March is Endometriosis Awareness Month and I am the 1 in 10. 🎗💛🌻
Yesterday marked 6 months since my endometriosis excision surgery. 🎗
It was about this same time last year that I first spoke to a doctor about the possibility of me having endo. And after what felt like forever, I might finally have an answer. Up to that point, I wasn’t getting anywhere with my doctors, and I did the research myself to figure out what was wrong with me. So when I went to that appointment in March, I stated clearly and firmly “I think I have endometriosis.” I backed it up with the hours of research I’d done… and I had all of the symptoms. 🎗
Thankfully, our PCP’s physician assistant listened and he immediately ordered an MRI on my stomach. After getting those results, I was sent to a surgical gynecologist and he said the MRI suggested endo. He ordered a trans-vaginal ultrasound to confirm it, and eight days later I had that done. Most women don’t get diagnosed with endo based off their imaging results- but mine was bad enough that they diagnosed it on sight. 🌻
I thought that would be the end of my medical saga… but then I had to go through three doctors before I finally found one who would operate on me given my situation and the severity of my endo. Thankfully, my entire experience with Dr. G and Beth Israel was smooth sailing and I had my endometriosis excision surgery six months ago. I can never ever express enough how grateful I am for him. 💛
Now six months later… I don’t have periods that are as painful and I no longer have pain from Bruno the cyst. But I’m learning that I was delusional if I thought my day to day stomach pain would completely go away. I still feel cramps and stomach pain as I go through the cyclical hormone shifts of my menstrual cycle each month. I’m still nauseous randomly for any number of reasons. I still have to watch what I eat. My lower back pain isn’t nearly as awful as it was when my bowels were attached to my uterus, but I still have some pain occasionally. My incisions bother me often… and I still face the daily battle of feeling like my underwear and pants are trying to kill me. 😕 But it’s way better than before, and I’m so thankful for that.
This Endometriosis Awareness Month, I now have a name for what’s happening to my body. And I want other women to know that they’re not alone if they experience this. It takes the average woman 10 years to get a diagnosis. Listen to the women in your life and believe them when they describe their pain. It’s not all in our heads. And ladies, always advocate for yourself because you deserve to be heard. 🎗💛🌻
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