Endometriosis can cause bladder and bowel problems, but most prominently, it results in intense pelvic pain and monthly cramps for an estimated more than 6 million women, in the US, alone.Today I feel compelled to share some thoughts and memories with you. As a high schooler, my first symptoms of menstruation, as a teen, were very painful periods. The first day I would be in so much pain due to cramping that I would need to lay down and because of the pain, I almost always vomited. When I was older, I had a difficult time getting pregnant and then after I endured several miscarriages, wonderfully, I had 2 babies in a row. After that my painful periods went away.
It is unlikely my own bladder and bowel symptoms stem from endometriosis, but this topic is newsworthy all the same because it does raise havoc on one's body and many times, women do not realize the painful periods and painful sex they are experiencing are caused by it. Endometriosis is a medical condition in which functional endometrial tissue (the mucous lining of the uterus) is present in the pelvis outside of the uterus. When a woman with this condition has her menstrual cycle, the tissue grows and bleeds even though outside of the uterus, it cannot easily run out of your body.
Remember often times pain is a message. Help can be found, the squeaky wheel gets the oil.
Get help if you need it.
To learn more, visit HealthyWomen.org, WomensHealth.gov and www.MeinEndo.com for more information. Take the opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your story #MeinEndo
