by Jessica Stakelin

Created on: March 02, 2011

I have endometriosis, but I was fortunate enough to have three live births within five pregnancies. The first sign happened when I was merely seventeen years old. I thought that I was just having a major menstrual period. I had miscarried. I did not tell my parents, nor have I to this day.

From that time on until my twenties I had very heavy, uncomfortable periods. I would just take the regular over the counter medication and go on with my busy teenage life. I met the father of my children right before my twentieth birthday. We had hit it right off. We were pregnant within a month of getting together, this was a shock, but we just passed it off as being very fertile. This pregnancy, though short, was traumatic.

We had decided to go on a fishing/camping trip. We were all cuddled up in the tent the next morning, when I went to raise up and I froze. Instant sharp, stabbing pain shot through my abdomen like someone was killing me. He had to literally pick me up and put me in the car. I called my mother because I did not know who else to turn to. She asked if I could be pregnant. I told her it was a possibility. She informed me about tubal pregnancies and that I should go be seen quickly. So I went down to the Saturday clinic.

Sure enough, the test came back positive. He instructed me that cramping is normal at the beginning of pregnancies. So I believed him and went home and scheduled my first OB appointment. Then two days later, I started spotting. Then a couple hours after that, I started gushing. We did not even make it to the hospital. I miscarried in a bathroom stall at a BP station. It was the worst feeling in the world. Since that day I have had three live births. My pregnancies were complicated with a lot of pre-term labor and many, many trips to the hospital.

After my son, my youngest, was born, that is when all my real problems began. I started having the rough periods, cramping worse than labor contractions. The pain was enough to bring me to my knees at times. I consulted a local gynecologist about my problems. They ran tests and concluded I had cervicitis, which is an inflammation of the cervix. My problems continued though, so I got a second opinion. I went to see this wonderful doctor, who immediately scheduled emergency exploratory surgery. He came into the recovery room with the news a little later. He told me that I had stage 4 endometriosis, along with 2 fluid filled and a blood mass filled cyst on my left ovary. He had removed the cysts and took off some of the scar tissue from the endometriosis, but informed me that I would have to live with it for the rest of my life.

Since that surgery 3 years ago, I have been on numerous treatment medications to alleviate the symptoms. Because of my insurance my options were limited. For the first 2 years I struggled with the pain and discomfort almost daily. Last year my doctor finally convinced the insurance company that I had exhausted all necessary things and needed to try this shot. The shot, which is pricey, would be administered every three months and would take away the everyday pain. The side effects to the shot were premenopausal symptoms, but I was game for having that versus the pain. So far this shot had helped, I just had my final one 2 weeks ago, so now we have to discuss further options.

I am just grateful that I was blessed with three beautiful, healthy children because endometriosis is a major cause of infertility.

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