My Battle with Endometriosis - Diagnosed at just 22yrs old

I hope my story will be informational and helpful to all women who suffer from Endometriosis.

Since I first started my menstrual cycle at just 11yrs old, it was just awful. I had horribly heavy cycles and would get very sick and missed school because of it. My cycles were never on time and usually a week or more late. I lived with it because I was told that my heavy flow and everything was just heredity. Little did I know it was going to wind up being Endometriosis.

I was diagnosed at 22yrs old with Endometriosis which was a year after I had my daughter who is my second child. I went into pre term labor at 28 wks and it was the scariest point in my life, but fortunately the doctors stopped the labor and I was put on all kinds of things so I could carry her to full term. Apparently, I already had endometriosis at that time and never knew it because I was so used to the painful menstrual cycles and pain in general.

Then one day I was in constant horrible pain on my right side specifically. After going to my regular doctor and ruling out UTI and Bladder infection she recommended I see my OB. That’s where the diagnosis that would change my life began.

I went through weeks of tests and everything came back negative. Then my OB told me she thinks I may have Endometriosis and I looked at her blankly because I had no idea what that was. She said I needed to have a diagnostic laparoscopy to determine if I had Endometriosis. I had the surgery and all the evidence was there. I was in shock as I was only 22. My OB explained to me the treatment options and that there was no cure and also that I was in 1% of people my age to have the disease.

Then I went home and got online and started looking up everything related to Endometriosis. One web site helped a lot, www.endofacts.com. I also found out I had one of the worst cases and shocked many doctors. Over the next 5yrs I had 6 surgeries and tried all treatment options and nothing worked. Then, in 2010, when I was 28, I had to make a decision that would change my entire future.

The only option to put me out of misery was a hysterectomy. I weighed my options. Fortunately I had two kids and my eldest is a boy and then my girl. I was divorced now and all I kept thinking was, “what if I meet someone who wants kids of their own and I wouldn’t be able to do that.”

Then after months of pondering it, talking to my OB and another trip to the hospital for uncontrollable pain and doubling over, I decided to have the hysterectomy. So at 28 I had a full hysterectomy. Now at 29 and a little over a year and a half since my hysterectomy I am virtually pain free. Then I had a different issue to deal with. Menopause. I hope my story will educate people and raise awareness about this disease.

By Courtney

Help us spread Endometriosis Awareness and grab our “Endo Button!”