Two years to get any answers for endometriosis

by Alejandra
(Arizona)

Hello my name is Alejandra, I'm 20 years old. Living with Endometriosis is not easy, and it takes a lot to get used to but it is quite possible. The first time I felt the extreme abdominal pain all us ladies went through was January 2014. I was rushed to the ER by my best friend thinking it might be my gallbladder.

After telling the hospital clerk what I felt I was in one of the rooms an IV hooked up to my right arm and morphine running up my veins. Morphine was like being on a roller coster.

After that I was taken to have some ultrasounds taken. I was freaking out, at that time I was 19 years old and I was perfectly healthy. I didn't quite understand what was going on everything was so quick and I was just their since class ginny pig without the ability to do a dam thing. After waiting for about what seemed forever the doctor comes by and tells me I have an Ovarian Cyst. Wait what ? Ovarian cyst ??

Once again I had no idea what the doctor was talking about and I was freaking out, again. Obviously the doctor explained it and after she left the room my best friend was already on Google. " What is an ovarian cyst" still with google I didn't understand a thing.

After having my mom pick me up I went home with some Vicodin to help with the pain and was told to go see my an OBGYN. I had no health insurance and it was too expensive to go see one. So I started looking up natural remedies, I've tried them all and nothing helped. After that I was able to go to a doctor and well they didn't do much. They were awful, no help what's so ever.

I spent so much money on medications and doctor visits. I was emotionally and physically drained by this point. So dam frustrated with these doctors that wouldn't give me an answer on what was going on with me. While this was going on I was trying to live my life. My social life what somewhat there. I lost my job due to not feeling so well and missing too much work and I had to keep making so many lies at other jobs just so they wont fire me for not feeling well and because I have to see my doctor for the 3rd time this month.

Fast forward to August 2014, I was still feeling like shit. The only thing those doctors were able to conclude after seeing me for months now was that my cyst had increased in size. Okay after that I had it, so I opted in going to a complete new doctors office.

Now around this time I was rushed to the ER again because the pain was so severe I was not able to walk any more. The pain was just there and I swear I was dying. The ER doctor advised my cyst was so big it had twisted my Ovaries but that I was okay at the moment. So then again they send me home with more pain meds without once again not doing anything about it.

That same day I called to see if I could see my new doctor sooner and they said that I could. Okay, now I have my hopes up once again in the pursuit of being normal just like I was almost a year ago. This doctor has all my medical history and it didn't take long till he brought up laparoscopy.

This was what my mother and I have been trying to avoid but at this point we were so desperate and surgery was my only option. That same day the doctor made arraignments to operate on me in less than a month. Wow this seemed unreal . My surgery was successful, I was sent home that very same day with Percocet and ibuprofen.

After two weeks of recovery I was back in the doctors office to just check up on things. This doctor visit was probably the worst one by far, this is when I was told about Endometriosis. I had once again lost my faith in this doctor after he handed me a pamphlet on Endo. He didn't take the time to talk to me about my condition, a condition a 20 year old would not understand by reading a pamphlet.

Then he handed me a Lupron Shot pamphlet, whats up with this guy and bloody pamphlets. He said that would help and to sign papers to have my insurance cover the cost. So I did, blinded by my lack of knowledge but I still did. After a few weeks I received a letter, it stated my insurance was not going to be responsible for the cost. At this point physically, I felt good, I felt really good after my surgery so I paid no attention.

My surgery was September 2014 and I was perfectly fine till March 2015. I was back to this messed up cycle once again. I was taken to the hospital blah blah blah same shit, sent home with pain meds and was told my cyst was back. The pain was bearable only because i had started smoking marijuana. This for me was huge, I had never tried it before but after reading it online I gave it a try because nothing was helping and Percs and Vicodin are definitely not for me.

On June 30th I was once again taken to the ER, This time my ovaries were stuck together and my cyst was bigger than ever. I was admitted to the hospital that same day and had Emergency surgery that following day. After the surgery they told me they had gotten rid of the cyst and some of the endometriosis by burning it, but that there was way too much.

My Endometriosis has gone from mild to severe in less than a year. Now this new doctor that operated on me is wonderful ! He explained to me EVERYTHING I need to know. He said he is going to make it one of his goals to get me the Lupron for free because I really need it.

I am still recovering but my Endo pain is up the roof. Even with the marijuana I feel like shit and have no appetite due to it hurting so much. I've already lost 15 pounds in two weeks by doing nothing.

My piece of advise for you ladies going through the same is to keep looking for the right doctor, don't settle because you could be at risk of your Endo getting out of control and worsening beyond repair. Please get help and find the doctor that is right for you, don't stop looking.