So what is endometriosis or endo?
Endometriosis is a disease which causes the endometrial cells (cells that typically line the internal walls of a women’s uterus grows outside the organ). These cells can grow anywhere in the abdominal cavity, and in some cases can even grow on or inside the lungs, brain, and other various parts of the body. These growths of cells can be extremely painful for women with endometriosis. Endometriosis is far more common than one might think; about 1 in 10 women have endo and the disease affects each woman differently.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of endometriosis include: pain with periods, pelvic pain in between periods, and pain with sex. That being said, there are various other symptoms that many other women diagnosed with endometriosis also suffer from. Symptoms vary for each women namely as a result of the regional location of the infected tissue.
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Painful bowel movements
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Painful urination
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Pain in the lower back
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Fatigue
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Heavy menstrual bleeding
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Bleeding or spotting in between period
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Infertility (25% to 50% of infertile women have endometriosis)
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And more
Coping with Endometriosis
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Eating healthy: Eating foods that make you feel bloated can aggravate your endo and cause flare ups.
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Heating pads: My heating pad is my best friend when I having cramps and pelvic pain.
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Ginger ale and bland foods: If you are like me and your pain causes you to become nauseous, this is something to keep in mind.
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Birth control: For me personally, birth control has definitely helped to manage a number of my symptoms and since I have been able to more vastly enjoy my own life.
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Talk to your doctor: Speaking up for yourself and telling your doctor all your symptoms is extremely important; write down all your symptoms before you go to your appointment so you don’t forget anything. If you don’t tell your doctor what’s bothering you then they cannot help.
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Talk to your family and friends: Tell your close family and friends that you have endometriosis and that you are not just bailing on activities and outings; a strong support system can make a huge difference.
Here’s My Story
I was diagnosed with endometriosis just this past winter, at the age of 19. I was not at all surprised by this is an diagnoses, and was truthfully waiting for it since I had first heard about endometriosis about a year and a half ago. I have been dealing with painful periods and pain in between my periods since I was just 16 years old and my symptoms have only gotten worse since then. I always had a feeling that something was wrong, I just didn’t know what that something was until about a year and a half ago when I saw a SpeakENDO commercial, suddenly I had a moment of realization; this was my issue. For me, being diagnosed wasn’t a sad thing; in fact, it was just the opposite, no longer would I be told “bad cramps are normal for young girls,” “it’s good; it means you’re ovulating,” “stop over exaggerating; we all get cramps,” or “you just want an excuse to not do anything.” I now understand, with some certainty, why I am in such pain, that my pain is valid and I’m not simply “overreacting.” I do know that I am lucky to be diagnosed so young; many women are not diagnosed until they are in their late 20s and 30s, and even beyond. Many are diagnosed only after struggling with infertility. I am grateful to have been diagnosed so young and that I now have access to the help and resources I need to manage and control my pain and other symptoms, allowing me to live more comfortably.
If you think you might have endometriosis, speak up for yourself; don’t let anyone, especially doctors, tell you that you are overreacting because your pain is real.
HCXO,
Sydnie
Statistics Found and Cited from SpeakENDO.com