Endo-Shmendo

My whole life I've been known to be a hypochondriac, I had an always sick mother and seemed to be on a cocktail of medicines at the first sign of sickness. So, no surprise when I was 19 and assumed something was wrong--no one really listened.

I always struggled with periods- I was 11 when I had my very first one, and being a small woman, they were extremely heavy--so bad I got put on birth control by 14. When my periods came, I was almost always doubled over in pain, didn't go to school, heating pads, Pamprin, and loads of sleep.

But the year I turned 20, was the most unbearable year of my life. I had been lightly exposed to endometriosis (a friend of my mom had struggled with it for years), but I didn't know what it was. For almost an entire year, my pain and cramps went from period week, to EVERY day. I did my own research, and thought anything from IBS to Endo, and when I told everyone, they were like: "it's probably just pain, don't worry you're fine." Some days it was so bad, I literally thought I was going to vomit just from walking. I finally took myself to my first ever OBGYN appointment. After 4 months straight of visits, scans, ultrasounds, poking and prodding, they finally decided to do a laparoscopy because they couldn't find anything wrong with me.
December 31, 2015 I had the first surgery of my life- and my first (hopefully only) laparoscopy. My uterine lining had grown over the complete left side of my uterus.

About a week later, I was put on a 3 month birth control-by my gynecologist who wasn't really interested in focusing on my pain in the first place. I gained 30 lbs in 3 years, acne ridden all over my face, and every time I had my period it was like hell on earth. When I brought it to his attention, he explained to me that "that normally doesn't happen, so maybe it's what you're eating." Mind you--I am pescatarian, I don't eat meat, I eat lots of veggies, sometimes fish, and lots of tofu. (I limit my intake of dairy to almost nothing, and try my best on the fried foods).

Fast forward to 3 years later, I have found a wonderful new doctor, so focused on my pain- who immediately listened. I am on a new version of a three-month birth control, I have lost 10-15lbs, and I have had absolutely NO pain on my period.

While my story isn't the only one, I am an advocate for other ladies like me, or who aren't educated. Hoping maybe one day we can help everyone understand the importance of this. My life has been so impacted on what I can and can't eat, even so much so that my wonderful fiance (who has stuck with me the entire time) loves, cares, and makes sure I am never uncomfortable or in pain.

Maybe my story will help others, either way, here it is. :)

Thank you--
Taylor