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The women on Witsendo have been through it all with their debilitating bouts of endometriosis: round-the-clock painkillers, repeated and difficult surgeries, doctor-shopping for sympathetic professionals, being told their pain is psychological, and worse. Participants share strategies for dealing with ongoing pain, inform each other of research findings, offer suggestions based on their experience -- but mostly they listen to each other, nodding their heads in agreement and frustration. Many posters are younger women, and some are facing the prospect of not being able to have children as a result of treatments. A striking common theme is the number of doctors people went through before finding medical professionals who took them seriously and knew how to treat their illness. Between posts of resignation, anger and fear, there is a lot of mutual caring and support for each other, and pointers to local and Net resources. Participants meet for chat via IRC and other venues. - E.L.

subject matter: gender-specific community, health

regional affiliation: global

format: mailing list

language: English

cost: no cost