Part 7
Endometriosis. That diagnosis left me wondering. I don’t know what Endometriosis is. I mean, I’ve heard of it, but I have no idea what it is or what the implications of it are. So, I did some research. I talked to a few people and my doctors since that time and have shared a few things with me.
Endometriosis: an often painful disorder where the tissue that typically lines the interior of a woman’s uterus – the endometrium – grows outside the uterus, usually in the pelvic cavity. The displaced tissue, continues to act as it normally would – thickens, breaks down, and bleeds as it normally would – only there’s no where for it to exit the body – so it becomes trapped, grows, and adheres itself to other organs in the pelvis including bowel, ovaries, or the tissue lining the pelvis. Large masses can form on the ovaries called endometriomas.
Endometriosis can be extremely painful, especially during a women’s period. Common symptoms are:
- Painful periods
- Painful intercourse
- Pain with bowel movements or urination
- Excessive bleeding
- Diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, bloating, and/or nausea during periods
- Infertility
- Symptoms intensify over time
The most alarming of all of the statistics and information regarding Endometriosis is that on average, from onset of endometriosis to actual diagnosis of endometriosis is ELEVEN YEARS.
Eleven years.
The disease is often misdiagnosed as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Celiac, Gulten Intolerance, or Pelvic Inflamatory Disease.
I believe that I first experienced symptoms in High School. I was 16. I had the most debilitating periods. I would be curled into the fetal position, writhing in pain for 2 solid days every month. Every time I stood up, it was like someone turned the faucet on – intense bleeding, clotting, the works. As I grew older, I learned how to cope with the awful periods – I thought they were normal. Birth control is often used to treat endometriosis. So when I was in college and on birth control, my symptoms subsided. My periods weren’t as painful or as heavy.
After graduate school, I stopped taking birth control. The painful periods and heavy bleeding returned. What I was unaware to, was the other symptoms that proceeded to pop up over my adult life.
Constipation. I was prescribed probiotics, fiber, more water, and all the typical prescriptions for most people who suffer from trouble pooping. I however, on most occasions, had to take a laxative to have a bowel movement. I would go a week without a pooping. I would experience SHARP, PIERCING pain in my abdomen as I could feel the waste moving through my intestines. I would curl over in pain, on a daily basis, as this was happening. I thought it was normal. Maybe I didn’t eat enough fiber or drink enough water. I learned to cope.
Diarrhea during periods. I thought was just the reality of the cramping from the period. I welcomed a bowel movement.
Excessive bleeding during periods. I didn’t know my bleeding was excessive. It’s not really something girls talk about while we’re sitting around drinking wine. I just assumed it was normal. I should’ve bought stock in Tampax.
Painful intercourse. I thought is was me. I was embarrassed. I didn’t want to talk about it.
Infertility.
And for most of my adult life until November 21, 2013, I lived with all these symptoms unaware that they added up to a life altering disease that had gone misdiagnosed….
because women don’t talk about this stuff.
We should.
There are so many things that effect women and women only. The symptoms are personal and hard to talk about (I mean I just told the whole world about my pooping problems). We sit in pain, discomfort, and concern – thinking all of it is normal.
It’s not normal.
Since I began my blog in March, I have had countless women share with me their stories. Stories of infertility, miscarriage, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Endometriosis, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, painful periods, and the list goes on. I’ve also had women open up to me about the symptoms they’re experiencing – and I’ve been able to encourage them to seek medical guidance, to hear their fear, and to offer some ray of hope.
I sit here at my computer this morning, getting ready to leave for my THIRD medical procedure in the last six months – all because of my endometriosis – BEGGING us as women to TALK ABOUT OUR HEALTH WITH EACH OTHER.
It’s that important.
We’re taught in our very young lives about periods and the miracle of birth – sometimes in 5th or 6th grade – and then we never have anymore discussions about women’s health as we mature and grow – except for the occasional seminar or talk about how to NOT get pregnant. We never talk about Women’s Health. We never talk about the diseases that effect women – and effect our ability to have children when and if we are ready.
We rarely talk about our experiences with infertility or periods or *gasp* painful sex or *gasp again* pooping. We sit in pain and shame thinking its normal.
It’s not normal.
If we would find space and time and vulnerability enough to talk about these things as women -we could catch it before it was too bad. We could catch it before women live in pain for 11 years thinking it’s normal. We could have open, honest, authentic, and vulnerable dialogue about the issues we’re facing in our heath – get support and guidance – and close the gap. I urge you to find space and time and COURAGE enough to talk to each other about this. And if you don’t have someone you CAN talk to – Talk to me. I promise I’ll listen with love and compassion.
We as women don’t talk about Women’s Health, but we need to and we SHOULD.
That’s MY soapbox.
This is Our Fate 