Alannah Woodrow, a dietitian and chronic illness survivor, shares her journey of how Thrive As You Dietetics was created. Initially expecting to work in clinical settings, her experiences with unsupportive healthcare and her own health challenges—including endometriosis, pelvic pain, neurodivergence, and connective tissue disorders—led her to realize the gaps in traditional healthcare. Frustrated by the lack of lived experience, trauma-informed, and neurodiversity-affirming care, she decided to build her own practice.

Thrive As You Dietetics is a space designed for humans living with chronic pain and invisible illnesses, emphasising authenticity, compassion, and a whole-body, individualised approach. Alannah aims to provide care that fosters trust, autonomy, and joy, supporting clients to reconnect with their bodies, food, and themselves. The practice prioritises understanding, safety, and strength-based support for those often dismissed or misunderstood by mainstream healthcare systems. Ultimately, it’s about creating a community where clients can feel seen, heard, and empowered in their health journeys.

Alannah Woodrow shares her personal journey living with endometriosis, highlighting her early symptoms of debilitating period pain, fatigue, and invisible suffering that was often dismissed or misunderstood. Despite managing her symptoms for years, she only received a proper diagnosis in 2022 after confiding in friends, which led her to seek medical attention. Multiple gynecologists offered varying levels of support, with some dismissing her concerns and others validating her symptoms. Ultimately, she underwent a diagnostic laparoscopy in late 2023, which confirmed the presence of endometriosis. Alannah emphasises the isolation many women feel with this condition and shares her motivation for telling her story—to raise awareness and foster understanding, especially for those navigating similar struggles. She also hints at her future plans to create a supportive space for people living with pelvic pain and related conditions through her work in dietetics.

Living well after hysterectomy with ovaries retained involves understanding that while the removal of the uterus stops menstruation, the ovaries continue hormone production, which can sustain residual endometriosis or pain. Persistent symptoms such as pelvic pain, hormonal fluctuations, or discomfort may arise from remaining lesions, nerve or tissue involvement, or hormonal activity. Emotional and physical adjustments are common, including feelings of loss, changes in sensation, and ongoing recovery challenges. Supporting oneself through gentle movement, pain management, hormonal review, and trauma-informed self-care strategies is crucial, along with fostering emotional resilience through education, peer support, and self-compassion. Regular follow-up with healthcare professionals about hormone levels, pelvic health, and potential risks like adhesions or residual endometriosis ensures ongoing management. Ultimately, healing encompasses holistic physical, emotional, and lifestyle approaches, emphasising that individuals are more than their uterus and can shape their well-being and recovery journey with support and self-advocacy.

This blog will explore the connection between endometriosis and neuropathic pain, examining how chronic pain can lead to changes and rewiring in the nervous system.

Hi I’m Diana and I'm from Melbourne. I live with Endometriosis, one kidney, and uterus didelphys (a rare condition where I have two uteruses a unicornuate in my case). My first period arrived when I was just 11 years old, and it changed the course of my life every cycle. 

Menopause is a natural stage in life, but sometimes it’s medically induced, meaning it’s triggered not by age, but by medical treatments. For many people with endometriosis or other gynecological conditions, medically induced menopause (MIM) can be a part of managing symptoms or disease progression. Understanding what this means, what questions to ask your healthcare team, and your options can help you navigate this complex transition.Menopause is a natural stage in life, but sometimes it’s medically induced, meaning it’s triggered not by age, but by medical treatments. For many people with endometriosis or other gynecological conditions, medically induced menopause (MIM) can be a part of managing symptoms or disease progression. Understanding what this means, what questions to ask your healthcare team, and your options can help you navigate this complex transition.

Medically induced menopause is a powerful tool for managing endometriosis, often providing much-needed relief when other treatments fall short. However, it's not just about rapid symptom control, it requires thoughtful management of menopause symptoms, consideration of long-term health, and emotional support. Monitoring, personalised hormonal strategies, shared decision-making, and supportive communities are key to navigating this transition with resilience and confidence.