My Journey with Endometriosis & Adenomyosis by Rebecca L. Gibson

I was always healthy and active in sports while growing up. In 2008, I married my childhood sweetheart and we began our life together. Everything changed in 2009 when I developed symptoms of endometriosis. Endometriosis (en-doh-mee-tree-oh-sis) is an extremely painful condition where tissue resembling – but not the same as – the endometrium (lining of the uterus) is found elsewhere in the body, outside the womb. Although symptoms may indicate endometriosis, an official diagnosis can only be made through surgery. Common symptoms include, but are not limited to –pelvic pain apart from menses, debilitating menstrual pain, backache/leg pain, painful intercourse or pain associated with sexual activity, painful bowel movements, fatigue, bloating, constipation/diarrhea, which may worsen during menses, pain with exercise, painful pelvic exams, painful urination, sciatic pain, infertility/pregnancy loss.