Endometriosis Flare Day Must-Haves
Endometriosis Flare Day Must-Haves
Endometriosis flares are no joke. Between the swelling, pain, bleeding, and general "everything sucks," it's no wonder that life stops for most of us on a flare day. Over the years, I have come up with ways to make life a little more bearable during an unbearable time. From foods to gadgets to aids, here are my endometriosis flare day must-haves.
1. Heating Pad - A must! I have a few different ones but my favorite is weighted and massages. It helps me more than my TENS unit ever did.
2. Thick Blanket - I have a big, thick blanket I got for Christmas that I snuggle under but I also can be found under my weighted blanket or dragging the comforter from the bed around. I am child-like in my need for cozy blankets.
3. Lots of Hot Tea - Hot liquids are far more soothing than cold when your body aches. In fact, I can't really tolerate cold liquids (outside of a Coke to settle my stomach) when I am flaring. So I like to keep the herbal and flavorful teas handy.
My Favorite Teas
• Hibiscus and elderberry (herbal)
• Blood orange (herbal)
• Cinnamon spice (black)
• Lady Grey (black)
4. Body Wipes/Washcloth & Dry Shampoo - Showering takes a lot of spoons/energy on a flare day, so having a way to stay feeling fresh after your 30th trip to the toilet in 2 hours is important. Body wipes (thrown away and not flushed - think of your area's pipes!) or a wet washcloth to wipe down with and dry shampoo to freshen your hair can make the difference between going to the toilet and feeling like a toilet.
5. Easy to Make, Easy to Digest Foods - When you are fighting to keep food in your body, eating sounds like the worst idea ever. But as difficult as it can be to eat, you gotta do it to keep your body going. My #1 go-to when I can't keep things down is peanut butter. For whatever reason, I don't throw it up. Plus I can eat it straight out of the jar. Cheerios are another go-to I eat straight out of the package. I just have Phil leave the box next to me and I grab a handful whenever I need to.
My Go-To Foods
• Peanut butter
• Cheerios
• Smoothies
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Gluten-free toast
6. Pain Meds & Supplements - Swallowing pills sucks when you feel like shit, but I try to suck it up to stay on my supplement routine. Additionally, I try to not beat myself up if I have to take traditional pain medicine, I do however make sure I take the least amount possible so I don't accidentally overdo it.
My Daily Supplement List
• Serrapeptase (not when bleeding heavily) OR liver cleanse (I alternate every 3-6 months depending on my body's needs)
• Cranberry extract/urinary tract health supplement
• Turmeric and ginger blend
• Immunity blend
• Multivitamin
• Iron
7. Power Brick Phone Charger - Between spending half the day in the bathroom and not being able to spend any time sitting at my desk while having a flare up, I have to keep my phone charged. Power bricks help do exactly that.
8. Eye Mask & Ear Buds - I usually sleep on the couch on flare days. I create a nest of blankets and pillows. I also sleep a lot on flare days. So the ear buds and eye mask help me sleep at 3 PM when kids are running around outside and at 3 AM when the cats are running around inside.
9. Cozy Clothes - Coziness is king on flare days. I don't see people when I am flaring, but I do on occasion have to walk the dog or pass by a window. Plus putting on clothes can make you feel more human. So I have a go-to outfit for flare days...OK it's just a PJ version of my daily work from home outfit, but I can answer the door in it without too much sham and it keeps me warm when I am out of my nest off the couch.
Go-To Outfit
• Fuzzy socks
• Big sweater
• Oversized night t-shirt
• Leggings/yoga pants
10. Cane - I recently invested in a cane to help me around the house on my bad days and it was worth every penny, especially when I am out of strength and home alone. I now know I can get myself up and moving without as much pain or energy wasted. I had a lot of sham surrounding purchasing it, but I am so glad I faced my fears and bought it.
Endometriosis sucks ass. Literally sucks ass. I hate it. I love myself but hate my disease. So in order to survive and thrive, I have a lot of lists just like this one, all tailored to what my body needs and what I can provide for it. I hope this list along with it's mini lists can help you on your endometriosis flare days.
Until next time, my lovelies,
-M
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