Holly’s journey with endometriosis began when she got her first period at 11 years old. Like most girls, she expected some discomfort, but nothing prepared her for the pain she experienced. It was far worse than she anticipated.
“I thought it would be painful, but not like this,” Holly says. “It quickly became something I couldn’t ignore.”
The pain grew to the point where she would often miss school and events, unable to get out of bed due to vomiting from the intensity of her cramps. Concerned, her mother took her to the doctor, hoping for an explanation. The response was typical: “It’s part of being a woman.” However, Holly wasn’t convinced.
By the age of 13, Holly was prescribed birth control to help manage her cycles, but even though she no longer had periods, the pain persisted. “I still felt the pain, even though the periods stopped. I knew something was wrong,” she explains.
After another visit to the doctor, Holly was referred for an ultrasound and then to a gynaecologist. The ultrasound, however, came back clear. “They couldn’t find anything,” Holly recalls. “At that point, I started to wonder if I was overreacting or if I was the only one dealing with this.”
The ultrasound technician did mention that early-stage endometriosis often can’t be detected through imaging, which kept a sliver of hope alive. A few weeks later, Holly underwent surgery. It was a difficult time, especially since she didn’t fully understand what was happening. Watching her friends in high school deal with their own periods, Holly found it hard to grasp why her experience was so different.
At 16, she finally shared with her friends that she was having surgery for endometriosis. “I didn’t really know how to explain it,” she says.
The surgery, which took place at the start of 2024, provided Holly with a diagnosis: endometriosis. While it was difficult to accept, it was also a relief to have a name for what she had been experiencing. “I woke up from the surgery and kept asking, ‘Did they find it? Did they find endo?’ When the nurse said yes, it was a huge relief,” she says.
Despite the surgery, the recovery wasn’t easy. Holly experienced significant pain and had trouble moving for days. “I couldn’t get out of bed for almost a week, and the recovery was tough both physically and mentally,” she recalls.
The plan was for Holly to eventually resume having periods after the surgery, but when her periods returned, the pain was still just as intense. “The daily pain is better, but I still get cramping sometimes,” Holly explains. “I’m back on birth control, trying to find the right one for me.”
Holly is also considering pelvic floor therapy as an option to help manage the pain. For now, she relies on Panadol for pain relief. “The toughest moments are when the pain hits out of nowhere while I’m going about my day,” she admits.
Despite the ongoing challenges, Holly has managed to maintain a balance between studying and her part-time job. Her manager is aware of her condition and is flexible with her schedule. “It helps a lot knowing I have that support when the symptoms get worse,” she says.
Looking ahead, Holly hopes she won’t need another surgery, though she understands that managing endometriosis is a continuous process. “It’s hard to predict what will happen next, but I’m just taking it one step at a time,” she says.
For others going through similar experiences, Holly offers this advice: “Advocate for yourself. If you feel like something’s wrong, push for answers. Many doctors will brush it off, but you know your body better than anyone else.”
Holly’s journey with endometriosis is ongoing, but she’s learned to manage it with patience and perseverance. She’s not only advocating for herself but for others who are experiencing similar challenges, ensuring they know they’re not alone.