Listen to your body

by Maria
(Philippines)

Hi,

I haven't been diagnosed with endometriosis but after reading almost every single article, story and wiki pages about this I am convinced I have endometriosis. I am very relieved to have found this site and read other women's stories since I don't know anyone else who has this.

Before I started taking birth control (around 16-17 years of age) I remember having severe cramps during menstruation. I couldn't go jogging (that resulted in painful stabbing sensation in my uterus and pain in my hip). Once taking birth control pills all symptoms went away. Got clear skin, almost no pain at all during menstruation and no hip pain. (Yasmin BC)

Now I am 25 years old, I stopped taking BC last year and during this 1 whole year everything changed.

Menstruation and ovulation is extremely painful.
A deep burning/stabbing/stitch pain after intercourse. Menstrual kind of pain but 100x worse. It's so bad I don't know what to do as every single movement makes the pain even worse.

All I can do is cry and try to breath and try not to throw up. This pain can last up to 12 hours - 3 days. Gradually gets better each day but I have to walk slowly and try not to move so much. Laughing, coughing, sneezing, urinating hurts so much.

I am always tired and experiencing nausea during every menstruation, the past 2 months I have even been throwing up a little. I can't jog, that makes my whole uterus hurt and will continue to hurt a few hours and also make me feel nauseous.

I saw 2 different gynecologists last year. The first one said "it's probably just gas, don't think about it too much". I then told her "I can't even go jogging, not on any single day during my cycle" she then said "Okey, let's have you do an ultrasound for your peace of mind"... I got furious. I felt like she didn't take me seriously.

So I went to see another gyno. She ran some blood tests and said everything was fine and wanted to give me birth control pills. Yes, BC might relieve the symptoms but I want to know why I can't live a normal life without BC.?!

I recently found out my mother had one of her ovaries removed when she was my age but she doesn't remember exactly what it was. Apparently some kind of cyst on her ovary.

Other than above symptoms I also suffer from headaches, bloated before/during/after ovulation, constipation. I can feel a certain stabbing sensation in my pelvic / rectal area when I jump and hit the ground, or in the car driving and hitting a bump on the road. I am also very sensitive to cold.

While everyone else walk around in t-shirt I have to wear socks, jeans and jacket but sometimes that doesn't even help. My lips will turn purple and I need an extra blanket to warm myself. Past 2-3 month I've been feeling dizzy from time to time. Especially when I jump in the shower in the evening everything all of a sudden spins around and i feel like I'm about to faint.

It saddens me that doctors don't take you seriously. I even mentioned endometriosis to the doctors I had seen and they did not believe I had it.

I'm trying to get laparoscopy surgery, I'm pretty sure that will give me the answers to all the pain I am experiencing.

I am not going to listen to the doctors and what they have told me, I KNOW and I can feel something is wrong. There is NO WAY this kind of pain is "normal". Listen to your body, only you know your body best.

Thanks everyone for sharing your experience with this disease. I'm glad I am not alone.