Living in Germany, N. (who shall remain anonymous) shares her Endo journey with the world today to try to help others feel not alone as well as normalize the symptoms. She was diagnosed when she was 23 years old and shares her story with us four years later.

N.’s Journey:  

Hi, I’m from India. I started having painful cramps when I was 18 years old. It was so painful that I had to take pain killers. Then after few years, I used to get cramps before and after periods too. I used to have irritable bowel syndrome during periods too.

My father used to tell me to go to a gynaecologist but I used to think that it’s “normal”. I tried all kinds of home remedies but nothing worked. Every month, the pain was increasing. I was so done with all this that I told my mom that “I need to go to a gynaecologist, I need answers. It might be normal but I need this to be told by a gyanecologist”. My mother was still skeptical about going to a gynaecologist because she felt that they might give unnecessary hormonal medications.

Anyway, I was lucky that my first gynaecologist suspected endometriosis and told me to get ultrasound done and then she confirmed it. I was happy that finally I have my answers but I was lost. Later, I took dienogest for 1 year and then for 4 months I took Lupron injections. There was very less reduction in the size of cysts. My gyne told that I need to get my laparoscopy done which will happen in next 6 months.

In India, this is something which no one talks about and I wanted to normalize it and hence started this account.

Words of Advice:  

My only advice would be that stay strong and be positive. You’re more than endometriosis !!

I want to send a special Thank You out to N.for being brave enough to share her personal story, struggle, and victories with us today. And all of us wish you the best of luck with your upcoming surgery! Please keep us posted on the results and your recovery.

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.