My Journey with Endometriosis: Seeking Answers and Finding Relief
Early Experiences with Painful Periods
Throughout my life, I have faced many difficulties, but my menstrual cycle has always been the main challenge. At around 15 years old, I got my first period. The pain was so intense that I couldn’t wear normal pants, and the discomfort was truly unbearable. My mother had always experienced painful periods herself, so I initially assumed this was normal for women.
Years of Struggling and Seeking Help
Despite years of enduring severe pain and heavy bleeding, I eventually realized it was time to seek help. After three months of missing my cycle, my father suspected I might be pregnant, which was not the case. When I saw the doctor, I was prescribed birth control—Springtec. Unfortunately, the medication only made things worse, intensifying my cramps and causing headaches among other side effects.
Taking Control of My Health
By the time I turned 18, I was able to make my own medical decisions and visited a gynecologist. I explained that something was wrong, insisting that no one should experience this much pain or bleed through tampons every hour. The doctor’s response was typical: “You have small cysts. Here is another birth control pill to help with your symptoms and pain.” Every visit resulted in my medication being changed, but my symptoms persisted. Notably, I was still a virgin during this time.
Discovering Abnormal Pain During Intimacy
At 22, I lost my virginity, but there was no fairy tale story behind it. The pain I experienced during and after sex was far from normal—it felt as if my stomach and pelvis were on fire. I had to go home and sit on a bag of ice just to find some relief. I continued telling multiple doctors—gynecologists, primary care physicians, and even my allergist—that something was not right. Friends and family encouraged me not to give up and to keep sharing my story with medical professionals.
Challenges and Misdiagnoses
The pain would start randomly, and it only worsened during sex, especially with partners who were insensitive to my discomfort. Hospital visits yielded little help; I was often told I just had a stomachache. My pain was dismissed, and I felt that no one believed me. When I developed a cold and a rash, the GYN diagnosed it as a yeast infection, but even after an exam, he said I had tiny cysts that would either burst or disappear on their own.
Seeking Answers and a Diagnosis
One day, while at work, I experienced such severe stomach pain that I was in tears. Fortunately, my colleagues recognized that my rash wasn’t a yeast infection and advised me to get a stat transvaginal and abdominal ultrasound. The tests revealed nothing. I later had a CT scan at the hospital, which also showed nothing abnormal. When I returned to the same GYN, he finally suggested that I look up endometriosis and vaginosis online and decide which condition I thought I had. I already knew the difference and told him it was endometriosis, but he explained that the only way to confirm this diagnosis was through surgery.
Receiving a Diagnosis and Finding Relief
I met with the doctor who would perform the surgery, and my procedure was scheduled for April 4, 2022. My mother accompanied me to the hospital, and after the surgery, I was diagnosed with mild endometriosis. Receiving an answer was a relief, and I was grateful to finally understand what was happening to my body. An ablation provided two weeks of relief, but my journey was not over.
Continued Struggles and Finally Finding Hope
Over the following years, I struggled to conceive with my husband and underwent additional fertility treatments. My pain continued to interfere with daily life, making it difficult even to get through a workday. Eventually, my husband found Dr. Touchan, and from that point forward, my life changed. For the first time, I was able to experience intimacy without pain, and I will always be grateful for that opportunity to feel normal.