Daniela was diagnosed with Endometriosis when she was 22 years old.  Two years later, she shares her Endo journey with us.

Daniela’s Journey:  Hi everyone, my name is Daniela and I was raised in a small town near the border in Mexico and I am 24 years old. I had my first period when I was 9 and I remember that day like it was yesterday because it haunts me. I remember the face of my mom and grandma as if I was going to die. My childhood was over at that moment my body started to change drastically.

Since my first period the pain was something unbearable, I remember going to the ER every time I had my period. Nothing helped so when I turned 13 years old my mom decided to take me to a GYN and to our surprise I had a bunch of small cysts in my ovaries which were causing me so much pain. My doctor at that time decided that I was too young for any treatment or surgery and that I could bear with the pain until they were big enough for surgery.

I went on like this for years until finally I went to the right doctor and the minute I said my symptoms he started the paperwork for a laparoscopy. I had 4 cysts, and one “chocolate” cyst in one of my ovaries, and a crazy amount of tissue growing everywhere. After surgery everything went downhill for me, he prescribed me with Depo Provera, the side effects where horrible I had constant migraines and I wasn’t feeling like myself anymore. They stopped the treatment and I went on to continuing birth control pills. They worked!

And I was so happy everything was going great until after 6 months the pain was back and it was worse than ever I could not walk, eat, work, I was miserable.

My last option since I’ve tried everything was Lupron, induced menopause. Bodies react to treatments very different but in my case it was hell, the migraines were back, the pain, the hot flashes and I was emotionally unstable. After almost a year of the treatment I decided to stop, my body needed a break from all the chemicals.

I started on the pill again…

but I feel hopeless,

I feel no one understands what we go through and how exhausting it is to hear doctors tell me to change my career to something easier,

to change my life completely and I get it

but I don’t think I am ready to give up everything yet.

I am running out of options and I don’t know if a second surgery would even help…

Words of Advice for Us:  Don’t give up!! In my own experience, I cope with my pain and anger towards this disease by focusing on my friends, my boyfriend, and my career. I chose I very hard major (Architecture) as I’ve been told by a lot of doctors, but it is the only thing that keeps me going. Find something that motivates you.

If you would like to email Daniela, please feel free to do so.

I want to send a special Thank You out to Daniela for being brave enough to share her personal story, struggle, and victories with us today.  I am sorry to hear your pain has returned.  But, in my non-medical opinion – if you can find a physician to do an excision surgery, a second surgery may help!!  My track record is an excision surgery every two years…If you need anything…ANYTHING…you reach out to me here, hun.

I am so sorry it took me so long to share your post… and I hope you’re doing well!

And if YOU would like to share your story, you can do so.  The best part about this disease is the strong network of love and support from our fellow EndoSisters, and our friends and family, too.

Yours, Lisa.