Introduction

My period started December 25th, 2007 – Merry Christmas to me – growing up, I experienced painful cramps, awful headaches, and chronic fatigue. I was in the seventh grade when my period started, and everything was manageable. However, in high school, I noticed my cramps were getting worse, then my junior year, things drastically changed.

My First Endometriosis Experience

The day after Thanksgiving 2011, my period started- instantly knowing this period was different. I woke early that morning in tremendous pain. I went to the bathroom, noticed my period began then went back to bed. In bed, I tried to fall asleep, unable to fall back to sleep because of the pain I was in. The pain I had not experienced with previous periods.

A few hours later, I started feeling nauseous, and my stomach began to hurt. Thinking I just had to poop, I went to the bathroom; no, I began to throw up too. Feeling confused and scared, I did not know that throwing up and diarrhea could happen simultaneously. Unfortunately, this was my reality for the next few hours; back and forth to the bathroom, having diarrhea and throwing up each time.

On this specific day, my family and I were due to travel back home from visiting my grandmother in Georgia. My mother rushed to get me home because everyone thought I was sick. 

Thankfully, I made it home without an accident, yet I was exhausted and scared.

The next few months were the same; unbearable cramps, severe fatigue, extreme nausea, and headaches that were not easing up.

My Second Endometriosis Experience

One morning during my junior year of high school, my period started. The entire morning I felt awful. In between classes, I put my things down to go to the bathroom. While walking to the restroom, my stomach began to hurt immediately, getting scared; I did not want to have diarrhea and throw up while in school.

However, sitting on the toilet, nothing came out either end, but my cramps became intense. The only position I could ever find relief in was the fetal position. 

There I was, lying in the fetal position on the bathroom floor inside the girl’s bathroom in debilitating pain – I could not move. 

The bell rang, I knew I was late for class, but none of that even mattered. Several minutes later, I knew I had to get up to go home.

Finally, gaining the strength to get off the bathroom floor, I slowly made my way to the nurses’ office. Briefly, explaining what was happening, she allowed me to call my mother to get permission to be dismissed. 

Once, my mother gave her permission, I slowly made my way to get my belongings and left school that day.

Seeking A Change

My next period was just as awful.

Thankfully, this period started on the weekend, a few hours before work. My cramps started increasing in pain, so I took some pain medicine, but they did not work, wondering whether or not I could make it to work. I decided then to get on birth control; no longer able to handle these painful periods. 

Over the next few months, while my body adjusted to the hormones, my symptoms subsided.

Although, I still experienced moments of intense cramps and awful fatigue, overall, everything was better; until my freshman in college when I had my next incident. 

My Worse Endometriosis Experience

This specific day was probably one of my worst days ever dealing with my period. I was in Subway with a friend and began to feel awful; my cramps were the most intense and painful they had ever been. Unable to eat my sub because the pain was too overwhelming. 

There I was with my arms crossed, over my stomach, and my head on the table – miserable. My entire body was hurting – my back, stomach, uterus, head, and legs were all in pain. 

The walk to class was rough and slow. When I made it to class, I tried my hardest to focus and pay attention, but the moment I sat down, the pain only worsened. At one point, my body began to shake from the pain.

After class, my friend had to assist me to my car- I could barely walk or bear any weight. I was so weak that my breathing was shallow. 

The drive home was rough and probably not the best idea. I started to cry because I could not understand why I was in so much pain. At home, taking about fifteen minutes to get out of the car, I still could not walk.

Finally, inside I immediately laid down in my only position of relief – the fetal position – where I remained for the next few hours.

It was after this incident my mother told me to see a doctor. I made the appointment but received no answers. The doctor asked me several questions but decided there was no prognosis and no need for concern.

A New Era

Fast forward to 2017: The year I graduated college and moved to Florida to begin the next chapter of my life. I moved to Florida in July, and my health insurance lapsed at the end of August. However, I was not too concerned about getting new insurance because I was healthy. 

On November 1st, 2017, everything changed, and my life hasn’t been the same; I went to sleep on October 31st healthy but woke up the next morning sick as a dog. Every day I was extremely nauseous with severe pelvic pain that did not subside. Without any health insurance, I was unable to visit the doctor.

Taking roughly a year for me to get health insurance. I worked for a general surgeon when I finally got insurance. I spoke with him regarding my symptoms, and he ordered a couple of labs and tests. Not receiving any answers from the labs, I was scheduled for an endoscopy – a simple outpatient procedure. The results were normal, so he suggested I see a gynecologist.

Gynecology and Endometriosis

In January 2019, I saw my first gynecologist. The appointment began with a transvaginal ultrasound. Next, I met with the provider. We went over the images, then she asked a ton of questions. Initially, she thought I had polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) because I had pearls around my ovaries. I also had fluid around my right ovary.

The gynecologist wanted me to try birth control again. I got the Nexplanon removed in January 2018 and did not want to get back on birth control ever again. Trusting my gynecologist, I decided to try birth control for three months. If I had no improvements, I would be scheduled for surgery.

Things did not improve one bit over the next few months. At one point, I called my gynecologist’s office to see if I could just get scheduled for surgery instead of continuing to wait until my follow-up appointment. Being told no, I had to wait until my appointment. I went back in April to see my gynecologist, shocked at how much my health declined; she put me on her surgery scheduled for the following week. 

I was scheduled for a diagnostic laparoscopy. 

Now, I was officially diagnosed with endometriosis.

No cure, No peace

At my follow-up appointment, my gynecologist discussed endometriosis. Providing details regarding my diagnosis and allowing me the opportunity to ask questions. She also explained that she wanted me to stay on birth control to help manage my symptoms. It took me a few months to fully recover from surgery. The pain and nausea had drastically decreased, but by the beginning of 2020, I had chronic nausea and pelvic pain again.

I made an appointment to speak with my gynecologist about my options, but I was highly disappointed with the recommendations. She discussed the Lupron shot to put me in a medically induced menopausal state; if that did not work, I had the option to get a hysterectomy. 

I was in a depressive state for months following that appointment, solely trying to process and understand this new life and body of mine.

Endometriosis Today

Here we are in the present day – not taking birth control since June 2021. I manage my endometriosis holistically. The primary symptoms I experience are chronic nausea, back pain, bilateral sciatic pain, leg pain, mood swings, headaches, fatigue, and pelvic pain. Ultimately, suffering two-three weeks out of the month from my symptoms, although; some months are better than others. Overall, I am just grateful that there is an explanation for my symptoms.

I am one out of ten, an Endo Warrior at her finest!