My Endometriosis Story | How Endometriosis is diagnosed

Why It Took 2 Decades to Be Diagnosed with Endometriosis – My Story.

My Endometriosis story starts long before I knew I had the disorder. From the day my cycle came on, I experienced extremely painful cramps, vomiting, and muscle spasms. I went through my teen years and twenties not knowing what was causing my pain.

The Beginning of My Endometriosis Pain.

Right before my cycle came on, I remember watching an episode of Seventh Heaven when the youngest daughter’s cycle came on and everyone was celebrating her women hood. My first thought — becoming a “women” is going to be great! It was the opposite.

I was leaving the mall with my father, and I felt the urgent need to do a number two. Balled up in the back of the car, I told my dad he needed to stop ASAP. The first place my dad saw was a gas station, and he flew in faster than a plan landing.In the bathroom of a gas station is where I experience the side effects of endometriosis—it was coming out of both ends. I couldn’t stop throwing up, and the diarrhea flowed like never before. I started sweating as if I was in the sitting in a sauna.

My first thought was, I must have food poisoning. I looked down and saw the first drop of blood flow out, and my heart sank.

This is how my cycle started with Endometriosis.

I didn’t know what to do. Next thing I know, my dad is knocking on the bathroom door to check on me. Looking at the 1 ply toilet that I used most of while trying to manage my diarrhea, and told him I was okay. I rolled the toilet paper at least 6 times all around my hand and stuffed in my underwear. Walking out of the restroom, I felt like a had a diaper on. I tried to walk out of the restroom like nothing happened, and I felt everyone was looking at me as if they knew what just happened to me.

First through the gas station shop handing the cashier the key with the wooden block attached to it. Vaguely smiling. Embraced of the smell left behind. Hoping he wouldn’t go in behind me. Through the front door walking as fast as I could to my dad parked four cars down while trying to keep my tissue in place.

I melted back in my seat trying not to make eye contact with my dad. “Are you okay?”, asked my dad after sitting in the car for over 40 minutes. Still not making eye contact, “I’m okay.” We both knew I wasn’t. And my dad didn’t push the issue.

How Does Endometriosis Feel?

My Endometriosis Story on How the Pain Began

The car ride home with Endo was quiet.

I got home and told my mom what happened. Only to realize she already knew. My dad called and told her something was going on with me.

She walked through how to use menstrual pads, and I kept the pain to myself. But it didn’t take long for her and everyone else in my lift to see something was going on with me. Weeks before my cycle came on I was in pain. I was sleeping a lot more from the fatigue. I remember throwing up before and after basketball games in middle school, in parking lots after eating, right before going to church, and in between all life’s activities.

It was my new normal with menstrual pain.

We knew something was not right, and my mom and I started a journey of trying to find a doctor to help me figure it out what was causing my menstrual pain.

Going from pediatrician to OBGYN only to receive pain pills and birth control. In the beginning, I only had horse pain pills too big to swallow. My mom would have to crush them up and put them in milk just to make sure I got them down.

Years later, watching an episode of Keeping of the Kardashians. Khole called her doctor complain of similar symptoms, and her doctor was glad to rule out endometriosis as the culprit of her pain. I thought, this is my problem! After visiting my doctor and asked specifically about it. I left with more pain pills and a different birth control, and sent on my way.

What Doctor Treats Endometriosis?

Five OBYGN, several hospital visits, who and years later, I had a bathroom filled with pain pills, narcotics, and different birth controls. I was desperate to find a resolution. After given every test under the sun, but a laparoscopy to determine if it was endometriosis, I realized I needed a doctor that believed something serious was going on with me. This play a huge part on my self-esteem.

I started hiding my pain from everyone I could. The only people that knew I was going through severe pain half of every month was my immediate family. Everyone else that I was a bad friend, didn’t want to be around, or simply being anti-social.

Through all of it, I was still able to graduate from high school, college and grad school… With a smile and lots of pain pills. I finally landed a job with my own insurance, and I was ready to do whatever it took to find the relief I needed. Around this time, I was in the emergency almost every month for 8 months straight. No matter what I did or ate, I remained in extreme pain. My mom had an idea to go see a Gynecologic Specialist and not to worry about the cost. I thought I needed to get a recommendation for a OBGYN to go, but I didn’t. Days later, my specialist had given me a laparoscopy and discovered I had Stage IV Endometriosis.

How Endometriosis is Diagnosed.

What I have learned on my journey is that most OBGYNs don’t feel comfortable truly address endometriosis. This disorder is not something that is doctors spend a lot of time discussing while in medical school. Which is why so many women are still going through years of suffering before getting the answers they need. For women of color, that time is much longer, because textbooks have stated for years that endometriosis is a white women’s disorder. There are still medical websites that still stay that this disorder mainly effects women. This is an uphill battle for so many which is why it is important for all women to know they can go directly to a specialist when experiencing any issues with their menstrual.

Technology is improving. I recently have had ultrasounds where the technician has been able to see Endometriosis

The New New Normal with Endometriosis Pain.

I was able to take a deep breath knowing what was causing my pain. However, my pain came back after my laparoscopy and this was just the beginning of my journey for finding relief from Endometriosis. My doctor suggest Lupron, and I has excited to finally find something to stop my pain. Thankful for time without pain, I went through severe depression while on the drug. And the conversations about my fertility window closing started to be the main conversation with my doctors.

Affirming My Pain Free Life

During this time in my life, I was dating in circles. Things had to change. I had to do things differently. A future without being a mother was something I couldn’t imagine. I always knew I wanted motherhood for my life, and not being able to make that a reality was not an option.

I affirmed the life I wanted — living a pain free life as a wife and mom. It wasn’t easy. I had to do a lot of internal work and my affirmations started working. The first sign of them working was connections that didn’t align with my future disappearing. This was painful to see friends that had for years leave my life, connections disappearing, and all the things I thought aligned not workout. But, it was the shed before the new beginning.

Slowly, found myself. I learned more about my body, my condition, and found a new foundation for living with a painful disorder.

I learned how to manage my pain, my stress, and trust that God was aligning everything I was affirming for my life.

Now Pain Free with Endometriosis.

It happened fast. I found my soon-to-be husband, got pregnant, got married, and started living a pain free life as a wife and mom in a years time span.

My Endometriosis story is not over. Everyday I am learning more about what it means to be pain free with Endometriosis naturally. It took a lot of time! But, if I can help someone else get to this place faster, I have done what I was called to do!

The key for me is understanding that Endometriosis is a chronic inflammation disorder. If I am control my inflammation, I can limit the amount of pain I experience.

Through the use of vitamins, herbs, healthy food, and self-care, I made it. And it you are reading this, you can too!