Endometriosis is a medical condition in which the lining of the uterus (endometrium) grows in places other than the uterus. This can include tissue growing in your abdomen and pelvic area. This often causes heavy periods and difficulties in conceiving (infertility). Common symptoms associated with Endometriosis can include Painful cramping, abdominal pain during and between periods, pain during intercourse, heavy bleeding during and between periods, infertility, and painful bowel movements. Each woman has a story compiled with her unique challenges with Endometriosis. For this reason, it’s important to contact your healthcare provider if you believe this is a condition you may have so you can receive individualized treatment and management.
While every story is unique. Here is Grace’s experience with Endometriosis:
Six months before she married Charlie, Grace started to notice that her cycles were getting more painful. She described that she’d always had painful periods, but the cramping was worse and persisted after her period ended. She shared that she would take pain medication and that would help a little, but she didn’t like being in the habit of taking it regularly. She got married in June of 2022 and she and her husband tried right away to get pregnant. Her cramps, which were usually only in her back, started to spread to her stomach as well and after about half a year of trying to conceive, Grace decided to get checked out by her doctor.
Initially, Grace’s doctor believed that she had Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and a full lab workup revealed she had higher levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and testosterone, both of which seemed to indicate PCOS. She began the process of taking progesterone to aid her body if pregnancy did occur as well as tracking her cycles to monitor ovulation. It wasn’t until she initiated care with her NaPro doctor, that she was made aware that 50% of patients with PCOS also have Endometriosis. The diagnosis was consistent with her lab results.
In July of 2023, a little over a year of trying to start a family, Grace ended up seeing one of the leading Endometriosis surgeons, who is recognized as such in the United States and Internationally. This doctor explained that in order to diagnose Endometriosis, she had to rule out almost everything else first. Endometriosis can only be formally diagnosed with surgery, so all other methods of testing must be attempted before a definitive Endometriosis diagnosis can be given.
The couple started by ensuring healthy sperm count, verifying that Grace’s fallopian tubes were clear of blockage, testing cultures of mucus for toxins, and examining the receptivity of sperm. Grace explained that “your body doesn’t just need to carry the sperm to your egg, it also has to keep it alive.” After examining how her body was interacting with sperm, her doctor determined that Grace wasn’t having healthy ovulations. This was hard news to swallow, but the couple didn’t give up hope. There were other options for them.
After having more information about Grace’s body, her doctor prescribed Letrozole, which she explained, helped to regulate her periods. She shared that it had its pros and cons. On the upside, the medication helped her body to ovulate a healthy and strong egg, whereas previously she may have not ovulated or released an egg that was too weak to have successful fertilization. On the downside, she shared that it didn’t improve her symptoms and that it made her mucous dryer. “It was kind of a win-lose situation” she stated. She shared that the medication also had side effects for her, namely, hot flashes and feeling more emotional, especially around her period. Her doctor explained that they would try this therapy for a few months and if pregnancy hadn’t occurred, they could evaluate other options, including laparoscopic surgery.
In Fall of 2023, Grace explained that she had a healthy ovulation and the next cycle, she was pregnant! The couple was thrilled that the pregnancy occurred without any need for surgery or other medical interventions, but something in the back of Grace’s head was telling her to hedge her expectations. In February 2024, Grace miscarried in her first trimester. What emotions would come from such a whirlwind experience? Spending the better part of two years trying to conceive, going through poking and prodding to get a difficult diagnosis, getting pregnant, and then experiencing such a loss.
It turns out Grace has a beautiful and unique perspective on this series of events. She expressed, “We were just so relieved and happy to have been pregnant in the first place.” She shared that experiencing her miscarriage didn’t leave her as devastated as she would’ve expected. She stated that she was, of course, sad for their loss, but that she knew going forward that pregnancy was a possibility. She stated, “It was almost harder to get my period again and again before we were pregnant because we didn’t know if it was ever going to happen.” She shared that knowing how common miscarriage is also helped her to get through the process with a little more comfort.
When asked what advice Grace would give to those just starting out on this journey, she shared a few tips to keep in mind. Among these were talking with family members about shared experiences, living a healthier lifestyle by reducing stress and maintaining a healthy diet, researching the condition to know the options going forward, and above all trusting your instincts and maintaining hope. She shared that the research, though limited, has come such a long way and there are options for women going through this.
Grace is very hopeful that pregnancy can and will occur for her again. She maintains her gratitude that she’s gone through this hard journey because she knows so much more about her body than she did before and her experience can help other women to learn more about their own.
What about you? Were you diagnosed with Endometriosis? Tell us your story. We want to walk with you on your journey, answer the questions we can, and provide the support you need. Email [email protected] to share your story.
