Heres her story, as told to writer Reina Sultan.
Until about a year ago, I didnt actuallyknowthat something was wrong with myperiod.
When I had my firstwhich lasted for weeksI remember being like, Huh, is this normal?
Mik Zazon
I asked my mom, and she said, Yeah, sometimes I have periods that long.
From there, I went through super-plus tampons rapidlylike, eight a day, sometimes even more.
I just thought it was how it went; I didn’t know any better.
But I did notice that my friends didnt havebleeding as intenseas mine was.
My periods got a lot shorter when I went on birth control in high school.
This content can also be viewed on the site itoriginatesfrom.
Ten years later, other issues cropped up.
I never told the doctor how painful these penetrative ultrasounds were, because I didnt know it was abnormal.
I thought the pain was from the PCOS.
I also had what I thought were chronicUTIsthis happened more than six times a year.
They gave me antibiotics each time, even though that didnt stop the recurrence of my symptoms.
These calls were rinse and repeat: I told them my situation, and they gave me antibiotics.
You probably should go see a urologist for this issue.
I dont feel comfortable prescribing you them again.
I was like, Well,great.
I remember thinking, Why wont you just treat my UTI?
Soon after that appointment, I had a really bad flare.
I was beyond dizzy, and it was just sopainfulthat I thought I was dying.
I was like, I have literally never heard of that in my life.
It didnt last for long, though.
Soon after, I experienced the worst abdominal pain Id ever felt.
I remember thinking, Is this a stomach ulcer?
I was trying to find an explanation as to why I couldnt walk without feeling dizzy.
I told my boyfriend, Owen, I think Im going to die.
I think Imactuallygoing to die, because whatisthis?
I was crawling to the bathroom.
I was throwing up.
It was so terrible.
I wouldnt wish that on anybody.
When I was 24, I started sharing my symptoms on social media.
My jaw was on the floor.
The dots started connecting.
I messaged the person back who DMd it to me, writing, Do you have any more resources?
Within a couple of weeks, I had an appointment with my currentob-gyn.
At the intake appointment in March of last year, I spoke with a nurse practitioner.
I was shaking when I first sat down, and I apologized for bringing in so much stuff.
She was like, Im here to listen.
I want you to tell me everything.
But something in my gut told me I had to figure this out, so I scheduled the surgery.
I kept telling Owen, Theyre literally not going to find anything.
Should I back out?
But I went through with it in August of 2023.
When I woke up from the procedures, I asked, Did they find anything?
The nurse answered, I think they did.
I remember slurring my words, like, I’m not crazy.
I’m not crazy.
She said, No, honey.
My ovary was shaped differently because of how large the cyst had been.
They found a ton of scar tissue, which was fusing different organs togetherthose are called adhesions.
I was diagnosed withstage two endometriosis.
Immediately after surgery, my bladder pain was completely gone.
Things that were huge triggers for me dont bother me at all anymore.
I can eat certain things I couldnt before surgeryI can eat candy!
I can have a glass of wine without doubling over in pain.
I canlivemore normally than before.
For anyone going through something similar: Listen to your body.
If theres something wrong, your body knows, andyouknow.
Its okay to ask for second or third opinions if something isnt working.
Keep records, and keep looking for the right help.
