What are your endometriosis symptoms like?
I have been getting extremely painful periods. Having to lie down in fetal position with a hot pack. Some months we’re heavier than others, but the heavy months…omg.
What was your journey to diagnosis like?
I got my first period at 9 years old, first felt pain at 14, then extreme pain at 15/16. My family doctor didn’t care, kept giving me medications for pain (I didn’t take them, just stuck with regular over the counter acetaminophen). I gave up trying, thinking it was all in my head until I was about 18. I went through 5 male doctors who all prescribed me IBS medication, pain meds, different meds for stomach issues. Finally I landed on a female doctors who believed my story that there must be more to it, something is wrong.
It took 3 years from that point to getting a specialized gynecologist to getting my first laparoscopy. I found out then that I have stage 4 and it’s more severe on my right side. A year or 2 later I had another laparoscopy to remove more and they found it had grew more aggressively. It starts near my stomach and goes all the way to my rectum. Affecting all organs in between.
What has your experience with treatment for endometriosis been?
Having those 2 laparoscopic surgeries, it helped relieve a lot of the pain, but only for a year or so. I’m in my 30s now and still get really bad cramps as though it’s getting worse. I’ve had 3 pregnancies (doctors gave me a very low chance of probability to conceive and carry a child) and while being pregnant, the pain has gone all together.