As told to Marnie Goodfriend
March is Endometriosis Awareness Month.
As a teenager, I knew my period wasn’t normal. I was in severe pain and bleeding from heavy tampons and super maxi pads, even though I changed them frequently. I asked other girls on my cheer team, “Is your time of the month really painful?” Some said they were in pain, but mine was so bad that I had to miss school or leave early. One day someone said they saw blood on the back of my pants before anyone else. I had no idea and was so embarrassed.
I also have pelvic floor dysfunction, which I thought was pretty common at the time. My GP prescribed me something she called “Old Lady Medicine” to stop me from leaking. She never said, “Maybe there’s something wrong here,” or referred me for physical therapy. I was very active as a cheerleader and couldn’t control my pelvic floor. Whenever I fell, I literally peed my pants. The meds weren’t working, so I started bringing a change of shorts and just took care of those issues.
Looking back, there were so many warning signs that shouldn’t have been ignored. I told my doctor about the excessive menstrual bleeding, the nausea, the sharp, shooting pains in my lower abdomen and the cramps in my butt cheeks. They didn’t do anything except give me birth control pills. Also, I didn’t have a cycle every month. One time I didn’t have a period for eight months and my doctor said, “Aren’t you glad you don’t have to deal with that?”
My mother suspected I had endometriosis, which is common in my family. Both my mother and grandmother suffer from the disease and had to undergo ablation surgery and a hysterectomy after the birth of their children. My mother told my gynecologist about her suspicions, but she dismissed her concerns. At first I thought, “These doctors know more than me,” but I became frustrated and began to struggle for more answers.
In college, my symptoms worsened. The pain was unbearable. I remember once trying to get into my car and I had cramps so bad I couldn’t even sit down. I’ve been on and off different types of birth control pills for years. Then I started having two cycles a month. In my first year, I decided to stop taking the pills and my gynecologist shamed me for it. They referred me to a gastrointestinal doctor who ran some tests and said, “You’re studying and you’re stressed. It’s just irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) that will go away.”
But it didn’t go away and I often had to miss classes and cancel plans. Another time I told myself to toughen up and push through the pain, like I did as an athlete. In the days leading up to my cycle, I was worried and thought about enduring another uncontrollable period. At times I felt like I was going crazy because several doctors said there was nothing wrong with me.
I became a personal trainer and started taking anti-inflammatory medications as much as I could to relieve the pain. It wasn’t a long-term solution, but I had to show up to work and be active. I spoke to one of my supervisors about it, who was interested in women’s health, and told her that I could no longer do physical work during my cycles. She was very understanding and as I talked more about it, I realized I needed to educate myself and get the help I desperately needed.
In November 2024, my symptoms increased after I contracted Covid. I think a lot of people would have gone to the emergency room, but I knew they wouldn’t do anything for me. I saw another gynecologist look at my chart and say, “I see you refused the birth control pill.” I told her that I had read about endometriosis and thought I should have surgery. “If you need surgery I can do it, but I don’t think it will help much and you may not get it at all.” I sat there wondering why I was the one telling my healthcare providers (HCPs) how to care for me. This visit traumatized me.
2024
I became serious about researching endometriosis and learned that excisional surgery is the gold standard. In 2025, I started bleeding from my rectum about three days before my cycle, which scared me. I finally found a really good gynecologist who specializes in the procedure, according to a post on a popular online endometriosis support group, Nancy’s Nook. She was the first HCP who actually listened to me and made me feel comfortable. It was such a godsend. I remember her saying to me, “You’re really struggling with this. I think it’s time for surgery.”
I left the appointment with my mother and started crying. I felt a great weight lifted when she said, “What you are going through is not normal.” The same doctor performed my surgery and I was diagnosed with stage 2/borderline stage 3 endometriosis, with most of the adhesions located in my rectum. I finally had surgery about six months ago and it’s still early days in my recovery, but I’m confident that I’m finally on the right path to healing.
I started sharing my experiences on social media to raise awareness and remind other women that they are not alone and deserve to be heard. I often receive messages from women who are struggling with symptoms, delayed diagnosis, or feeling rejected, and I’m always honored to be a safe space for these conversations. Building trust and community is very important to me.
As a health coach with a degree in nutrition, I care about health and well-being. I hope my visibility encourages people to trust their intuition and know that it’s okay to advocate for themselves when they’ve been fired. If something feels uncomfortable, you may need to see another HCP. It can be tiring, but it’s worth it. Now that I’m on the other side of things, I’m living proof that it pays off.
Do you have any real women, real stories of your own that you would like to share? Let us know.
Our “Real Women, Real Stories” are the authentic experiences of real-life women. The views, opinions and experiences shared in these stories are not endorsed by HealthyWomen and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of HealthyWomen.
From your website articles
Related articles on the Internet