Endometriosis and PCOS? MY STORY.

Sunday: May 21st, 2017.

Another day another hospital visit. Through out my life I have been rushed to the hospital for multiple problems with my women reproductive area. In third grade I was rushed to the hospital for a painful urinary track infection and I found out I was super sensitive to certain soaps, could not use bubble bath and things in that line. And before that I had issues with my bladder fully developing as a child. So these issues for me started young and just never went away.

7th grade... I got my period in the summer going into 7th grade and I had painful periods. They got extremely worse through out 7th grade where I was missing from school during that week every month for a good three days at a time. My dad use to leave work to have to pick me up when I got my period at school because I was in so much pain. I was always in the nurses office and she told me her daughter had endometriosis and I mentioned it to my mom. She explained that other people in our family did as well. We did our research and I began seeing the obgyn. He would place me on different birth controls to lower estrogens and different pain relievers. Through the years it just did not seem to help.

During this time I was yet rushed again to the hospital for severe pain and as explained I had cysts on my ovaries and one had raptured. So I was being treated for the severe pain with the toxins flowing through out me.

I was placed on even higher pain relievers for my endometriosis pain and finally my doctor thought it was time to get a look on the inside. With laparoscopy. (lap·a·ros·co·py

ˌlapəˈräskəpē/ noun a surgical procedure in which a fiber-optic instrument is inserted through the abdominal wall to view the organs in the abdomen or to permit a surgical procedure.)

I had pre-surgery which of course was blood work, tests, vitals, everything which I passed out during. I hate needles, I hate when they take my blood, it is the worst.

I had the procedure and after surgery I was like when do I get to go home?? My doctor brought out scans with dots all over showing the endometriosis tissue growing all on the outside of it. He showed pictures from all the tissue scraping he had to do because the endometriosis tissue was everywhere putting me to a stage 3. Also showed me cysts all over me and there was 2 big ones, one had raptured during surgery which left me with another one that ended up rapturing that week of course. 

I was bedridden. I could not walk, I was like death rolled over. Some may of said during this time a vegetable. Also the week of my birthday. I started to become severly depressed, with doctors appointments after doctors appointments. To help with my endometriosis I ended up on the depo shot, it is a birth control to help treat endometriosis. And also to help my cyst problem from to many developing. 

I started to wake up in the middle of the nights in sweats, the depression got worse, Some days felt like I couldn't breathe. I did not know who I was. I was told I was going to gain weight but really I lost about 12lbs in a month and I was barely eating, I was soo sick. I went a whole week without eating. I just could not keep anything down. My mood swings were off the wall. It was like I was the exorcist. People began to think it was a bipolar disorder. But really I was 18 going through menopause due to the depo shot. I began taking brisdelle for it, which is a depression menopause medicine. Also I started to take northindrone which is like another birth control to help control bleeding. Since I started the depo shot I was spotting every day and northindrone stopped that.

I was being treated for a disease I did not really understand. Coming back every 3 months for my shots, regular medicines to take. 

During this time my iron levels were low and I became anemic, being treated for that as well. 

I started to see a therapist for my depression and anxiety, I had medicine for my anxiety attacks. It was all so overwhelming. I should be worrying about a dress for prom and colleges to apply for, passing school. Instead I was barely sleeping, missing school for days, weeks at a time. Grades slipping, everything was too much to handle. 

But I finally passed and continued my journey. 

I started to research more on endometriosis and pcos. I noticed my acne had increased through out the years, it was not common in my childhood, I thought it was just because I was a teenager. But oily skin and acne was a huge part of pcos. I did a video for a college assignment and began posting awareness on endometriosis and pcos (polycystic ovarian syndrome).  I had discovered people in my family with both things within genetics. And finally did a research paper on it, interviewed friends and family members, even strangers with these diseases. I had discovered a lot about myself during this time. Here is a link to my video .. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6stKuqQjJlY

My journey never ended. The thought of trying to do the best for me to make it sure I do not get stuck infertile, that I could have a long happy life. A life with normal relationships, being able to conceive a child, not have my women hood taken from me. Raising awareness for everyone around me with these conditions and wanting nothing but the best for all of us..

So I thought It was weird that I have more body hair then the girl next to me. That I have to wax my face for a mustache and chin hair. That I noticed darker hair on me on my stomach and my neck. That my acne had increased when I went months without it. Everyone told me drink water, make sure to wash your face so I do that every day with shaving all the time. I even looked into laser hair removal. 

Then I discovered new pain. I was a straight 10 for 2 hours until I took ibprofun and it aws like what is wrong with me. I ended up in the hospital.. I was feeling this could just be a uti that I thought I had this week from using the wrong soap. That came back as yes I did have a uti and were treating me with antibiotics. Then I went to get ultrasounds done, above and internal. The doctor seemed nervous and kept mentioning my left ovary was very pushed over and kept taking pictures there on the ultra sound and I noticed tons of dots. Something was not right...

The other doctor came back nervous asked if I knew what pcos was, if I as already told I had it.. And I mentioned my previous obgyn had mentioned it to me and it was in discussion before he retired. And he was nervous to tell me that I have it. He explained all these cyst growing all over my ovaries pushing my organs out of place.. And to go back to my obgyn to get treated for this as well. That my Endometriosis and PCOS are very active...

But I am strong and will not let this tear me down. IT explains my hair growth and acne from pcos. Everything has been slowly coming together. Why I am so fatigue, down, what has been happening to me. As two diseases try to take over me. 

There is no cure for either one..

But maybe one day there will be..

One day when they realize that too many of us women suffer from these diseases. If they want us to reproduce and be fertile they will help us instead of having our insides shot.

Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

What All Women Should Know

Endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are common gynecologic disorders affecting an estimated five to 10 percent of women, especially teenagers and those of childbearing age. Even though these disorders can be painful and uncomfortable to cope with, they are often difficult to detect.

Symptoms of Endometriosis

Endometriosis occurs when cells from the lining of the uterus grow in other areas of the body, like the ovaries, bowel, rectum, bladder and pelvic area. According to the National Institutes of Health, pain is the main symptom of endometriosis. Other symptoms include:

• Painful periods
• Pain in the lower abdomen before and during menstruation
• Cramps for a week or two before menstruation and during menstruation; cramps may be steady and range from dull to severe)
• Pain during or following sexual intercourse
• Pain with bowel movements
• Pelvic or low back pain that may occur at any time during the menstrual cycle

Symptoms of PCOS

Women with PCOS suffer from numerous small and large cysts along the outer edge of each ovary. Symptoms include infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods, excess hair growth, and acne. Women who are obese are at higher risk for the disorder. The first signs of PCOS in adolescents may be infrequent or absent menstrual periods. For post-adolescent women, the first signs of the disorder can include unexplained weight gain or difficulty becoming pregnant. http://www.crozerkeystone.org/services/ob-gyn/endometriosis-and-pcos/

Love always,

Jackie Kensey XX