions, and inflammation -- and can cause pain, infertility, scar tissue formation, adhesions, and bowel problems.

What are the Symptoms of Endometriosis?
Pain before and during periods
Pain with sex
Infertility
Fatigue
Painful urination during periods
Painful bowel movements during periods
Other Gastrointestinal upsets such as diarrhea, constipation, nausea.

In addition, many women with endometriosis suffer from:
Allergies
Chemical sensitivities
Frequent yeast infections
Diagnosis is considered uncertain until proven by laparoscopy, a minor surgical procedure done under anesthesia. A laparoscopy usually shows the location, size, and extent of the growths. This helps the doctor and patient make better treatment choices.

What Causes Endometriosis?
The cause of endometriosis is unknown. The retrograde menstruation theory (transtubal migration theory) suggests that during menstruation some of the menstrual tissue backs up through the fallopian tubes, implants in the abdomen, and grows. Some experts believe that all women experience some menstrual tissue backup and that an immune system problem or a hormonal problem allows this tissue to grow in the women who develop endometriosis.
Another theory suggests that endometrial tissue is distributed from the uterus to other parts of the body through the lymph system or through the blood system. A genetic theory suggests that it may be carried in the genes in certain families or that some families may have predisposing factors to endometriosis.
Surgical transplantation has also been cited in many cases where endometriosis is found in abdominal scars, although it has also been found in such scars when accidental implantation seems unlikely.
Another theory suggests that remnants of tissue from when the woman was an embryo may later develop into endometriosis, or that some adult tissues retain the ability they had in the embryo stage to transform reproductive tissue in certain circumstances.
Research by the Endometriosis Association revealed a startling link between dioxin (TCCD) exposure and the development of endometriosis. Dioxin is a toxic chemical byproduct of pesticide manufacturing, bleached pulp and paper products, and medical and municipal waste incineration. The EA discovered a colony of rhesus monkeys that had developed endometriosis after exposure to dioxin. 79% of the monkeys exposed to dioxin developed endometriosis, and, in addition, the more dioxin exposure, the more severe the endo." Endometriosis Association--www.endometriosisassn.org

Knowing what the disease is......it is easy to understand the complications many people have when dealing with their health care company or trying to get insurance....This has always been something that peaked my interest, which is why I'm very curious to see how the reform will take shape(see my 1st post).For example, it'll be very interesting to see how/if the waiting period for pre-existing conditions will be changed or done away with....

I'm working on getting info RE: our current helath care system and on ideas that the new administration has for change. I want to compare and contrast how that would effect women/ families that have and are affected by the disease.

LINK

2009-04-30T13:45:00.001-07:00

Please click on the link and sign the petition, we need to educate people on this disease.

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/endometriosis-awareness-understanding.html

2009-04-30T13:21:00.000-07:00

With Sen. Arlene Spector "switching teams" the democrats now have 59 seats in the senate, they need 60 for a filibuster proof senate. I think too many people are getting to excited about this, b/c it doesn't mean that automatically things will get passed without debate or fight. Sen. Spector is a moderate and a "independent" thinker........With this just happening and knowing that the next issue congress will be taking on is health care reform I wonder how long it will take to reach some sort of "agreement" and if it will really be benefical for those that need...I must say, I don't know how confident I am!!!!!

The New Administration and Health Care

2009-04-23T18:19:00.000-07:00

With the Obama administration in place and seeing all the changes that it has been making I can only wonder how they will approach and change the health care policies that are current, as changing the health care system was a large and one of the main issues during the campaign. As a 26 year old woman who was diagnosed with stage IV endometriosis in 2006, I know the struggles of dealing with the current health system. Having a reproductive disease that, although it affects more than 5 million women in North America alone, it is still something that is unknown and that affects the way it is viewed by physicians, employers and health insurance companies. This disease is non- discriminatory and is something that women of all ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds are dealing with on a daily basis and still we are all facing discrimination, preconceived notions and general ignorance regarding treatment for our disease. It is for these reasons that I am hoping the new administration will hold true to their promise of reforming health care laws and policies while making it affordable for all people.
(further info on Endometriosis-www.endometriosisassn.org-education is the beginning to change)

Endometriosis and Health Care

**LINK**

The New Administration and Health Care

LINK