Non medication things: ☺️
- Magnesium vitamin - I take pill and gummy form totalling 610 mg (adult dose is 350 for females). I've tried that and it doesn't work for me - again, I have migraines and magnesium helps a lot with that.
- The brand Somedays (products cramp cream takes my pain from a 8/10 to a 2 sometimes)
- Heat pads (blanket form, heat belt like my obi or the amazon one I have works just as well just doesn't have TENS therapy (I rarely use TENS), the EMMA VALENTINA sticky heat pads that hide under clothing)

I have a public insta account with most of this info: together_endo
Have her send me a message if she has questions or wants insight. FMLA/ paid leave stuff isn't on there yet. It's still new. Most of my following for that account are other sources that will be helpful for someone with endo. Some of the girls I follow are very open about how endo effects them and what they do to ease the issue.

I have. It can be debilitating even with treatments. (FYI I'm not saying any of these will work for her but they have worked for me).

Is she on birth control? If yes and it doesn't work, try switching types. Read about them online and go to her appointments with her to primary and OB, or have her bring a friend/ significant other. For some reason docs will be better about explaining if a parent or trusted person attends appointments with the patient.. an advocate for the extremity of the situation. Ask about how to know if a type of birth control isn't working - ask about high progesterone and estrogen symptoms. I am on double birth control, nexplanon and a pill called Slynd. I have suspected high estrogen which suggests my symptoms with migraines. I do not know anyone on double birth control.. it's unheard of. PSA birth control implants and/ or pills do not work for everyone.

Has she been formally diagnosed with something like laparoscopy or similar or is it suspected? If yes to the current diagnosis - did the surgery help? It helped me A LOT. I am able to work a physical job again, still on double birth control. I often switch the pill brand and type when my symptoms aren't clearing up. However, I have used quite a bit of leave to manage my symptoms.

If she lives in a state that offers Paid Leave, look into it and take notes. Call weekly for clarification. Paid Leave is the paid version of what OFLA used to be (OFLA is in Oregon). Once employed somewhere for a year you can use FMLA when you run out of paid leave. Most companies have to provide something similar to OFLA/ FMLA which has over 50 employees. It took a month for me to get approved, they say it only takes a minimum of 2 weeks now as they've hired a lot of people since August 2024. They base the weekly income on the past 4 quarters (1 year) of your reported income from other jobs. Paid Leave can only be used while employed. If she's not working because she was fired, and it was recent, call the EEOC and BOLI (and research online) and learn if they terminated her illegally (i.e. having given notice for appointments or having provided notice for leave and have provided a reason (health/ medical condition) and the employer denied the approval for missing time from work).

I have been unemployed 2x because of endo, both prediagnosis. If she doesn't know, have her learn her rights for when she returns to working again. Use this time to understand what needs to happen while unemployed, that's what I did. Things like doctor's notes over email, not handed in person as there's no paper trail that way. Or Giving notice to specialty care appointments - and If questioned state that there is no other date that can be selected, only further out in the future.