After a long battle for answers, Kimberli was finally diagnosed with Endometriosis at 27 years old. Four years later, she’s forging ahead with the disease, spreading awareness, raising hopes and spirits, and supporting EndoWarriors everywhere!
Kimberli’S JOURNEY:
I remember getting my period at age 11, one of the first out of my group of friends. Besides heavy bleeding, I didn’t think too much about anything being ‘wrong’. I was athletic, I played all sorts of sports, ate fairly healthy for a kid and was always playing outside or doing things with my friends. My immune system was pretty crappy though, I got sick a lot. Just your typical strep throat and flu type sicknesses. It wasn’t until high school, where I really started to notice some more symptoms. Bowel issues, severe headaches, horrible cramps.
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.
What an incredible Journey leading up to my fifth surgery! Covid-19 postponed my surgery date by a week but, just in the nick of time, California’s governor lifted some lockdown restrictions that allowed for my surgery to move back to it’s original date of May 13, 2020. Today, June 10, 2020, marks one month since my surgery! Already! I am overjoyed with the results and the skilled hands of my surgeons.
Heahter’s biggest support through all of this: her husband
Heather was diagnosed when she was 24 years old. Now 41, she shares her Journey and what steps she’s taken to spread awareness about this disease.
Heather’s Journey: My name is Heather Marie Kobza. I was diagnosed with Endometriosis at the age of 24. I’m 41 years old and live in Kentucky with my husband and two chihuahuas.
I’ve suffered with Endometriosis half of my life. I’ve had 5 surgeries and all were unsuccessful. I did 2 Lupron injections 8 years ago for the Endometriosis in my bowels. After the Lupron treatments my stomach completely stopped emptying and I now have a gastric pacemaker. I’m 1 in 4,000 people in the United States with a gastric pacemaker.
MariaElisa am was diagnosed with Endometriosis this year at the age of 25 after a 10-year struggle for answers.
MariaElisa’s Journey: I got my first 10cm cyst at age 12, delayed removing it because I was “too young”. Once they decided to do emergency laparoscopy it ruptured and had a torsion which damaged my right ovary and Fallopian tube.
Got my first period at 14, all seemed normal until I turned 16. Severe, heavy painful periods. They started to become more irregular and i was left in debilitating pain on my legs and lower back. Doctor after doctor kept telling me being a girl with these pains isn’t anything to be worried about because my sonograms and paps were “normal” except my enlarged left ovary which I’ve known about for years.
Recently, a study hit my inbox about Endometriosis mimicking an inguinal hernia. So, of course, my interest was piqued and research had to take place! Be warned, though, it’s considered VERY rare. In all the literature I’ve read, only 42 cases have been referenced as being documented inguinal Endo. But when has rarity stopped me from sharing something about Endometriosis? Yeah. Never. Here we go!
What is AN inguinal hernia?
An inguinal hernia is the most common type of hernia (about 70% of hernias are inguinal) and usually manifests as a small lump in the groin area. Both men and women can get inguinal hernias, but it’s apparently more common in men. It occurs if there’s a small hole in your abdominal cavity which allows fat or intestines to seep through, which can a lump or swelling to occur.
Do you have a bowel surgery coming up? Maybe just a colonoscopy? Or something else to do with your guts?
Either way, you likely have to endure a bowel prep: drink some nastiness and spend the next few hours glued to the toilet.
I had my bowel resection in November of 2018 and had no idea what I was in for with Suprep Bowel Prep Kit. And now I have my very first colonoscopy on calendar for November 8, 2019 (just to check and make sure everything is decent and runnin’ smoothly in there). I was also told I’d be enduring the same bowel prep! Yay! Yay? Just kidding.
So I got home and scrambled for my notes from last November. Just how bad was the experience before? I had been messaging a friend of mine who kept me company during the ordeal. And rather than just read them while laughing and get a sense of what to expect in a few weeks, I thought I’d share them.
I mean, who knows – you may very well have ended up on this page because you, too, were searching for “what happens in a bowel prep?” Brace yourself…my notes are coming! And if you make it all the way to the bottom (there’s a pun in there somewhere), I’ll list a few tips and tricks I picked up along the way to make this process a little more bearable.
Shortly after 4:15pm, on November 25, 2018, I downed my first round of Suprep. The second dose was at 10:00pm. Following are my notes (aka, texts to my friend):
Prior to the poop-fest, I weighed myself right before drinking Suprep: 169.5 pounds. I was curious how much poo and water weight I would lose after it was all over. Stay tuned!
Drank first round of Suprep
OMFG that’s the most amazing torrential downpour of liquid shit I’ve ever experienced!!!!! 35 minutes after consumption and round 1 of ?? is done!
I’m still pooping…confirmed: no visible plunger in this bathroom lol
Round 2 !!!!!
Ooooomgggg round 3. I didn’t even have to leave the toilet from round 2! Just when I was about to wipe: nope. Seriously amazing pooping!!! Like a high pressure water hose!
Round 4!
….round five….literally as I’m wiping my ass with a baby wipe. HAAAAHAAAHAAAAAAAAA caught me by surprise. ALMOST CLEAR!
Round 6 and 7! 7 was far more violent. I wish I could describe the sensation of pressure washing the inside of the toilet with my butt juice!
Round 8 done. I’m not even gonna wipe anymore. Just sit here. It’s like ..what…30-45 seconds between pooping? Pooping isn’t even a fitting description anymore. I AM getting up for most times. Barely made it back in time for round 9. I think I’ll sit here til round 10
There goes round 10! It’s amazing ’cause they’re all like the same amount of liquid poo. Like there’s a measuring system in my intestines and a shutoff valve, a pressure build up, and RELEASE! …This bathroom is fucking freezing
Round 11!! IT’S AMAZING! No cramps or anything. Just a sudden urge to spew water from me bum
Almost didn’t pull my pants down in time for round 12! I think I better live here for a minute or two
Round 13!!!
Where the heck is round 14?
There’s 14! …Oooh mum brought me her fuzzy blanket! I’m warm!!! And my asshole is killing me LOL! Vaseline and all. Omg.
The question was posed, “What if your mom has to go?” – referring to the one-bathroom AirBNB suite we shared for the evening. My response? “She’s screwed!”
Round 15 took a while haha
Omfg. Round 16 made up for 15’s delay!
I’m waiting for 17…There it is! I knew it was comin’!
Jim says hi. Oh…and ROUND 18!
Round 19! Soooo close to 20. I wonder how many til I stop. Then I gotta do another round of Suprep at 10. Omg.
Noooooo round 20!!!!! I think I’m done!
Finished! 2 hours and 45 minutes after taking Suprep! 19 horrendous rounds of liquid-shits. And I now weighed 166.8 pounds.
I had a few hours before having to begin the next dose of Suprep. I think Mum, hubby, and I just watched TV…and then, it was time. I dreaded the late-night start because all I wanted to do was go to sleep, but noooo, I had to poop instead.
Down the hatch! (Second round of Suprep)
Roooound 1!!!!
And 2!
Insert Round 3 here. Omfg that one was fierce!
4!!!
Round 5 was soooo loud I nearly vomited. Sounded just like a solid vomit
Oh God, round 6 didn’t wait long
#7! I’m not even wiping anymore. Or flushing. Just sitting here, waiting, shitting, waiting, shitting, waiting lol
Omg 8 was amazing. This poor toilet
Round 9!! Is it over yet?
10!!! I thought I was safe so sat on the couch and had to run back in here….
11. Think we’ll top 20?
12! I feel like it’s been so much more than that …
….I think it stopped
That was a lie. Round 13 gurgled only after I laid down to rest. My poor bleeding butthole. Back in bed though. And btw…if I didn’t already say so….it’s clear
I slept straight through! No terrifying episodes of shitting the bed or getting up all night to poop! I thought I was in the clear. I was wrong.
I wake up at 4:00 a.m.
Big ol gentle liquid poo.
Make that two giant liquid poos
Nope…three.
Four!!!
Omg…five!
We then had to head out to the hospital for my 5:00am check-in. I used the restroom once before they sat me down (so, round #6)
and AGAIN while being prepped for surgery. Yep, my little booty waddled down the hallway with an IV in my arm, the surgery cap on, and sportin’ the beautiful hospital gown (round #7). I oftentimes wonder if I shit during surgery? Guessing not.
If you made it all the way down to the end of this blog, you’re amazing! I hope you had a good laugh. I know I did while I was reliving the memories! Alright, the promised tips & tricks I learned from my first bowel prep experience:
Follow those darned prep instructions. To the letter!
If allowed, drink the prep cold. THROUGH A STRAW. And as quickly as you can stomach.
Chase it with ice cold water or gatorade. Or suck on a lime between sips (if your doctor says it’s okay).
Invest in some comfy, soft, gentle, pampering butt wipes. Be careful, though, you may not be able to flush them with some plumbing systems. Just bring a small trash bag to be safe and haul that shit (literally) out when you’re all done.
That being said: don’t wipe every time. As you read above, some of the bouts o’liquid-poo are so close together, wiping made no sense. You’ll help save the environment, and the tender flesh of your bumhole.
Vaseline is your friend. TENDER bumhole!
Continue to drink water as instructed by the bowel prep instructions, but also make sure you don’t drink any after you’ve been commanded NO FOOD OR LIQUID before your procedure.
If you do end up falling asleep before you feel you’ve completed voided your liquid-bowels, make sure you get up a little earlier than planned to allow extra time to clear ’em out.
Bring a good book. Or your phone/tablet.
Bring a blanket!
Keep a positive attitude about the whole darned experience.
And treat yourself to something soothing when you’re back on your feet…you earned it!
Good luck with your prep! And whatever reason you’re having to complete it!
“Jenny12” is a 39-year-old woman living in New York. Officially diagnosed with Endometriosis five years ago, she shares her journey with us today.
Jenny12’s Journey:
I have always had heavy, painful periods since age 9. After many OBGYN’s trying different B.C. I finally had my first lap surgery 5 years ago, and was told stage IV with some adhesions on bowels that were unable to be excised. Did not really help with the pain with my periods, so I was then given Mirena, that was a huge mistake.
Zoe, a brave EndoWarrior, shares her journey with us today…even while she has another surgery pending. We wish you all of the best of luck, Zoe!!!
**
I started my period by having waterfalls for periods with no regularity from age 13 but was put on the pill to manage that at age 15 and that worked. I from my teen years thankfully had no interest in having children. I am not a career woman either, I just don’t get the clucky feeling other women get when they see kids – I get that feeling when I see animals instead so I have fur babies.
Bloomin' Uterus 