Hear from women living with endometriosis
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No one ever talked to me about endometriosis. My mother had endo so bad, she once passed out from the pain. But she never told me. She never explained to me what it was.
It was summertime when I first got my period. My legs felt like I had run for miles and miles. I cried from how bad my period hurt. I told my mother, but she just gave me an over-the-counter painkiller and told me where she kept the tampons.
We need to educate ourselves, our daughters, our sisters, our nieces, our cousins, our coworkers, etc. Discussions about endometriosis need to happen. This is not something to be embarrassed about.
When I turned 18, I wanted to start taking birth control. So, I made an appointment with a gynecologist. At the appointment, I mentioned my heavy, painful periods. The gynecologist said birth control might also help with that, and wrote me a prescription. And, it turns out, it did help! For a while...
But, 7 years ago, the pain and discomfort from my period began to increase. This led me to make another appointment with my gynecologist to talk about my options moving forward. After weighing the pros and cons, my doctor decided that surgery was the best way to get me the answers I needed. He performed laparoscopic surgery, which confirmed that I had endo.
My point with all this is that we should be talking about endometriosis more. If my mother had told me years ago that she had endo, maybe I would have found the answers I needed sooner. We need to educate ourselves, our daughters, our sisters, our nieces, our cousins, our coworkers, etc. Discussions about endometriosis need to happen. This is not something to be embarrassed about.
This story was submitted by a real woman and reflects her personal experience. It does not reflect AbbVie’s thoughts, opinions, or beliefs. Before making any changes to your treatment or lifestyle, consult with a physician.
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