This disorder is a mystery among women that they even fear looking for solutions

There exists one painful disorder where a tissue that normally lines the insides of your uterus grows outside your uterus. It’s most commonly involves your ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining your pelvis. It’s called Endometriosis. How many of you have ever heard about it? Well, not too bad but maybe too many. Don’t worry, I never heard about it until my friend, a classmate in campus shared her awful experience of pain during her periods.

It wasn’t a big deal to me since back then we used to be told experiencing awful pains during your periods it normal and will eventually come to an end when you give birth to your first kid. But that was not the case with my friend Gaudencia. She could be admitted in the university dispensary because of the painful cramps. I then developed this curiosity of wanting to know what Gaudencia was experiencing. When I started researching about it, I realised it’s not only her who was experiencing this but many women as well. 

It is so sad to know that many women don’t understand what Endometriosis is; including women who are suffering from it. Some tend to think it’s this painful cramp that always correlates with your menstrual cycle. Endometriosis is very painful for those who do not know what it is. It pains as if you get stabbed again and again like a million times right on your abdomen. In fact, it’s is so heavy you may think your insides are being cut off. Some of the symptoms include having heavy menstrual bleeding, painful periods (Dysmenorrhea), painful intercourse and nerve pain. 

The real cause of Endometriosis is unknown. Note that Endometriosis is not contagious or a sexually transmitted disease. It’s not a curse. If at all one of your family member has endometriosis then it’s very likely that you have too. When it happens that you experience some of these symptoms then it’s not too late or too early to go for a checkup. It is not a disease that doctors can see from outside. Some of those who know about it fear the treatment because it may leave them with the option of not having kids.

Endometriosis doesn’t definitely mean infertility and it doesn’t just affect women in their 30s and 40s. Gaudencia started having periods at the age of 8 years. Weird! Yes, I know. So being a teenager and having this awful pain was a lot to deal with. You can hardly describe the pain and it absolutely affects every aspect of her teenage life. The loneliness that accompanies it is just as painful as cramps. Often, you feel broken, depressed and angry. The pain makes you feel like you’ve lost part of your life to a rare autoimmune disease but the worst part is that other people fail to understand what you are going through. My wish is that Endometriosis screening becomes a routine exam for teenagers and that the next or present generation of women will not have to go through this terrible experience.

Is endometriosis same as cramps? Not really. It forms a growth called Endometrioma on the outer walls of your uterus known as a cyst. It can block your fallopian tubes making conception impossible; leading to infertility. It can cause miscarriage too and it doesn’t just stay in your pelvic area, fallopian tubes, uterus, ovaries, it can as well spread to your liver, bladder, lungs and other areas of your body.

Several methods can be used to reduce the pain but only temporarily. This disorder has four stages namely Minimal, Mild, Moderate and Severe. The minimal stage is where the implants remain confined to the pelvic region with minimal spreading. Here, pain can be controlled by painkillers though not permanently. Some doctors prescribe it for birth control. This helps the ovaries not to release an ovum monthly hence reducing the pain.

The Mild and Moderate stages are where the implants increase, which may cover the ovaries, fallopian tubes and go to an extent of covering the cervix. This is mainly to remove mild and moderate endometrial deposits. In other circumstances, your ovaries may have to be removed. Endometriosis can affect your bladder when it attaches itself to it or even your lungs hence causing them to collapse.

The final stage of endometriosis is called Severe. At this stage, there are excessive endometrial implants in the reproductive area extending out beyond the pelvic region into other areas of the abdominal cavity. At this stage, one is diagnosed and may undergo Laparoscopic surgery. Since ultrasounds often provide no answers, doctors are left with no option but Laparoscopic surgery. 

We all need to raise awareness so that women experiencing painful periods should not think it’s normal and take it for granted. The disease doesn’t only cause early miscarriage but also terrible hormonal swings that lead to weight gain, depression, mood swings and other health complications. I know a lot of people do not understand this or never even heard about endometriosis. But now I’m glad you all know about it.