First signs of Symptoms?
Many women experience endometriosis symptoms starting with their first period. When did your symptoms of Endo begin??
Hello Pam,
I'd say my endo began a while after my first period, which was not painful. The periods I got after that were horribly painful and heavy which makes me think this is when my endo started. My painful bowel movements and chronic pelvic pain only started while I was an adult though.
, same! I feel like my endometriosis probably wasn't present when I first got my period. While my periods weren't super smooth sailing, I was definitely able to get through childhood. It wasn't until more so when I reached Highschool + college did I start experiencing more severe symptoms. How have you been feeling? -Kimberli (team member)
Same here
, mine started with my first period, and I ended up in hospital because of them. My periods in my teens were terrible, my parents were completely at a loss on how to help me. And just like you, the digestive issues and chronic pelvic pain, I developed as an adult. It always shocks me when some doctors say that girls are “too young” to have endometriosis, when all of the symptoms are there, from the start. Thanks for adding to the conversation 😀 – Jessie (team member) 
My first period at 13 was terrible. And research shows a lot of people are probably born with lesions. When I was in 7th grade, I remember my vision would blur because my cramps were so severe. If I didn't have ibuprofen or Midol, I would throw up. Although my mother had endometriosis, she didn't have pain (good for her!) so she didn't think to mention it to me. She thought it was just something that affected fertility, she told me as an adult. My back pain was so bad in my teens that I had X-rays to figure out if something was wrong structurally. When I was 16, I ended up at the hospital for what we thought was a ruptured appendix, but it was "only ovulation" the doctors said. I went on birth control at 17 (though it didn't help) and was diagnosed and treated for endometriosis when I was 24.
Hello. Many of my symptoms started later. I got my first period at 11 and always had heavier, but regular cycles. Always had back pain from the start, though. I think I have had a majority of my symptoms for over 10 years now (I'm almost 30 now), but was on birth control for 5 of those years and once I stopped taking, everything got worse. I get awful back pain, extreme fatigue a week prior to my period and during, as well as brain fog. I also get really sharp pains in my pelvic area on and off throughout the month. It's day-by-day with me anymore...I can feel great one minute then be in a lot of pain the next. This has all worsened over the past few years. Hope that helps!
