Hi! My name is Mandy and I am 22 years old. Five years ago, I was suddenly and unexpectedly doubled over in extreme pain. I had always had heavy periods with major cramping, but never pain at any other time. I spent the entire night throwing up.
The next morning I informed my mother and she took me to the doctor. We were afraid it was my appendix. Well, as you well know, they found nothing and sent me home. Thus started three months of hell. I was seen by ten different doctors, all telling me different things ranging from my gall bladder to rupturing ovarian cysts to I was just looking for attention. During this time I was extremely ill. I lost over 25 lbs., was constantly dizzy and finally got to the point where I was blacking out because I was so weak. Finally, in Janurary of 2000, my mother to me to her obgyn. Two days later I was admitted for my first laparoscopy. It was such a relief to finally have a name for what was happening to me. Endometriosis. Stage III. For about two months everything was great, I was returning to the normal life of a seventeen year old (except for the fact that I was told that if I wanted kids to do it within the next year!) Then it started again. In July of the same year, I had my second lap. This time I was told that there was no reason why I should be able to wait to have kids. That was good news, as I had only been married for one month. This time I saw no improvement. Since then I have been on and off birth control pills, done the Depo shot, a round of Lupron, pain managment, and an endless supply of pain medication ranging from ultram to percocet to morphine. Nothing ever completely takes away the pain. The bright spot is that in June of 2003, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. The doctors had given me hope that the pregnancy may help with the endo. Unfortunatly, since then it has worsened and I am constantly bleeding. Sex is so painful and now my husband has decided that maybe the pain is all in my head. (How’s that for support?) He is in the military and we have spent the last three years in Germany. We leave to go home in six days and I am so excited, because I will be near my mom again and I will finally have that wonderful support I have so needed. If anyone is interested in corresponding with me, email me at harleesmommy@hotmail.com. Thanks, it feels so good just to share my story with women you understand exactly what I am saying.
Mandy