Just diagnosed & learning the reality

by Samantha
(Dibble, Oklahoma)

I have just been diagnosed with endometriosis. For the past 5 years, I have dealt with severe pain with my menstrual cycle, as well with a steady pain during the other 3 weeks of the month.

Everyone I had talked to about this had told me that I only had PMS and to basically "suck it up and move on".

Within the past 3 years, though, the severe pain was causing me to lose nights of sleep in a row, spending my period vomiting and curled up in pain. And I mean, severe pain.

As a former motorcross enthusiast and a current snowboarder, I've had my share of concussions and broken bones. I'd much rather experience that again over the pain I go through with what I now know to be endometriosis.

After I graduated high school and began college, the pain began to interfere with my job and classes. When I had professors that didn't understand and bosses that depended on me, I knew that I couldn't rely on my stash of midol, naproxin, and tylenol any more. Even when I would max out on my doses of medication, I would still be immobile on my bed for days, clutching a heating pad and trying to sleep a rare few minutes at a time.

After one visit to my local OB/GYN office, my doctor diagnosed me with endometriosis. Because its a new diagnosis, we're still trialing treatments to see what works for me. I am currently on a high hormone birth control, which so far makes the pain tolerable enough to get by, with occasional ibuprofen and midol. That's where I am starting at least. I plan to also try the endo-diet as well; it can't hurt, right?

I don't want this disease to take control of my life. My boyfriend and I have plans to get married soon, and eventually have a family. Even with this disease, I hope that I will be able to conceive and still be able to fulfill all my hopes and dreams for my family and my career as well.

Finding this website was a great blessing, as the scary thought of infertility and the feeling of being alone with this disease was beginning to creep up on me. Its a silver lining to see that other women have gained strength through this horrible disease and that none of us are alone in this. It's quite an encouragement.

I believe that we can be stronger than this disease and if we can support each other, nothing is impossible. :)