What is Endometriosis?

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"What in the world is endomia...whatever you just said?" Yeah, we get asked that all the time. Most people have never heard of endometriosis and have no idea if you are even speaking English. Endometriosis is a disease where the endometrium (lining of the uterus) is on the outside of the uterus. It can be found on the ovaries, bowel, bladder and many other places. In rare cases, it's even on the lungs or diaphragm. The exact cause of endometriosis is unknown, and research is still being conducted in hopes of figuring out the true reason. Endometriosis causes tremendous pain in over 176 million women around the world. This needs to stop. Now. Sadly, there is no cure for this vicious disease. Surgery, hysterectomy, hormones, and drugs are most commonly given to help treat endometriosis, but none of these can be given without a miserable side-effect. Endometriosis is commonly misdiagnosed, and it's often believed to only occur in women ages 25-35. This is definitely not true. It's been found in girls as young as 11 and as old as 78. If you have any symptoms of endometriosis, please contact your doctor. The most common symptoms are: painful periods, pain with intercourse, pelvic pain, abdominal pain, infertility, pain with bowel movements/urination, excessive bleeding, fatigue, bloating, and nausia. Endometriosis is making women and their families miserable, so let's fight like girls until we have a cure!

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My Story

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Part of this website is strictly dedicated to talking to others about your battle with endometriosis, so I guess you should know a little about me, right? Well, here is my story. The summer before my freshman year in high school, I woke up in tremendous pain. I was hurting from my upper back to the tips of my toes. It was the worst pain I had ever been in. We called the doctor, but he thought it was just hemroids caused by the medicine of a knee surgery I had a few weeks before. I took pain pills that made me sick and would get in a hot bath at 3 am. I couldn't get any relief no matter what I did. Finally, the doctor said I needed a CT scan. Daddy almost had to drag me to get me to the car. Between the pain and the drugs I couldn't walk or even think straight. I had to drink disgusting banana flavored Barium on an empty stomach and have an IV poked in my arm. They found out that I had a blind pouch in my belly. I was sent to the only OB/GYN that would see me at such a young age. He is AMAZING. I had emergency surgery that night and another the next day. We found out that I have only one kidney, two uterus, and about 600cc of blood built up in a blind pouch from one uterus not having an opening. The blood was drained, and he did some reconstructing. I had immediate relief when I woke up from surgery, but that didn't last long. A different pain eased its way into my belly, and I had a laparoscopic surgery a few months later. I was diagnosed with stage three endometriosis when I was 13. I was sent to Atlanta, Georgia for more surgery, and they said the endo shouldn't come back. It did. I've been battling endometriosis and all of its torture since then. That's why I want to help spread the word and help other ladies. I know what you're going through. You're not alone.

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F.L.A.G. 4 Endo

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This website wasn't created by doctors, researchers, or salesmen. I'm a real girl with a real disease, and I want to help. F.L.A.G. stands for Fight Like A Girl, and we need to fight. I created this so that it could be public and private. We need to get the word out about endometriosis and raise awareness. People need to know that it's real. We also need the support of other Endo Sisters and to be able to talk to each other without the whole world seeing. That's where the LETS TALK page comes in handy. After signing in, you can talk to other Endo Sisters and have their support. Without support groups, it would have been a lot harder for me. The NEWS page is for updates on endometriosis research, remarkable stories, and much more. Check it out! Remember, this website is for YOU. Let's raise awareness and kick out some endo!