PERIODS!!!!
Okay, now that I have your attention, let’s talk about periods. No one likes getting their period. You get cramps, mood swings, acne, headaches, the works. Maybe, like me, your heating pad is your best friend for a week. But sometimes, there can be more going on than just minor to moderate pain and discomfort. When is your level of pain not normal?
For me, I suffered from severe cramps and heavy bleeding from the very first time I got my period. I got my first period when I was just barely eleven, and I thought it was normal to be bleeding through overnight pads in an hour. My cramps were so bad that I couldn’t stand up straight, and the pain would radiate all the way down my thighs and into my knees, making them swollen and achy. It was around eighth grade when my pain got even worse. I would miss school on my period and spend class time in the nurse’s office, dry heaving and crying. One time I even ended up in the emergency room, sobbing, only to be told I was overreacting to regular period cramps. My parents and I talked to my pediatrician, and she recommended that I go see a gynecologist even though I was only thirteen. This was the first of countless examinations, consultations, and medications. My first gynecologist gave me birth control pills and told me that would help with my “dysmenorrhea” (which is just a fancy word for cramps). I tried six different kinds of birth control pills, and each and every one made me bleed every day for the entire month I took it. I was miserable.
After these months of bleeding, my gynecologist realized that maybe there was something else going on. She gave me a tentative diagnosis of endometriosis. Basically, endometriosis is the abnormal growth of endometrial cells like the ones that from the endometrial lining of the uterus. They grow in locations outside of the uterus, on other organs of the pelvis and the abdominal walls and bleed freely when you are menstruating. In extremely severe cases, the abnormal condition can cause organs to fuse together and cause even more pain. Unfortunately, endometriosis can only be officially diagnosed through surgery.
My next step was to consult with a surgeon. She scheduled my surgery for the next month along with an IUD insertion. The hormones in the IUD can prevent excess uterine scarring and prevent the abnormal tissue from growing back as quickly. It is a relatively simple procedure, where they make small incisions in your navel, and one above each hip bone, and go into your abdomen with a small, flexible camera with scissors and a burning device on the end. She found my uterus and abdomen full of abnormal tissue. There was a pool of blood in my pelvis. I had endometriosis.
It is now 2016, almost five years after my diagnosis. I had my second surgery in the spring. Unfortunately, endometriosis is a chronic condition, and my case is more severe than most. Unfortunately (again), I was worse after my second surgery. My surgeon was unable to cut out a large amount of tissue, and the incision in my navel became infected and did not heal for months. After my second surgery, my pain was significantly worse. Luckily, other doctors had useful solutions that I could do to help manage my endometriosis without having to have another surgery so soon.
Although this may sound bleak, there are things you can do! For me, when I stopped eating gluten, my cramps got so much better. The hypothesis around this is that gluten is an inflammatory, and so is endometriosis, so the inflammation doubles when you consume gluten. This is also true with things like red meat and sugar. There are also exercises like yoga that you can do that help. Regular exercise (I know, it sucks) can also be extremely beneficial to people with endometriosis.
If you think you have endometriosis, you should see a doctor or your gynecologist ASAP! Killer cramps are not normal, no matter what women are told by their family, friends, and even doctors. Some doctors might even say it is all in your head, and they are wrong. It is your body, and listening to it is the best decision you can make for yourself. With a regular treatment plan, endometriosis can be managed to keep your pain as low as it can go. You are also not alone. There are many support groups for women with endometriosis, and there is even an organization dedicated to finding a cure for endometriosis. Thank you for listening to my endometriosis story, and I hope this inspires you to listen to your body, and do what you think is best for your health!