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Since she was a teenager, Farren Bay has endured terrible periods that felt like her “innards were being ripped apart,” but doctors have dismissed her anguish as being caused by constipation or urinary tract infections.
Now 33 years old, the native of California says she feels “stuck” in the body of an elderly woman due to persistent pain and the adverse effects of a drug that temporarily induced menopause.
In 2015, Bay was diagnosed with endometriosis, according to the Daily Mail. The illness is characterized by aberrant uterine tissue growth, heavy periods, and blood-filled ovarian cysts, all of which can cause excruciating pelvic pain.
According to the World Health Organization, endometriosis affects roughly 10 percent of women and girls of reproductive age worldwide.
The gynecologist detected Bay’s endometriosis using laparoscopic surgery, in which a small camera is implanted to examine for uterine tissue developing outside the uterus.
Not everyone with the illness will develop ovarian cysts, but shortly after her 2015 diagnosis, Bay had to have two grapefruit-sized cysts removed from her right ovary. Since then, Bay has attempted to control the excruciating condition, but according to the Daily Mail, the side effects of one therapy made her feel even worse.
One drug precipitated her early menopause.
After the removal of the cysts, Bay was prescribed Lupron, a medication that lowers hormones and is commonly used to treat endometriosis.
The medicine works by decreasing estrogen levels in the body, which prevents menstruation and may relieve the period pain associated with endometriosis.
However, people on Lupron may experience additional unpleasant menopausal symptoms. Bay reported experiencing insomnia, hot flushes, mood swings, bone pain, and memory loss after taking the drug for the first time; as a result, she stopped taking medication to treat her disease for some time.
Hormone suppressants such as Lupron and oral contraceptives may provide temporary relief from painful or heavy periods, but surgery is a more effective treatment for endometriosis, according to some medical professionals. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, misplaced uterine tissue can be removed by a minimally invasive operation, but patients with extensive growths may choose to have their uterus or ovaries removed totally.
The disease may have an effect on fertility
Endometriosis results in the growth of tissue that resembles and behaves like the uterine lining outside of the uterus. Because this tissue is intended to shield the womb for a developing baby, individuals with endometriosis frequently experience difficulty conceiving.
The abnormal tissue may invade the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or other female reproductive organs, making it more difficult to conceive. According to the Daily Mail, doctors informed Bay that she can still have children as long as she becomes pregnant through her left ovary and fallopian tube, as the right side was severely damaged by endometriosis.
According to Johns Hopkins, further endometriosis symptoms include discomfort during sex, “excessive” period cramps, painful urine or bowel movements during menstrual cycles, and gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, diarrhea, or constipation.
Depending on where endometrial tissue has grown and how much it has penetrated other organs and pelvic tissues, the pain associated with endometriosis can vary from individual to individual.