Dr. Mona Orady

That helps so much. Thanks for sharing. Sorry you had to go through all of that but glad to hear that surgery and pelvic floor PT helped.  Dr. Orady stopped accepting PPO plans in July of this year so it will be rather expensive for me but I also really trust her as a surgeon—weighing some options.

Oh no. I am so sorry you are going through this! How upsetting to have to deal with all it having answers when you’re healing from surgery and your case was so extensive. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. For what it’s worth, I really liked Dr. Orady in Walnut Creek. But she stopped taking PPOs and her office has been a nightmare to deal with for getting reimbursed (my insurance company sent the reimbursement to her office instead of me). She has great yelp reviews for her surgical skills though and I will say that communicating with her has been fine (or office/billing department is an entirely different story though).

Idk. Her yelp reviews are all positive for her as a doctor and surgeon and terrible for her staff (going back two years). Good to know she’s still Listed as in network for Cigna. I have United healthcare. Her office claims they submitted a letter withdrawing from in network as of July 1 and it’s the health insurance company who hasn’t updated the website but now that I know it’s two separate insurance companies with this issue, I’m beginning to think Orady’s office is the problem did you have bowel endo by chance? Bowel issues are like 60% percent of my endo problems and I want to make sure she can address it alll

Sharing My Story Sharing My Story Four surgical procedures later... Cons: Mostly everything. I type this hopped up on strong ass opioids, pain killers, and a prescription laxative. Every single fucking thing hurts or makes me nauseous, and my organs feel like they are going to fall out of my “blown up” stomach (bloated with the gas they put in during surgery). It took me more than 5 hours to pee just a little (the record at the hospital was 7, almost broke it!). Feels like a knife is slicing me every time I pee or shift my body. I cannot move or breathe or laugh or do virtually anything without it hurting like hell and without my mom’s or Nick’s assistance. They have been my guardian angels and I feel so blessed to have them here with me. Pros: Dr. Mona Orady and her team - including my amazing anesthesiologist and the nurses- are fucking rockstars. They gave me my best chance yesterday of having a life with less daily pain. Of having kids. Of having a more semblance of “normal.” The support from my friends and family has been very moving (cried at almost every message and call I received lol), and I am beyond grateful for all of the incredible people that took the time to wish me well and show their love. I debated for a long time on whether or not to make this post. Ultimately - and obviously- I said “fuck it” to my inhibitions. If these words can make a positive difference for even just one person, then casting aside my reservations is one of the best decisions I have made this week. I have an extensive medical history fraught with trauma, mental illness, and physical debilitations. I am 24 going on what feels like 65. No, I do not want your pity, or your questions about what all of that entails; and no, I will not divulge any more than a surface level glimpse into all of that morbidity. My sole goal in stating this fact about my health is to focus the conversation onto a particular chronic illness (and autoimmune disorder accompaniment) that exacerbates, intensifies, and sometimes even causes my myriad of health issues - Endometriosis. Endometriosis is a very common chronic illness (affecting 1 in 10 women!) that is accompanied by its own plethora of chronic symptoms. There is no cure for this disease. There is not enough research on it. There is, instead, a vast discrepancy on how it affects each and every individual. For me, it intensified the effects of my other issues, and gave me some *fun* symptoms to deal with: chronic pain, chronic fatigue, chronic insomnia, chronic everything...let’s just say my usual “Doing well” response to “How are you?” actually means “HAHA still always in pain and most of the time I wish I could go to sleep because I’m tired and depressed and anxious AF and never want to wake up, but same old, same old right?!” But I can’t think or talk like that all of the time — especially because outwardly, I look fine. I act fine. I have to always be fine. I don’t want to be a burden to anyone, although that is my perception of myself most of the time. The funny thing about “invisible” illnesses, however, is that no matter how fine you pretend to be, Pain™ is a constant fucker that demands to be felt. Endometriosis fosters a negative feedback loop of this pain in your mind and in your body, terrorizing the innermost crevices of your psyche. This disease affects your systemic health so adversely that you barely sleep and wake up into a nightmare every single day. Does this sound dramatic? Perhaps. But it doesn’t make it any less truthful. I am well versed in the usual colloquialisms that come up with this condition: “But you don’t look sick!” “Have you tried eating right and doing yoga?” “You’re cancelling plans again?!” “Don’t be so lazy!” “Maybe you should get some more sleep hahaha!” I could go on with a bunch more of these, but the point is - anyone with endo or any other chronic/“invisible” illness is working at least twice as hard as a healthy individual to accomplish even the simplest of tasks. Our “tired” is different, as is our “I’m fine,”, and our “doing well,” and “having energy,” and whatever else you may hear from someone trying to survive every day. Try and imagine your body and your brain ripping your insides apart while being judged and misunderstood just because you look fine. Imagine being thought of as dramatic and needy and as a hypochondriac when you are simply giving a voice to all of the constant symptoms that plague you on a daily basis (in addition to all of the other health issues most women are already dealing with!). Imagine not being believed by your friends, family, or even your doctors (it takes ~10 years for doctors to diagnose, I waited 14 years for proper diagnosis and treatment). Imagine hiding everything except what is on the surface because it is socially unacceptable to show constant suffering. Imagine taking the steps to seek help, only to have to have your endo return (since, once again, there is no cure – most women endure multiple surgeries in their lifetimes). As I navigate through my recovery journey for the next couple of months, I hope this post serves as a blunt reminder to be kind and compassionate to every person you meet. It is impossible to truly know and empathize with what any single person is going through. You never know what invisible battles someone is fighting, or what they cannot bring themselves to open up about. Never make anyone feel like they have to “prove” just how sick they are. Never assume that you fully know anyone’s entire story or experiences - despite how “open” they may seem. I am in awe of all of the brave women fighting this disease today. You are all strong warriors and survivors, and are personal inspirations to me. I hope this post can help you feel a little less alone and a little more understood. And to anyone else that has read up until this point, thank you for taking the time to understand your fellow human. I appreciate you. ❤️ - Raksha

Sharing My Story - Hope this helps someone ❤️ Sharing My Story - Hope this helps someone ❤️ Four surgical procedures later... Cons: Mostly everything. I type this hopped up on strong ass opioids, pain killers, and a prescription laxative. Every single fucking thing hurts or makes me nauseous, and my organs feel like they are going to fall out of my “blown up” stomach (bloated with the gas they put in during surgery). It took me more than 5 hours to pee just a little (the record at the hospital was 7, almost broke it!). Feels like a knife is slicing me every time I pee or shift my body. I cannot move or breathe or laugh or do virtually anything without it hurting like hell and without my mom’s or Nick’s assistance. They have been my guardian angels and I feel so blessed to have them here with me. Pros: Dr. Mona Orady and her team - including my amazing anesthesiologist and the nurses- are fucking rockstars. They gave me my best chance yesterday of having a life with less daily pain. Of having kids. Of having a more semblance of “normal.” The support from my friends and family has been very moving (cried at almost every message and call I received lol), and I am beyond grateful for all of the incredible people that took the time to wish me well and show their love. I debated for a long time on whether or not to make this post. Ultimately - and obviously- I said “fuck it” to my inhibitions. If these words can make a positive difference for even just one person, then casting aside my reservations is one of the best decisions I have made this week. I have an extensive medical history fraught with trauma, mental illness, and physical debilitations. I am 24 going on what feels like 65. No, I do not want your pity, or your questions about what all of that entails; and no, I will not divulge any more than a surface level glimpse into all of that morbidity. My sole goal in stating this fact about my health is to focus the conversation onto a particular chronic illness (and autoimmune disorder accompaniment) that exacerbates, intensifies, and sometimes even causes my myriad of health issues - Endometriosis. Endometriosis is a very common chronic illness (affecting 1 in 10 women!) that is accompanied by its own plethora of chronic symptoms. There is no cure for this disease. There is not enough research on it. There is, instead, a vast discrepancy on how it affects each and every individual. For me, it intensified the effects of my other issues, and gave me some *fun* symptoms to deal with: chronic pain, chronic fatigue, chronic insomnia, chronic everything...let’s just say my usual “Doing well” response to “How are you?” actually means “HAHA still always in pain and most of the time I wish I could go to sleep because I’m tired and depressed and anxious AF and never want to wake up, but same old, same old right?!” But I can’t think or talk like that all of the time — especially because outwardly, I look fine. I act fine. I have to always be fine. I don’t want to be a burden to anyone, although that is my perception of myself most of the time. The funny thing about “invisible” illnesses, however, is that no matter how fine you pretend to be, Pain™ is a constant fucker that demands to be felt. Endometriosis fosters a negative feedback loop of this pain in your mind and in your body, terrorizing the innermost crevices of your psyche. This disease affects your systemic health so adversely that you barely sleep and wake up into a nightmare every single day. Does this sound dramatic? Perhaps. But it doesn’t make it any less truthful. I am well versed in the usual colloquialisms that come up with this condition: “But you don’t look sick!” “Have you tried eating right and doing yoga?” “You’re cancelling plans again?!” “Don’t be so lazy!” “Maybe you should get some more sleep hahaha!” I could go on with a bunch more of these, but the point is - anyone with endo or any other chronic/“invisible” illness is working at least twice as hard as a healthy individual to accomplish even the simplest of tasks. Our “tired” is different, as is our “I’m fine,”, and our “doing well,” and “having energy,” and whatever else you may hear from someone trying to survive every day. Try and imagine your body and your brain ripping your insides apart while being judged and misunderstood just because you look fine. Imagine being thought of as dramatic and needy and as a hypochondriac when you are simply giving a voice to all of the constant symptoms that plague you on a daily basis (in addition to all of the other health issues most women are already dealing with!). Imagine not being believed by your friends, family, or even your doctors (it takes ~10 years for doctors to diagnose, I waited 14 years for proper diagnosis and treatment). Imagine hiding everything except what is on the surface because it is socially unacceptable to show constant suffering. Imagine taking the steps to seek help, only to have to have your endo return (since, once again, there is no cure – most women endure multiple surgeries in their lifetimes). As I navigate through my recovery journey for the next couple of months, I hope this post serves as a blunt reminder to be kind and compassionate to every person you meet. It is impossible to truly know and empathize with what any single person is going through. You never know what invisible battles someone is fighting, or what they cannot bring themselves to open up about. Never make anyone feel like they have to “prove” just how sick they are. Never assume that you fully know anyone’s entire story or experiences - despite how “open” they may seem. I am in awe of all of the brave women fighting this disease today. You are all strong warriors and survivors, and are personal inspirations to me. I hope this post can help you feel a little less alone and a little more understood. And to anyone else that has read up until this point, thank you for taking the time to understand your fellow human. I appreciate you. ❤️ - Raksha

Hoping my story helps someone Hoping my story helps someone Four surgical procedures later... Cons: Mostly everything. I type this hopped up on strong ass opioids, pain killers, and a prescription laxative. Every single fucking thing hurts or makes me nauseous, and my organs feel like they are going to fall out of my “blown up” stomach (bloated with the gas they put in during surgery). It took me more than 5 hours to pee just a little (the record at the hospital was 7, almost broke it!). Feels like a knife is slicing me every time I pee or shift my body. I cannot move or breathe or laugh or do virtually anything without it hurting like hell and without my mom’s or Nick’s assistance. They have been my guardian angels and I feel so blessed to have them here with me. Pros: Dr. Mona Orady and her team - including my amazing anesthesiologist and the nurses- are fucking rockstars. They gave me my best chance yesterday of having a life with less daily pain. Of having kids. Of having a more semblance of “normal.” The support from my friends and family has been very moving (cried at almost every message and call I received lol), and I am beyond grateful for all of the incredible people that took the time to wish me well and show their love. I debated for a long time on whether or not to make this post. Ultimately - and obviously- I said “fuck it” to my inhibitions. If these words can make a positive difference for even just one person, then casting aside my reservations is one of the best decisions I have made this week. I have an extensive medical history fraught with trauma, mental illness, and physical debilitations. I am 24 going on what feels like 65. No, I do not want your pity, or your questions about what all of that entails; and no, I will not divulge any more than a surface level glimpse into all of that morbidity. My sole goal in stating this fact about my health is to focus the conversation onto a particular chronic illness (and autoimmune disorder accompaniment) that exacerbates, intensifies, and sometimes even causes my myriad of health issues - Endometriosis. Endometriosis is a very common chronic illness (affecting 1 in 10 women!) that is accompanied by its own plethora of chronic symptoms. There is no cure for this disease. There is not enough research on it. There is, instead, a vast discrepancy on how it affects each and every individual. For me, it intensified the effects of my other issues, and gave me some *fun* symptoms to deal with: chronic pain, chronic fatigue, chronic insomnia, chronic everything...let’s just say my usual “Doing well” response to “How are you?” actually means “HAHA still always in pain and most of the time I wish I could go to sleep because I’m tired and depressed and anxious AF and never want to wake up, but same old, same old right?!” But I can’t think or talk like that all of the time — especially because outwardly, I look fine. I act fine. I have to always be fine. I don’t want to be a burden to anyone, although that is my perception of myself most of the time. The funny thing about “invisible” illnesses, however, is that no matter how fine you pretend to be, Pain™ is a constant fucker that demands to be felt. Endometriosis fosters a negative feedback loop of this pain in your mind and in your body, terrorizing the innermost crevices of your psyche. This disease affects your systemic health so adversely that you barely sleep and wake up into a nightmare every single day. Does this sound dramatic? Perhaps. But it doesn’t make it any less truthful. I am well versed in the usual colloquialisms that come up with this condition: “But you don’t look sick!” “Have you tried eating right and doing yoga?” “You’re cancelling plans again?!” “Don’t be so lazy!” “Maybe you should get some more sleep hahaha!” I could go on with a bunch more of these, but the point is - anyone with endo or any other chronic/“invisible” illness is working at least twice as hard as a healthy individual to accomplish even the simplest of tasks. Our “tired” is different, as is our “I’m fine,”, and our “doing well,” and “having energy,” and whatever else you may hear from someone trying to survive every day. Try and imagine your body and your brain ripping your insides apart while being judged and misunderstood just because you look fine. Imagine being thought of as dramatic and needy and as a hypochondriac when you are simply giving a voice to all of the constant symptoms that plague you on a daily basis (in addition to all of the other health issues most women are already dealing with!). Imagine not being believed by your friends, family, or even your doctors (it takes ~10 years for doctors to diagnose, I waited 14 years for proper diagnosis and treatment). Imagine hiding everything except what is on the surface because it is socially unacceptable to show constant suffering. Imagine taking the steps to seek help, only to have to have your endo return (since, once again, there is no cure – most women endure multiple surgeries in their lifetimes). As I navigate through my recovery journey for the next couple of months, I hope this post serves as a blunt reminder to be kind and compassionate to every person you meet. It is impossible to truly know and empathize with what any single person is going through. You never know what invisible battles someone is fighting, or what they cannot bring themselves to open up about. Never make anyone feel like they have to “prove” just how sick they are. Never assume that you fully know anyone’s entire story or experiences - despite how “open” they may seem. I am in awe of all of the brave women fighting this disease today. You are all strong warriors and survivors, and are personal inspirations to me. I hope this post can help you feel a little less alone and a little more understood. And to anyone else that has read up until this point, thank you for taking the time to understand your fellow human. I appreciate you. ❤️ - Raksha

I am so sorry for what you are going through. Please get a second opinion about your endo- I went through 4 to 5 doctors before I found the right one to diagnose and treat. And yes, four procedures :/ cystoscopy, excision laparoscopy, chromopertubation, and hysteroscopy. I only had my first surgery yesterday and I am still in a lot of pain, despite all of the pain meds I am taking. I have had endo since my first period at 10 years old and there is no doubt in my mind that the type of care you receive makes all of the difference. I went to Dr. Mona Orady in SF, but I would check out “Nook” doctors in Nancy’s Nook on Facebook for doctors in your area. Wishing you the best of luck - you are a brave warrior and never let anyone make you forget that.

Hope my story can help someone ❤️ Hope my story can help someone ❤️ Four surgical procedures later... Cons: Mostly everything. I type this hopped up on strong ass opioids, pain killers, and a prescription laxative. Every single fucking thing hurts or makes me nauseous, and my organs feel like they are going to fall out of my “blown up” stomach (bloated with the gas they put in during surgery). It took me more than 5 hours to pee just a little (the record at the hospital was 7, almost broke it!). Feels like a knife is slicing me every time I pee or shift my body. I cannot move or breathe or laugh or do virtually anything without it hurting like hell and without my mom’s or Nick’s assistance. They have been my guardian angels and I feel so blessed to have them here with me. Pros: Dr. Mona Orady and her team - including my amazing anesthesiologist and the nurses- are fucking rockstars. They gave me my best chance yesterday of having a life with less daily pain. Of having kids. Of having a more semblance of “normal.” The support from my friends and family has been very moving (cried at almost every message and call I received lol), and I am beyond grateful for all of the incredible people that took the time to wish me well and show their love. I debated for a long time on whether or not to make this post. Ultimately - and obviously- I said “fuck it” to my inhibitions. If these words can make a positive difference for even just one person, then casting aside my reservations is one of the best decisions I have made this week. I have an extensive medical history fraught with trauma, mental illness, and physical debilitations. I am 24 going on what feels like 65. No, I do not want your pity, or your questions about what all of that entails; and no, I will not divulge any more than a surface level glimpse into all of that morbidity. My sole goal in stating this fact about my health is to focus the conversation onto a particular chronic illness (and autoimmune disorder accompaniment) that exacerbates, intensifies, and sometimes even causes my myriad of health issues - Endometriosis. Endometriosis is a very common chronic illness (affecting 1 in 10 women!) that is accompanied by its own plethora of chronic symptoms. There is no cure for this disease. There is not enough research on it. There is, instead, a vast discrepancy on how it affects each and every individual. For me, it intensified the effects of my other issues, and gave me some *fun* symptoms to deal with: chronic pain, chronic fatigue, chronic insomnia, chronic everything...let’s just say my usual “Doing well” response to “How are you?” actually means “HAHA still always in pain and most of the time I wish I could go to sleep because I’m tired and depressed and anxious AF and never want to wake up, but same old, same old right?!” But I can’t think or talk like that all of the time — especially because outwardly, I look fine. I act fine. I have to always be fine. I don’t want to be a burden to anyone, although that is my perception of myself most of the time. The funny thing about “invisible” illnesses, however, is that no matter how fine you pretend to be, Pain™ is a constant fucker that demands to be felt. Endometriosis fosters a negative feedback loop of this pain in your mind and in your body, terrorizing the innermost crevices of your psyche. This disease affects your systemic health so adversely that you barely sleep and wake up into a nightmare every single day. Does this sound dramatic? Perhaps. But it doesn’t make it any less truthful. I am well versed in the usual colloquialisms that come up with this condition: “But you don’t look sick!” “Have you tried eating right and doing yoga?” “You’re cancelling plans again?!” “Don’t be so lazy!” “Maybe you should get some more sleep hahaha!” I could go on with a bunch more of these, but the point is - anyone with endo or any other chronic/“invisible” illness is working at least twice as hard as a healthy individual to accomplish even the simplest of tasks. Our “tired” is different, as is our “I’m fine,”, and our “doing well,” and “having energy,” and whatever else you may hear from someone trying to survive every day. Try and imagine your body and your brain ripping your insides apart while being judged and misunderstood just because you look fine. Imagine being thought of as dramatic and needy and as a hypochondriac when you are simply giving a voice to all of the constant symptoms that plague you on a daily basis (in addition to all of the other health issues most women are already dealing with!). Imagine not being believed by your friends, family, or even your doctors (it takes ~10 years for doctors to diagnose, I waited 14 years for proper diagnosis and treatment). Imagine hiding everything except what is on the surface because it is socially unacceptable to show constant suffering. Imagine taking the steps to seek help, only to have to have your endo return (since, once again, there is no cure – most women endure multiple surgeries in their lifetimes). As I navigate through my recovery journey for the next couple of months, I hope this post serves as a blunt reminder to be kind and compassionate to every person you meet. It is impossible to truly know and empathize with what any single person is going through. You never know what invisible battles someone is fighting, or what they cannot bring themselves to open up about. Never make anyone feel like they have to “prove” just how sick they are. Never assume that you fully know anyone’s entire story or experiences - despite how “open” they may seem. I am in awe of all of the brave women fighting this disease today. You are all strong warriors and survivors, and are personal inspirations to me. I hope this post can help you feel a little less alone and a little more understood. And to anyone else that has read up until this point, thank you for taking the time to understand your fellow human. I appreciate you. ❤️ - Raksha

Hope my story can help someone ❤️ Hope my story can help someone ❤️ Four surgical procedures later... Cons: Mostly everything. I type this hopped up on strong ass opioids, pain killers, and a prescription laxative. Every single fucking thing hurts or makes me nauseous, and my organs feel like they are going to fall out of my “blown up” stomach (bloated with the gas they put in during surgery). It took me more than 5 hours to pee just a little (the record at the hospital was 7, almost broke it!). Feels like a knife is slicing me every time I pee or shift my body. I cannot move or breathe or laugh or do virtually anything without it hurting like hell and without my mom’s or Nick’s assistance. They have been my guardian angels and I feel so blessed to have them here with me. Pros: Dr. Mona Orady and her team - including my amazing anesthesiologist and the nurses- are fucking rockstars. They gave me my best chance yesterday of having a life with less daily pain. Of having kids. Of having a more semblance of “normal.” The support from my friends and family has been very moving (cried at almost every message and call I received lol), and I am beyond grateful for all of the incredible people that took the time to wish me well and show their love. I debated for a long time on whether or not to make this post. Ultimately - and obviously- I said “fuck it” to my inhibitions. If these words can make a positive difference for even just one person, then casting aside my reservations is one of the best decisions I have made this week. I have an extensive medical history fraught with trauma, mental illness, and physical debilitations. I am 24 going on what feels like 65. No, I do not want your pity, or your questions about what all of that entails; and no, I will not divulge any more than a surface level glimpse into all of that morbidity. My sole goal in stating this fact about my health is to focus the conversation onto a particular chronic illness (and autoimmune disorder accompaniment) that exacerbates, intensifies, and sometimes even causes my myriad of health issues - Endometriosis. Endometriosis is a very common chronic illness (affecting 1 in 10 women!) that is accompanied by its own plethora of chronic symptoms. There is no cure for this disease. There is not enough research on it. There is, instead, a vast discrepancy on how it affects each and every individual. For me, it intensified the effects of my other issues, and gave me some *fun* symptoms to deal with: chronic pain, chronic fatigue, chronic insomnia, chronic everything...let’s just say my usual “Doing well” response to “How are you?” actually means “HAHA still always in pain and most of the time I wish I could go to sleep because I’m tired and depressed and anxious AF and never want to wake up, but same old, same old right?!” But I can’t think or talk like that all of the time — especially because outwardly, I look fine. I act fine. I have to always be fine. I don’t want to be a burden to anyone, although that is my perception of myself most of the time. The funny thing about “invisible” illnesses, however, is that no matter how fine you pretend to be, Pain™ is a constant fucker that demands to be felt. Endometriosis fosters a negative feedback loop of this pain in your mind and in your body, terrorizing the innermost crevices of your psyche. This disease affects your systemic health so adversely that you barely sleep and wake up into a nightmare every single day. Does this sound dramatic? Perhaps. But it doesn’t make it any less truthful. I am well versed in the usual colloquialisms that come up with this condition: “But you don’t look sick!” “Have you tried eating right and doing yoga?” “You’re cancelling plans again?!” “Don’t be so lazy!” “Maybe you should get some more sleep hahaha!” I could go on with a bunch more of these, but the point is - anyone with endo or any other chronic/“invisible” illness is working at least twice as hard as a healthy individual to accomplish even the simplest of tasks. Our “tired” is different, as is our “I’m fine,”, and our “doing well,” and “having energy,” and whatever else you may hear from someone trying to survive every day. Try and imagine your body and your brain ripping your insides apart while being judged and misunderstood just because you look fine. Imagine being thought of as dramatic and needy and as a hypochondriac when you are simply giving a voice to all of the constant symptoms that plague you on a daily basis (in addition to all of the other health issues most women are already dealing with!). Imagine not being believed by your friends, family, or even your doctors (it takes ~10 years for doctors to diagnose, I waited 14 years for proper diagnosis and treatment). Imagine hiding everything except what is on the surface because it is socially unacceptable to show constant suffering. Imagine taking the steps to seek help, only to have to have your endo return (since, once again, there is no cure – most women endure multiple surgeries in their lifetimes). As I navigate through my recovery journey for the next couple of months, I hope this post serves as a blunt reminder to be kind and compassionate to every person you meet. It is impossible to truly know and empathize with what any single person is going through. You never know what invisible battles someone is fighting, or what they cannot bring themselves to open up about. Never make anyone feel like they have to “prove” just how sick they are. Never assume that you fully know anyone’s entire story or experiences - despite how “open” they may seem. I am in awe of all of the brave women fighting this disease today. You are all strong warriors and survivors, and are personal inspirations to me. I hope this post can help you feel a little less alone and a little more understood. And to anyone else that has read up until this point, thank you for taking the time to understand your fellow human. I appreciate you. ❤️ - Raksha

Bay Area Doctors: Who should I go with? Bay Area Doctors: Who should I go with? I have a consultation with Dr. Camran Nazhat and am hoping to get a referral to Dr. Deidre Lam. I have also heard good things about Dr. Mona Orady. I have insurance through my employer and am hoping that they will cover surgery if that is what I end up needing. Does anyone have experience with these docs? Any info (personal experience, pain management, billing and cost, etc.) that you are willing to share would be appreciated!

Hi! I ended up going with Dr. Orady in San Francisco. She is fantastic and I’ve had fantastic results, but I’ve also been dealing with billing issues for over a year now. Her office is very disorganized, which is a nightmare. 10/10 for surgery, 0/10 for the administrative nightmare :(

Yes, I have stage 2 endo. No chocolate cyst but I’m sure she’s seen them before. Orady is the director of SLS fellowship in menstrual disorders, endometriosis, and minimally invasive gyn surgery. She basically wrote the book on the mini lap procedure, which is what I had done. It’s is verrrry minimally invasive and aimed at protecting fertility. i dont even know if i want kids, and she made sure to protect my fertility as much as possible. I felt like I was in a plastic surgery office at Dr. Nezhat’s office. His bedside manner felt rehearsed and he didn’t work with my insurance. It just felt like a business and not a doctor/patient relationship. Didn’t end up seeing the third doc, once I met Orady I knew she was my gal.

You might want to talk to Dr Mona Orady if you’re in the Bay Area.  She does her own bowel resections and feels very comfortable doing them on her own.  I asked her if she would have a bowel specialist on her team and she said she’s done it before but now she is so skilled she usually just does bowel resection while the other surgeon observes.  They just don’t even end up doing anything.  She also excised my diaphragm endo on her own, if I had anyone else I would have been closed up and referred to thoracic surgery.  Bring your MRI scans.

Surgery for me was 4.5 hours which was long.  I was estimated for 3-4 hours, but Orady said there was just a lot of it everywhere.  Recovery was tough because it was such a long surgery, also it aggravated my interstitial cystitis so I needed to be referred to urology.  I’m three months out and finally not feeling much pain, just really tired. She does surgery on Monday/Weds/Friday and sees patients on Tuesday/Thursday.  I think if you can bring MRI scans it would expedite the process.  Also if you can get your CA 19-9 and CA 125 tested she will want that.  Just a heads up, sometimes the admin side is a little crazy— they just don’t always have enough staff and have too many patients.  Lately it’s been better, I think because she hired more people but there’s only one surgeon so if a patient has complications you might be waiting around in her office while she deals with it.  But I felt the quality of care was better than if I had gone with UCSF, and in general the wait times were significantly better.  Orady is very knowledgeable and keeps on top of all the new research and tech.  No matter who you go with, you can always just talk to Orady and see what she says.

Mine was outpatient, I think I stayed maybe 5 hours for recovery.  They said I could have stayed longer but I wanted to go home.  Orady operates at different hospitals so you might have a slightly different experience based on where you are.  I was at Alta Bates in Berkeley.  I thought Dr. Orady and Grace Banks (her NP) did a good job of advocating for me while I was in the hospital, they came to check on me multiple times and told the recovery nurses to be easy on me because my surgery was a tough one.  That helped a lot.  I know Orady tracks her patient outcomes so she knows her actual recurrence rates and they are significantly lower than average.  I would ask her point blank how many bowel resections she’s done and if she has data on the outcomes.  Honestly I would talk to both Orady and Stuparich before making a decision.  Your surgery seems complex and you want to feel confident that you made the right decision.  I don’t think UnitedHealthcare would give you a stink about consulting with both, although you’d have to pay for travel to Riverside.  Hope you can get the surgery relatively quickly with the right person and recover well.

Bay Area, CA.  I put myself on the waitlist for surgery with UCSF in February 2024, was shopping around for other surgeons for several months.  Some doctors told me they didn’t excise endo or they wouldn’t use the robot.   Started having bad nonstop pain late April 2024.  I was referred to Dr. Orady in May 2024 and she got me into surgery on June 19.  UCSF told me on May 1 that I would have to schedule surgery in October at the earliest.   So with Dr. Orady I only waited 5-6 weeks, but with UCSF I would have had to wait 8 months.   I was able to speed things up because I was able to get my PCP to order blood tests and MRI prior to seeing Dr. Orady.  I also flew last minute to Portland to have an HSG prior to my pre surgical appointment because there is only one location in the entire Bay Area that does HSGs and they don’t have availability that would have worked with my surgery schedule.  The flight there and back was miserable.

Fibroid/endometriosis: Dr Nezhat and Dr Orady Fibroid/endometriosis: Dr Nezhat and Dr Orady Hey everyone! I’m in my early 30s and based in San Francisco. I’ve been diagnosed with fibroids and possibly endometriosis, and I’m struggling to choose the right surgeon. So far, I’ve consulted with Dr. Camran Nezhat and Dr. Mona Orady, and here are my thoughts: Dr. Camran Nezhat: He performed a quick ultrasound and immediately diagnosed me with endometriosis, even though I don’t have typical symptoms. He ordered an MRI, which did not confirm endometriosis, yet he still insisted I have it and recommended surgery with him to improve my chances of a successful pregnancy. Surprisingly, he didn’t even review my MRI images! While he is highly renowned, I wasn’t particularly impressed. I’m also unsure if he accurately interpreted the ultrasound results and measured accurately! He is 77! He is quite experienced and has performed many surgeries, which is definitely a factor to consider, but I have some doubts about his approach. Dr. Mona Orady: She conducted a much more thorough evaluation—she reviewed my MRI, asked detailed questions, and ordered lab tests along with an HSG to check if my tubes are open. She also suspected endometriosis but took a more data-driven approach before recommending surgery. However, she isn’t as well-known as Dr. Nezhat, and I couldn’t find confirmation of whether she completed a fellowship (does she?). In contrast, Dr. Nezhat has a fellowship in infertility and is a pioneer in laparoscopic surgery. Has anyone had any experience with either of them? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Also, if you know of any top specialists in endometriosis or fibroid surgery anywhere in the U.S., please share. I’m open to traveling for the right doctor. Thanks!

Btw, what did you like about Dr Atashroo? I also found Dr Orady rough at pelvis exam and maybe she did not allocate enough time to answer my questions. But liked her approach in that she ordered some lab test and also HSG to make sure my fallopian tubes are open, and also offered a histerscopy to make sure there is no issue inside uterine cavity. It was all to save me time so if there is any issue, I know sooner than later and fix it if I want to TTC without surgery.

Thanks a lot for sharing your experience! Happy to hear you had a good surgery experience with her. Can you please share more info about your case? Did you have endo? May I know what stage, and whether you had chocolate cyst in your ovaries? Was fertility your concern? I have two intramural fibroids, 7cm and 3.5cm. But when met Dr Nezhat and Orady, they both guessed I have endo! I was also very happy with Dr Orady approach and how accurate she was doing the checkup. But my only concern is that I don’t see she holds fellowship (in Laprascopy or fertility). Dr Nezhat seemed less accurate in the checkup, I am not sure if he was really caring reading the numbers and measure accurately when he was doing ultrasound, but he is pretty famous and also hold fellowship in infertility! If you can also share your opinion about each of the three doctors, it would be great. I need to make a final decision soon, and fertility is my main concern as I have no kid yet.

This almost happened to me. My surgeon left to start her own practice. Dignity hospital canceled my appointment on the portal and when IIII called them they were like “Oh..yeah she no longer works here.” I start hyperventilating because I’m flying in out of state- hotel cost, plane tickets, the pain. But then after I pushed she gave me her new email and I found out that my surgery was still on at Dignity hospital. My surgeon started her own practice but told me they should have notified me that NOTHING about my surgery was changing. Dignity can suck it. Dr. Mona Orady is amazing. She does 2 robotic laparoscopies a week and has been the first doctor out of 5 to take me seriously and help. Let me know if you want her info!!

Hi! For all facts on what the medication is and does- be sure to use your doctor and the medication website for your knowledge there. My personal experience however: I was prescribed 2 pills a day I want to say 200mg AM/PM. Side effects: Hot flashes and breast tissue elasticity reduction (I had a hard time finding anyone else on the internet experiencing this. I just noticed my breasts seemed a little more flat or deflated. That was hard for me because of my body issues. But, just remember- your health and quality of life should always come first.) Other than that surprisingly nothing! I’ve very touchy with birth control (Oralissa is not a contraceptive) and hormones. Benefits: My period went away while taking. I stopped on my own for a while and didn’t get my period back for a month (so if you are sexually active be safe and take that into account). I noticed less severe urinary urgency and pain which is my main issue with endo. Other Notes: I used this up until my laparoscopy so that it could reduce inflammation. This was 9/2/22. I was worried they wouldn’t find anything. They did. Severe endometriosis. I broke the record (yay!….) for how many endometriomas sent to biopsy. It was on every pelvic organ and ligament. I went to Dr. Mona Orady I’m the San Francisco Bay Area (I flew in from across the country and it was so worth it). She is the absolute BEST surgeon in this field. She does on average 2 robotic laparoscopies a week. I’ll be back on Orilissa after my next natural period to keep the work that was done as good as possible until I’m ready to try to conceive. All in all- it can’t hurt to give it a try. Best of luck to you!

Absolutely. From Midwest to California. Dr. Mona Orady in the Bay Area. I am so thankful I trusted my gut after being misdiagnosed for 7 years (I’m 28). She found deeply infiltrating stage 4. Anyone here in the Midwest would have called it impossible and removed my tubes and ovaries. Dr. Orady is one of the top surgeons in this field and she used robotic excision to remove 42 endometriomas/nodules and kept everything in tact. I’m keeping hope for successful healing and fertility.

When it comes to endo- find a renowned specialist. I even flew out of state to find one that did 2-3 robotic laparoscopies a week, was a woman, and main study was endometriosis. I understand that we don’t all have that opportunity or privledge. It was expensive but she found severe stage 4 and after a 6 hour surgery managed to keep all my baby making organs intact even though they were COVERED. Any surgeon here in Midwest would have just cut everything out. Some even say they “aren’t interested in preserving fertility” wtf. Do your research and best of luck! And my surgeon was Dr. Mona Orady in SF.

I also cancelled my surgery with him. Something felt so off about my consult w him. He said that the MRI was optional and I could just go straight to surgery. I ended up scheduling a consult with Orady and the consult was night and day from Nezhat. She was super thorough during the ultrasound and recorded verbal notes so she could go back to them. We went thru my mri together and she pointed out all the areas where she could see endo. Turns out I had stage 4. I’m 2 weeks post-op and I can’t recommend her enough. Side note though, her office is not very organized and can be frustrating to deal with.

Endometriosis Bowel surgeon in San Francisco Bay Area recommended please Endometriosis Bowel surgeon in San Francisco Bay Area recommended please Hi, I found out i have Endometriosis 2 years ago. My symptoms are: -Extremely gas -Bloating all the time -acid reflux all the time, -constipation, -pain after eat. - Fatigue -Body aches My pain mostly is upper abdomen. I dont have any other pain in lower abdomen. I had surgery with Dr.Orady 2 years ago and she said she didn’t find anything on my bowel. After the surgery, i still have the same problems till now. And i think time to find another one who can do excision around bowel or upper abdomen? I’m not sure if endo on my stomach area ? Is there anyone have same pain as me and so what is your thoughts or who is your endo specialist in the Bay Area ? Can you share your story or experiences? Thank you for your help.

Endometriosis Bowel surgeon in San Francisco Bay Area recommended please Endometriosis Bowel surgeon in San Francisco Bay Area recommended please Hi, I found out i have Endometriosis 2 years ago. My symptoms are: -Extremely gas -Bloating all the time -acid reflux all the time, -constipation, -pain after eat. • Fatigue -Body aches My pain mostly is upper abdomen. I dont have any other pain in lower abdomen. I had surgery with Dr.Orady 2 years ago and she said she didn't find anything on my bowel. After the surgery, i still have the same problems till now. And i think time to find another one who can do excision around bowel or upper abdomen? I'm not sure if endo on my stomach area? Is there anyone have same pain as me and so what is your thoughts or who is your endo specialist in the Bay Area ? Can you share your story or experiences? Thank you for your help.

Ahh thanks again for sharing your journey! I'm hoping the same for you 🙂 I guess I worry if it's not adeno and I have my uterus removed I'll regret it. With fibroids and a lifetime of painful periods, it's likely I do have it. That's interesting about appendix. I'll talk to my surgeon about it. I'm so glad to have an excision specialist in my area who is skilled and compassionate (Dr. Mona Orady, she's often on the Endo Summit livestreams).

I'm here at St Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco right now post excision and uterus cervix, ovarian cyst, and appendix removal. Dr Mona Orady is my surgeon and she's based here in San Francisco through Dignity Health. She is an excision expert, very warm and approachable, really cares about her patients, and let's you lead the care plan while providing good info on research and endo in general. She uses robot assisted DaVinci system for her surgeries and she's very skilled at it. My general surgeon said she learns a lot from Dr Orady! Her Physician Assistant, Grace, is wonderful too.

I'm in the SF Bay area and Dr. Mona Orady is an amazing endo specialist. She did my very complex stage 4 endo excision in April and I'm so grateful. She really listened to me and never questioned my pain. The very first video visit she said 'We can help you' and that simple statement meant so much to me. She's warm, really smart and up to date on endo, has loads of experience. She just moved practices and is no longer with Dignity Health/St. Francis in SF. DM me and I'll look for the letter that says what office she's with now. I remember it's still San Francisco. You can probably also call her old office?

Hi! I have surgery scheduled with her in late July of this year. While she has her own practice and office space, surgery is performed either at Sutter in Oakland or Aspen Surgery Center in Walnut Creek. I requested Sutter because I want a colorectal surgeon available in case they find extensive endo on my bowels that requires a resection. Dr. Orady doesn't suspect severe bowel endo but I'd rather be at a hospital with on-call surgeons in the event there's a surprise. I found Dr. Orady via the Endo Summit like another commenter, and am relieved to have found someone with so much knowledge and experience. Grace and Dr Orady have both answered my many questions thoroughly. I'll circle back once I'm on the other side of surgery. The one con so far has been my insurance (Anthem). There's a lot of miscommunication between the clinic and my insurance and all my appts so far keep showing as "out of network" claims though I've been assured by both parties that the clinic is "in network". Lots of wrinkles still to be worked out on that front but I've spoken with the office manager at the clinic who has assured me that they've successfully been paid by Anthem for surgeries this year and they'll figure it out.

There's SO much to say. TL;DR all went very well, and I'm happy with my outcome and experience with Dr. Orady. Endo, adeno, polyps, fibroid confirmed and all removed except for adeno. I went into surgery already knowing I had endometriosis, adenomyosis, and polyps because Dr. Orady was thorough in talking through my history, doing a pelvic exam, and doing an ultrasound herself, where she identified all the previously mentioned issues during our first in-office appointment. The one surprise during surgery was a fibroid that was removed. I also had her remove my appendix, as that is the most common emergency surgery, and I never wanted to worry whether any future abdominal pain might be appendicitis. She checked my tubes as I didn't want to do an HSG without sedation prior, and she checked my bladder in addition to doing a full survey of my pelvis hunting for endo. For adhesion prevention, they did an ovarian suspension and filled my abdomen with a fluid called adept. Once we cut the ovarian suspension under Grace's virtual guidance on Day 4, I was MUCH more mobile and comfortable. I didn't go into surgery expecting all of my issues to be solved but rather that this was the first big step towards getting my life back and reducing my extreme pain. Prior to surgery, I experienced 10/10 excruciating pain along with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cold sweats, and temperature drops on Day 1 of every cycle. Since surgery, I've had two cycles. Cycle 1: my pain peaked at 7/10 on Day 1 and 3, no other symptoms. Cycle 2: my pain peaked at 6/10 on Day 1, no other symptoms. I decided to start Norethindrone after Cycle 2 to address adenomyosis and give myself a break from periods for some upcoming travel. So far, I'm extremely pleased with my outcome and relieved to have an official diagnosis (diagnoses, I guess) on the record. Also, my pelvic floor therapist said she feels no scar tissue under or around my incisions, so I think Dr. Orady's adhesion prevention measures work very well. Meds: Grace will prescribe your pain meds and stool softeners a day or two before surgery so you already have them on hand when discharged. If you're experiencing a lot of anxiety leading up to surgery, I recommend you ask Grace to prescribe something to take the night before and the morning of. I HIGHLY recommend you request Zofran too, just in case. You don't want to be nauseous and/or vomiting and have to wait for a prescription. This was my biggest hiccup. I'm very glad my husband recorded Dr. Orady going over the surgery photos with him immediately after the procedure. I was able to see and hear the full rundown once I was settled at home without having to wait to talk to Grace at the 2-week check-in or Dr. Orady at 6 weeks. I was hungry for info after such a long journey. Side note: I convinced my mom (60s) to see Dr. Orady for an ultrasound recently to see what might be causing some of her current issues and what may have caused her horribly painful and heavy periods pre-menopause. What do you know? Endometriosis and adenomyosis were both found. Her endo was a mirror image of where mine was found. My mom finally diagnosed 50 years after her period started... 50 years! 22 years for me. I guess that's progress? Women's healthcare is a sad state of affairs, and I'm so relieved I found Dr. Orady to give us both some answers.

I was very worried about pain management after surgery as well. Dr. Orady prescribed hydrocodone, which I only needed to take for 1 or 2 days post-surgery. She doesn't keep you overnight in the hospital unless there are complications. I stayed in a hotel the first night and drove 2 hours home the next day.