ENDOMETRIOSIS IS A SILENT EPIDEMIC AFFECTING OVER 5 MILLION WOMEN IN NORTH AMERICA ALONE. STOP ENDOMETRIOSIS AND PELVIC PAIN

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1 ENDOMETRIOSIS IS A SILENT EPIDEMIC AFFECTING OVER 5 MILLION WOMEN IN NORTH AMERICA ALONE. In STOP ENDOMETRIOSIS AND PELVIC PAIN, an internationally renowned physician tells women how to find relief and explains why this condition is so misunderstood by the medical community. Endometriosis affects a staggering 176 million women worldwide and over 5.5 million women in North America alone. It is a condition that, at its worst, can cause debilitating pain. Symptoms include excruciatingly painful periods, painful sex, bowel problems, and generalized pain. It can also cause severe fatigue that is similar to that suffered by many cancer patients. It is the third leading cause of hospitalization for gynecologic reasons in the Unites States. It is believed that endometriosis occurs when endometrial cells which make up the inside lining of the uterus migrate outside the uterus to other areas in the pelvis then grow into painful lesions. Sadly, the average time between onset of symptoms and diagnosis for American women is almost twelve years. That means these women suffer more than a decade of unnecessary pain and suffering that, in its most severe form, has been described as worse than childbirth or even the pain of major surgery. Endometriosis lesions can be found anywhere in the pelvic cavity, including all the reproductive organs, the bladder, bowel, intestines, colon, appendix, and rectum. Endometriosis can also cause scar tissue (adhesions), which can make internal tissues sticky and sometimes even cause internal organs to fuse together. Those are the medical facts, but according to Andrew Cook, MD, FACOG, one of only a handful of gynecologists in the United States who specialize in treating endometriosis ( endo, for short), they don t come close to exposing the truth about what it means to have this condition. The effect of endometriosis on quality of life is similar to those reported in women with cancer. The pain associated with endo can undermine a woman's ability to work, function effectively as a parent, and reliably interact with friends. It also takes a steep toll on the relationship with her partner, eroding both emotional and physical intimacy, with sexual relations becoming increasingly painful or even impossible over time. Women who once saw themselves as vibrant, active, and competent become isolated from the pain and can feel that their identity has been stripped away and redefined by endo.

2 240 pages; 6 x 9; $19.95; Health/Women s Health Lingering prejudices against women can also come into play in the doctor s office, making effective treatment harder to obtain. If men were describing that kind of pain to their physicians, I believe they d be taken a lot more seriously than are many women who complain of the pain from endo, says Dr. Cook. Because you can t see endo, many women with it look normal even though they are in agony. As a result, even well-meaning people can doubt the severity of the pain and wonder if sufferers are exaggerating when they try to explain how intense it is. This erodes a woman s potential support system and can leave her feeling more isolated, frustrated, and hopeless. While all of this sounds dismal, it is important to note that real help and effective treatment for endometriosis does exist. Dr. Cook, has developed a state-of-the-art treatment program. At his clinic, the Vital Health Institute, he successfully treats women from across the globe, many of who have failed to find relief even after numerous other treatments. In STOP ENDOMETRIOSIS AND PELVIC PAIN: WHAT EVERY WOMAN AND HER DOCTOR NEED TO KNOW (Femsana Press; Paperback, ISBN: ; July 30, 2012) he provides essential, comprehensive, and groundbreaking information that allows women to finally reclaim their lives from endo. This book is also a valuable resource for physicians striving to provide better care for their endo patients. Here is just some of what Dr. Cook can discuss: WHY ENDO IS SO OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD AND MISTREATED The perfect storm has occurred with endometriosis and pelvic pain, says Dr. Cook. Endo is a complex and poorly understood condition even among the physicians who are supposed to provide care. Misinformation and ineffective treatments abound. While individual physicians do their best, the reality is that our healthcare system offers only marginally effective prescription medications, which come with significant side effects, and demands that surgeons without adequate training or surgical skills treat this disease. The scenario of a woman with endometriosis going year after year, to doctor after doctor, having surgery after surgery without resolution of her symptoms, is both all too common and simply unacceptable, he adds. Dr. Cook also argues that treating endo should be its own medical specialty. This disease and its treatment are every bit as complex as cancer and heart disease and as such it warrants its own medical specialty, he says. Just as a family practitioner isn t qualified to do bypass surgery, a general OB/GYN rarely has received the necessary training to possess the surgical skill and understanding of endo needed to provide effective treatment.

3 240 pages; 6 x 9; $19.95; Health/Women s Health AN ENDO PRIMER Dr. Cook will share the latest, most cutting-edge understanding of endo and facts about the disease. This book is a comprehensive resource that can help readers: Learn how to know if a woman has endometriosis Learn about what it really means to have endometriosis and why it s hard to find good care Learn why the treatment of endometriosis should be a medical sub-specialty Understand why some women are more susceptible than others Learn about the mysteries, myths, and misdiagnosis of endometriosis Better understand how to manage the challenges of living with endometriosis Learn self-help strategies for dealing with endometriosis and pelvic pain Find the right medical specialist ENDO IN THE BEDROOM: PAINFUL SEX AND INFERTILITY Painful sex and infertility are two of the most common and troubling symptoms of endo. Both can create turmoil in a woman s relationships and family life. Dr. Cook--a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist, as well as an OB/GYN--will explain how endo generates these conditions, how to communicate about them to partners, and how to best correct them. HOPE AND HELP: A REVOLUTIONARY PROGRAM FOR TREATING ENDO Dr. Cook has developed a treatment program that combines state-of-the-art laparoscopic surgical techniques along with a comprehensive approach to health and wellness that combines the best of traditional medicine and the best of complementary care. His minimally invasive surgical technique, known as the EVE (Excision and Vaporization of Endometriosis) Procedure TM effectively removes endometriosis from the body. It can also significantly reduce the likelihood that a woman will have to undergo a hysterectomy in the hopes of finally finding relief. Dr. Cook has successfully treated hundreds of women who have been dismissed by their doctors and told that they will have to accept life with chronic pain. After undergoing Dr. Cook s treatment plan, many have been able to escape the virtual prison of endo and regain a vibrant life in which they can once again enjoy their careers, social interaction with friends, motherhood, and a quality emotional and physical relationship with their partner.

4 240 pages; 6 x 9; $19.95; Health/Women s Health In STOP ENDOMETRIOSIS AND PELVIC PAIN: WHAT EVERY WOMAN AND HER DOCTOR NEED TO KNOW, Dr. Cook issues an unequivocal call to the public and the medical community to give this potentially devastating condition the attention it deserves. TIME FOR A WAKE-UP CALL It is time for both the public and the medical world to understand the reality of endo and its treatment. While too few women get them, effective treatments for endo exist now. The complacency and willingness, by both the lay population and the medical profession, to ignore the pain and suffering these women are experiencing has to stop. Endo is a real and serious disease with real solutions. ABOUT ANDREW COOK, MD, FACOG Andrew Cook, MD, FACOG, founder and medical director of Vital Health Institute in Los Gatos, California, is an internationally recognized women s health expert who has devoted his professional life to helping women with complex health problems. A renowned gynecologic surgeon, he is a leader in minimally invasive surgical techniques and a pioneer in the treatment and management of endometriosis. Cook trained as both a gynecologist and a reproductive endocrinologist. He finished his fellowship at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1991 and has been in private practice, primarily in Northern California, since then. He is one of only a handful of experienced specialists devoted to the treatment of endometriosis and pelvic pain. Even among these specialists, he is unique in his comprehensive approach to his patients overall health. Cook is known for his compassion, dedication, and leading-edge integrative approach that combines traditional Western medicine and surgical treatment with complementary care and a holistic philosophy. Women from across the country and throughout the world turn to Dr. Cook for help with complex pelvic pain problems.

5 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND INFORMATION WEB: VIDEO: BLOG: MORE ABOUT DR. COOK S TREATMENT PROGRAM: ABOUT DR. COOK S PHILOSOPHY: SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 1. First, can you explain what endometriosis is? What causes it? What are its most common symptoms? When does it usually appear? 2. What are the emotional, psychological, and social effects of having endo? 3. In your book Stop Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain: What Every Woman and Her Doctor Need to Know you note that the average time between onset of symptoms and diagnosis for American women is almost twelve years. Why? 4. Why is endo so often misunderstood and ineffectively treated by the medical community? 5. Why do you believe that the average treatment most women receive is inadequate? 6. You say that if men were visiting their doctors complaining about the kind of pain comparable to that of having endo, they would probably be taken more seriously. Tell us how common misperceptions about how women handle pain and other myths affect treatment. 7. You are one of only a handful of doctors in the United States who specializes in treating endo and pelvic pain and you argue that the treatment of endo should be its own specialty. Why? 8. In Stop Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain: What Every Woman and Her Doctor Need to Know you reveal your unique treatment for endo. What does this involve and how does it differ from the average treatment?

6 SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (cont.) 9. Can you explain more about the EVE procedure TM and the kind of surgery you perform? 10. Temporary medical menopause is a commonly prescribed medical treatment for endo, yet you say that it is often a poor treatment choice. Why? 11. Describe a few of the myths about endo? 12. Finally, if you could change only one thing about our medical system to improve the treatment of endo what would it be?

7 RAVES Stop Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain is the single most accurate and helpful guide available for dealing effectively with this common problem. Bravo, Dr. Cook! CHRISTIANE NORTHRUP, M.D., OB/Gyn and author of the New York Times bestsellers, Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause Thank you Dr. Cook for writing a book that not only explains the complexities of endometriosis from the perspective of a long-time expert in the field, but also clearly captures the experience of what it is like to suffer from endometriosis. Women should not have to suffer in isolation and silence. They should demand and get correct diagnoses and proper effective treatment, not mistreatments and unnecessary invasive procedures. This book is a most welcome source of hope for women to break open the taboos about discussing endometriosis and get the medical community to recognize their obligation to rethink how this disease is treated. SUSAN SARANDON, Actress Endometriosis is a complex disease that requires a multidimensional management approach from knowledgeable professionals who are committed to their patients. Andrew Cook is just such a physician and surgeon whose book provides expert and comprehensive advice that will benefit many patients. G. DAVID ADAMSON, M.D., Clinical Professor, Stanford University School of Medicine; Associate Clinical Professor, U.C. San Francisco School of Medicine; Director, Fertility Physicians of Northern California; Director, Fertility and Reproductive Health Institute This book is the long-awaited blessing for the millions of women who faced limited options in dealing with endometriosis and pelvic pain. It will no doubt become the most authoritative text offering a comprehensive integrative approach to these issues for clinician and patient alike. Dr. Cook provides the answers we have been waiting for. DAVID PERLMUTTER, M.D., FACN, ABIHM, Author, Power Up Your Brain: The Neuroscience of Enlightenment

8 The book is amazingly compassionate and validating for women with endometriosis! There are sections of it that totally resonate with the experience of endometriosis. MARY LOU BALLWEG, President / Executive Director, Endometriosis Association In Stop Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain, Dr. Andrew Cook shows exactly why so many women are improperly treated and left to suffer and why his rate of success is so high. Dr. Cook has the knowledge, curiosity, and determination required to truly resolve a complicated and debilitating disease. JOSEPH KEON, Ph.D., Author, Whitewash