Women Lines

Its not Life threatening, BUT its definitely “Quality of Life” Threatening Condition!

Most people know endometriosis as a condition that can cause infertility, but the commonest symptom is pain. Pain with periods, pain with sex, pain opening their bowels, or pelvic pain on most days of the month. Many women with endometriosis become pregnant easily.

Endometriosis is common, but because many women don’t talk about their symptoms, we often don’t realise that it affects between 1 in 10 and 1 in 20 women. For many years, endometriosis was thought to be an uncommon condition of women in their 30s and 40s. We now know that it is a common condition of women in their teens and 20s.

The lining of the uterus is called endometrium. This is the tissue that grows each month and bleeds away during a period. When tissue like endometrium is found outside the uterus it is called endometriosis.

How is endometriosis diagnosed?

The only reliable way to diagnose endometriosis is by laparoscopy. This is an operation where a telescope is inserted through the umbilicus (belly button) to view the organs inside the pelvis. Endometriosis lesions can be clear, pink, red, brown or black.

An ultrasound examination is usually normal unless there are large cysts of endometriosis in the ovaries. These are called endometriomas or chocolate cysts. So, even if an ultrasound is normal, endometriosis can still be present.

What sort of problems can endometriosis cause?

Endometriosis presents in many ways. Common presentations include:

1. Women with no pain, who are found to have endometriosis during investigation for infertility.
2. Women who have severe period pain, often from their teenage years, but are well at other times of the month. Pain with periods is called dysmenorrhoea.
3. Women who have a mix of pain symptoms on most days of the month. This is called chronic pelvic pain. They may have a variety of symptoms including sharp or stabbing pains, changes in bladder function or changes in bowel function.

How is endometriosis managed?

Each woman with endometriosis is different, so the best treatment for each woman will depend on what type of problems she has.

In couples who are unable to become pregnant:

• It is important to get a full picture of all the possible contributing factors. This includes testing her husbands’ semen. Endometriosis may be only one of the fertility problems present.
• A laparoscopy to remove the endometriosis may be enough to improve her fertility
• If pregnancy does not occur after this, then invitro fertilisation (IVF) may be necessary

In women with painful periods, but who are otherwise well the pain may be from the uterus, from endometriosis lesions in the pelvis or from both these areas:

• It is best to first try medications such as anti-inflammatories (e.g. ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac), because not all women with painful periods have endometriosis. The medications should be taken early in the period and continued regularly until the pain resolves.
• If no better, then the oral contraceptive pill or acupuncture may be helpful
• If no better, then a laparoscopy with excision (cutting out) of any endometriosis should be considered.
• Sometimes a device called a mirena iucd is used. This is a way of putting progestogen medication inside the uterus and is often very helpful at making periods light and less painful

In women with chronic pelvic pain, treatment is more complicated. Often there are many different symptoms, so no single treatment will fix all her problems. It is often helpful to write down each symptom and plan treatment for each one:

• Period pain over several days (rather than just 1-2 days), pain opening bowels with periods, and endometriomas are best managed with high quality laparoscopic surgery. This can be very difficult surgery and it is important that the surgeon involved has extensive experience with laparoscopic surgical excision. Other alternatives include norethisterone tablets taken daily to avoid periods or a mirena iucd.
• Sharp, stabbing pains, increased sensitivity in the abdomen, soreness near the opening of the vagina, sharp pains that wake her at night, and some types of pain with intercourse are often due to a change in the way nerves in the pelvis function. This is called neuropathic pain. It responds best to medications such as amitriptyline or gabapentin in very low dose. It will also be worse if she is overtired or overstressed.
• Bladder symptoms of frequency (going to toilet more often), nocturia (getting up at night), urgency (needing to rush to the toilet) and some types of pain with intercourse may be due to a condition called interstitial cystitis. It is common in women with endometriosis and needs a special type of test called a cystoscopy and hydrodistension to diagnose. Useful information can be found at www.ic-network.com
• Bowel changes such as constipation, diarrhoea and pelvic discomfort sometimes improve with surgery, but are often due to food intolerances or an irritable bowel.
• Pelvic pain which is worse in different positions or with different activities and some types of pain with intercourse is often due to spasm of the pelvic floor muscles. The muscles just inside the vagina are tight and pressure on them causes pain. Treatment options include pelvic floor physiotherapy, botox injections in the pelvic floor muscles to relieve the spasm, and sometimes low doses of amitriptyline.

Many women with chronic pelvic pain also suffer tiredness and may feel generally unwell. Even when their symptoms improve, they require a lot of emotional support from their family and friends to return to an active and healthy life.

Written by; -Dr Susan Evans is a Pelvic & Laproscopic Surgeon & author of ‘Endometriosis and other pelvic pain’ written for women with endometriosis. It is available from her website: http://www.drsusanevans.com

She is also the co-founder of the Asia Pacific Endometriosis Alliance & co-founder of Australian Endometriosis Centre, Adelaide Branch.

Her books will be available in Singapore in the World Women Health 2009, November 28^th 2-6pm. Suntec City – Rooms303-306.

Registration details at

http://www.worldwomenhealth2009.com.html

Trend of kitty parties is picking up fast. It’s the  intention with which women wants to have fun in these parties matters.

Every woman loves to dress up nicely, try out new restaurants, try out new cuisines, participate in games organized in kitties and just have fun for themselves for few hours!

There is nothing bad in this concept. After all everybody wants fun in life. While going through regular routine of life, handling kids, kitchen, managing home, family, job it becomes a necessity for womenfolk to indulge in some activity which will provide fun for themselves. Through kitty parties women are also getting opportunity to show their creativity in different ways. The way they dress up, hair styling and few are in special planning for games for parties in different ways.

With changing time ways for partying is also changing. We as a women definitely need time for fun but if this fun time planned properly then it can be used for the mutual benefit of womenfolk. There are so many things which can be planned while organizing these parties. How about having a party without high calorie food. Menu can be planned keeping calories in mind. Potluck can also be planned where every lady brings some diet dish keeping in mind the spirit of party. Once a while discussions can be done where every member speaks about herself, her hobbies, whats her vision .Topic for discussion can be predecided and thus exchange of knowledge can hppen which will mutually benefit everybody. How about visiting any orphanage or NGO and spending some time. You can also carry hand made food for people there. That will bring some charity purpose in life

There are so many creative ways in which these parties can be planned and which can be really mutually benefit to every member of the kitty. Family picnics can be planned together, halls can be booked to have performances by the members, competitions can be organized on occasion of festivals.

Every woman is a unique creativity by God in herself. Don’t let that feminism and creativity die due to certain excuses. Things can be better for everybody if you just think about it. If you are happy then your family will be happier. Find ways to make yourself more happy while carrying out other responsibilities in life . Stop cribbing of lesser time. Whatever is the situation in life you have to face it.

Lets have a party with purpose!

Kitty parties have been very popular among the womenfolk for quite sometime. It has been a way to enjoy among them, go out and try different restaurants and have some savings for themselves in form of kitties for every month. Quite interesting isn’t it!

I explored around to find out other interesting facts regarding kitty party. In 1719, kitty was variant of kitten, perhaps influenced by kitty “girl, young woman.” (c.1500), it was originally a pet form of Catherine.

A HEN party is a party where women only are invited.

Kitty could refer to different things.

There’s a character called “Hello Kitty.” That character is frequently a “party theme.” Some people never outgrow “hello kitty”

There are groups where the members would host small “kitty” parties amongst themselves for the purpose of raising a “kitty” (nest egg) to pay for the big public charity event.

In India there was a hit TV serial named Kitty Party,written by famous writer Shobha De’s incisive pen which created eight women who are catty, full of gossip, often hypocritical and crafty. This proves that the premise of female bonding and women meeting one another to discuss their lives is being accepted in several places in the country. In fact within a metro city there are suburban kitty parties, multi-millionaire kitty parties and middle-class kitty parties.

On 2nd May 2009, A Kitty Party was organized and sponsored by Grehlakshmi Magazine in India, which went on in an enthusiastic and joyas manner. This party was organized at Hotel Sheraton, New Delhi. This event was said to be the Largest Kitty Party in the world as more than 4500 females participated and enjoyed the event. Though we may have heard of several Kitty Party’s organized by housewives or several women’s clubs but this was an unique event where such a large crowd was gathered to enjoy the day which is full of fun and masti. The object was clearly being to offer these women a platform where they can be away from the day to day stress, gossip with one another and pamper themselves but also get to meet the much a wau television celebrities, witness scintillating fashion shows, interact with the top most people from various fields and the like.

Trend of kitty parties is picking up fast. It’s the angle with which women wants to have fun in these parties matters. Women lines will share some new ideas to make such parties meaningful for womenfolk.Don’t miss it !

Shakun Narang wants to share this interesting information with womenlines readers-

According to the findings of the most recent poll, it takes women almost one year of their lives to decide what to wear. Picking outfits for work, dating, gym, dinner parties, holidays and many other activities means that the average woman will be spending about 287 days rifling through her closet.

The survey, carried out by the UK clothes giant Matalan, was based on an adult lifetime and compiled the results after polling nearly 2,500 women with the ages between 16 and 60 years. The results revealed that most women will be spending approximately 16 minutes on weekday mornings and 14 minutes on a Saturday or Sunday mornings selecting the correct ensembles to wear. According to the study authors, women spend an average of twenty minutes when deciding what to wear on a Friday or Saturday nights and the same amount of time is needed for an outfit selection during a week night.

The researchers behind the study also found that women spend about 52 minutes in front of their closet when it comes to choosing clothes for a vacation at sea. While on vacation, ten minutes a morning will be taken up when a lady is trying to find an acceptable outfit, with another 10 minutes spent on selecting clothes for the evening. In addition to that, dinner parties, Christmas parties and black tie occasions – at approximately 36 minutes a time 6 times throughout a year – adds up to three and a half days.

The results of the poll also demonstrate that, on average, most of women will try on two different outfits every single morning before making up their mind and coming to a final decision. In addition, one in every two women spend about 15 minutes the night before work trying to figure out what clothes to select. Among other findings of the survey is that about 64 hours per year women spend on talking about clothes to their female counterparts.

Sarah Gilmore, a spokesman for Matalan, said that what a woman wears is directly linked to how she feels about herself and it is very important a woman feels exceptional in what she wears. “Whatever the occasion your clothes portray an image and we understand this is fundamentally important to women,” Gilmore said.

Indian women spread their charm everywhere they are, why not in Singapore!

INDIAN WOMENFOLK

Indian women association of Singapore organised a shopping fare, IWA Bazaar, on 11 September, at Holiday Inn Singapore with much fun fare. It was a lovely experience participating in shopping fair and meeting such enterprising ladies.This  fair gave a platform to all those entrepreneur ladies who are trying to create niche for themselves by using their creativity or doing some business. There were various stalls put up by different vendors in the bazaar showcasing jewellery, clothing’s, painting’s and many more such items.

The Indian Women’s Association (IWA) of Singapore is a non-profit organization under the patronage of the High Commission of India. Founded in 1998 IWA comprises of a large exclusive member body representative of both the expatriate as well as local Indian Community. IWA is managed by a volunteer executive committee elected annually.IWA endeavours to bring the Indian community together by giving them a platform to connect, support, and network with each other whilst living Singapore.  Through IWA members participate in social, cultural, educational and philanthropic activities. IWA’s mission is not only to present a cultural platform, but also to provide a networking  interface to its working members.Membership  is open to all women of Indian origin or married to men of Indian origin residing in Singapore.

The organising committee led by Ms Ranjeeta  and Ms Monisha had put lots of hard work in organising such event at such a bigger scale. The show was glamorized by the ramp walk by lovely ladies displaying their brands of clothes and jewellery.Their were some unique stalls which displayed the creativity of our womenfolk. Gifts stall by Ms Shraddha Agarwal was unique in itself. She displayed her creativity through her baby diaper gift cakes which is an innovative idea in itself. Ms Georgie displayed her own designed jewellery in  a very creative manner. She designs jewellery with gems and stones.

Events like IWA Bazaar are really helpful in promoting entrepreneurship spirit of our womenfolk. Womenlines hats off to all those lovely ladies who took the initiative to organise this event.