Why I Joined a Clinical Trial

Most days, I face the kind of pain that would make most people stay home in bed. I make sure to double up on feminine products just to help control my heavy bleeding (and keep a change of clothes too). My boyfriend is frustrated because when we have sex, frequently, it hurts. You wouldn’t know this because endometriosis isn’t something you can see. It is a painful disorder where the normal internal tissue lining of your uterus grows outside the uterus. I’ve tried different methods to deal with the pain, and other uncomfortable symptoms like pain during bowel movements or sometimes urination. Then my doctor referred me to a new clinical trial which explored potential options for endometriosis relief. How can a research trial help my endometriosis? It turns out; it can do a lot more than help just me. These are the reasons I decided to join a clinical trial.

Reasons to Participate

After extensive research to learn more about participating, I was honestly a bit disappointed I didn’t know this sooner. Still, every medication I have tried up to this point was thanks to a clinical trial and their participants. Clinical trials are the heart of all medical advances. More reasons why I decided to participate are:

Access to Potential New Options– So many women remain without effective relief of their endometriosis symptoms like me. Participating in clinical trials means the chance to see potential effective new options that may be better than ones that are currently available.
Better Understanding of Endometriosis- Endometriosis affects every woman differently. I learned so many new things about it, including risk factors and other symptoms.
Help Advance Medicine– Initially, I joined a trial for the chance to try new options. In the end, I learned that I am also helping advance the way we detect, treat, and eventually cure endometriosis for future generations. Is there a better reason?
100% Voluntary– Participating in a clinical trial never involves me signing over my ability to stop at any time. Clinical trials are 100% voluntary throughout the entire process. I can stop at any time without any personal repercussions. I loved the fact that I could go as far as I wanted to, although I ended up finishing my commitment.

If you have been unable to benefit from current treatments for endometriosis, clinical research studies may be an option. To learn more about enrolling studies for endometriosis looking into potential new possibilities at Cedar Health Research, click here.