Endometriosis at 23 and struggling with life

by Anonymous
(California)

Since I got my first period at age 11, I have had very painful periods that lasted for the full 7 days. During the first few years of my period I was abnormal.

I got my period every 3 months. I got checked out by a doctor and was told that if I did not become regular on my own that I would have to go on birth control.

Well luckily I did eventually get a monthly period, but still had painful, heavy and long periods. This went on for many years.

At the age of 19 I decided to go on birth control. It was mainly to try and decrease the painful cramps. Over four years of birth control I had to increase my dosage at least 4 times. My pain kept getting worse and lasted longer.

I would have to change my pad or tampon after 2 hours. At the age of 22 I started to notice a sharp pain in my right abdominal side. They did ultrasounds and said they could not see anything, but most likely it was a cyst.

The pain continued to increase. Eventually I could feel the pain if I touched where my right ovary was. Simply being in a car and wearing a seat belt would hurt.

Between the age of 22 and 23 I also started experiencing a lot of back pain and stomach issues. When I was 23 I found out that I had two herniated discs in my lower back. So I started to treat that.

My back pain and stomach pain only got worse when I was on my period. During the month of October 2011 (i was still 23) I told my doctor once again that my pain was getting worse. I mentioned endometriosis and he said he didnt think it was that, but he refered me to a "specialist".

Well I think this specialist was a cheap goverment doctor. All this gyno did was move his fingers around and push where it hurt the most. He gave me antibiotics which were intended for STDs.

I have never had and STD and have yearly check ups. I did not take them and found another doctor. I found a new gyno early December. By the first meeting and without mentioning endometriosis, she said it was most likely that. She was able to arrange my first lap within a week.

You can only imagine how little time I had to process all of this. I had my laparoscopy and then started lupron for six months. I ended lupron this past july.

Throughout this endometriosis journey, I have felt less of a woman. I cannot have sex without pain. I cannot use the restroom without pain. I cannot excercise without pain. I work and attend grad school.

Towards the end of my lupron shots, I was alone in dealing with this endo and my mixed feelings I had to go through, and upper and lower GI, and yet they can not tell me if my endo is affecting my bowel movements. I think it is.

I went through a break up with my 4 year boyfriend. I had to postpone working on my thesis. I had to take time off my part time job. My bills kept increasing due to all these medical treatments.

Its hard to explain to others how I feel, I can only tell them what endo is and what could happen. Its hard to tell someone that I might not be able to have kids. That I might have to get another surgery. That I always have pain.

I am now 24 and back on birth control. My pain is back with all my other back and stomach issues. I curl up at night and try to sleep with this pain. People have told me that its all in my head. Who would want to make this up?