“They’re just cramps. You’re fine. Go to school.” Every girl has heard this in her lifetime. For me, cycle time was always super heavy and painful, most times requiring a hot bath to release me from the fetal position I would wake up in or crunch into. I had vomiting and painful migraines for days. To me, this is what a period was. I never had an easy one.
I’m only 21 years young. Last January was when things took a turn. The vomiting and headaches were constant. I couldn’t and wouldn’t eat, and when I did, it just came back up. Within 3 months, I had lost about 30 pounds. I had constant pains on my right side at the waist level. It hurt when I coughed, sneezed, bent over, used the bathroom, stretched, and so on. I worked at a vet clinic at the time. It took one good jump from a 100 pound dog on my pelvic area, and I was driving myself to the emergency room.
After telling everyone something was wrong, I finally couldn’t handle it anymore. After half a day in the ER, an MRI, and an ultrasound, it was determined I had a 9 cm cyst the size of a cutie orange on my left ovary. My mom immediately sent the results to an obgyn, and I had an appointment the next day. So after a visit, we had a surgery date, 2 weeks later on April 25th. During surgery, it was discovered I had a retroverted uterus and moderate to severe endometriosis. He grabbed my cyst out and zapped away my endo. I was then put on Lupron for 6 months.
Fast forward, I had an ultrasound last Friday on the 10th after having similar returning symptoms. Low and behold, severe endometriosis had returned with multiple cysts in both ovaries, less than a year after surgery! It’s setting in that this is clearly something that will be around forever, and it brings me to tears just thinking about it. No one can afford to have surgery once a year to manage symptoms. We are trying more Lupron to see if it will help. Unfortunately, my retroverted uterus is the main culprit, as things don’t quite drain properly. My parents are considering the option of a full hysterectomy. I’m not sure what to even think or do, as I want nothing more than my own children, and I know people have had endo return even after surgery. I would love everyone’s opinion and help, and thank you all for sharing your stories.
Emily
United States
Submitted 04/16/2015
The informational content of this article is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.
This story is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.
I suffered for years as well with no firm diagnosis. I ended up having a full hysterectomy. I ended up adopting with my husband. After recovering from surgery I can’t tell you how good I feel not having to deal with all of the pain that I had suffered with for years. Best wishes to you!