Skip to main content At 16, I had my first endometriosis flare and ended up hospitalised, I missed my year 12 ball. For the next two years, I had an endo flares every six weeks, but no doctors believed I could have endometriosis at such a young age.
My mother had a similar story and didn’t receive treatment until after her pregnancies. I knew it was endometriosis. I wanted to get an early diagnosis so I could have surgery before it became more complex.
At 18, I was officially diagnosed via diagnostic laparoscopy. Unfortunately, surgery wasn’t successful for pain management, and I started hormonal birth controls. I finally found the one which has decreased my flares to once or twice a year, it has been a life saver.
My greatest challenge was intimate relationships. I found penetration painful to an extreme and would experience pain afterwards. I used to hide my pain from my partners and would routinely try to push through the pain. Now I openly speak about my limits and focus on forms of closeness that feel good and safe for me.
Endometriosis doesn’t have a start or end age; it can grow on so many organs and have a wide variety of symptoms. Just know you aren’t alone and there’s a community behind you.