I have endometriosis.

We prayed for answers, and we finally have it.

I have endometriosis.

“Endometriosis is the abnormal growth of cells (endometrial cells) similar to those that form the inside of the uterus, but in a location outside of the uterus. Endometriosis is most commonly found on other organs of the pelvis.” –Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD at Medicinenet.com 

So grateful for all of those who sent flowers, treats, prayers, and well wishes my way!

Ever since I can remember having my womanly friend (I’m not sure I’d consider her friendly…) I had pain during that time of month; severe pain. Pain that I thought was just the way it was supposed to be…just the way it was and always would be.

“The primary symptom of endometriosis is pelvic pain, often associated with your period. Although many women experience cramping during their period, women with endometriosis typically describe the pain as far worse than usual that increases over time.” –Mayo Clinic Staff at Mayoclinic.org 

Click for a full list of symptoms

During all of my infertility testing, I brought up the possibility of endometriosis with a long history of painful cycles. I was told that wasn’t what he thought it was and that we would continue with treatments. So that’s what we did.

“Estimates suggest that between 20%-50% of women being treated for infertility have endometriosis, and up to 80% of women with chronic pelvic pain may be affected.” –Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD at Medicinenet.com

After nothing seemed to be working, and I knew that there was something we were missing, something that was still wrong…feeling exhausted from the pressures of treatments and the financial burden it takes, we decided to seek our second opinion before moving forward with more invasive treatments.

If I’ve learned anything the last few years it’s that I know my body. I can listen to my body fairly well now as I’m pretty in tune with things, even though it throws me for a loop every now and again; our communication line is well opened and understood. Within minutes after hearing my history, my new doctor felt it was worth taking a look inside…

Not only do I have endometriosis, I had it moderate/severely. She classified it as a Stage III-IV.

She seemed to be a little taken back by how bad it ended up being but seemed to be relieved we had answers, and even more so that she was able to remove what she could.

““The cause of endometriosis is unknown…” “There is evidence that shows alternations in the immune response in women with endometriosis, which may affect the body’s natural ability to recognize and destroy any misdirected growth of endometrial tissue.” –Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD at Medicinenet.com

Unfortunately, some (more than I was hoping for) were on organs that could be damaged greatly by the heat of the implant removal so there were spots that were left untouched. I’m praying that what was left will just be and won’t stand in the way of our plans to move forward towards having a baby.

Through my research of endometriosis, I’ve learned that there are a whole lot of unanswered questions. There is no cure for endometriosis, there’s no concrete cause, there’s no explanation as to why/when/how, so even though we have our answer to why we aren’t pregnant, we have a lot of questions that have to be left unanswered because, well, no one really seems to know.

I couldn’t help but take this picture as we waited at my follow-up appointment. Don’t get too close to the plastic model of female insides, David! 🙂

So where do we go from here? Well as much as I hate these darn little things – the subtle, consistent hormone levels that the birth control pill offers is the easiest way to slow things down so I am on them for a few months to allow my body to heal. After that, we are given the ok to go forward however we’d like…but…time is of the essence. There’s not a set timeline with endometriosis but it can/will grow back but the severity and speed of that happening doesn’t really seem to be known – it could be as short as a few months my doctor said.

All we can do now is continue to pray and trust that God’s plan will show through this journey.

All opinions on If Gravity Happens are my own personal opinions, views, and experiences. I am not a doctor. Please contact a professional for any specific questions regarding your medical issues.