Kelsey's Story: 13 years of Medical Gaslighting & Failed Treatments

“At age 17 I began having intense pain with my period and ovulation. It continued to get worse as years went by, all while all my doctors either dismissed, invalidated my pain, or slapped a synthetic hormone band-aid on it.

As the time continued to go on, into my 30s, the pain continued to get worse. Now it had become daily, next I began having more intense pain flares, more frequent pain flares, more symptoms that were rapidly snowballing....

I saw so many doctors, had so many "band-aid treatments", countless tests and surgery.

On Aug 8, 2022 I finally was diagnosed with advanced Stage II Endometriosis after more than 13 years of suffering. I've seen over 11 doctors of varying specialties before I found an endo specialist 10+ hours away from where I live. I traveled round trip 24+ hours to have an endo specialist perform the gold standard excision surgery.

Prior to this, just 60 days before, I went to my GYN who preformed a diagnostic lap and indicated my reproductive organs were "flawless" and took my appendix out as well.

Meanwhile I continued to suffer even worse. I began researching and learning everything I could about endometriosis. I found Dr. Nazhat's TikTok and Instagram and began realizing there were doctors that knew what to look for and that wouldn't dismiss me. So I searched until I found a qualified endo specialist in my region.

After finding the endo specialist in CO, he reviewed my surgical photos from my previous surgeries and could see several endo lesions that the other doctors completely overlooked.

The following week he performed excision surgery where he found that I had endo covering my entire pelvic region, covering 11+ surfaces & organs, lesions so bad they were adhering my organs together and to the pelvic walls, where my ovaries had to be sutured back into place.

He also removed cysts, endometriomas, a mass and noted a great deal of scaring from fibrotic tissue. My reproductive organs/pelvis were far from being "flawless."

So many people didn't believe my pain, or the severity of it because of my extremely high pain tolerance. And finally after more than 13 years, I found a doctor who not only listened, but validated my symptoms and found the endo, and a diagnosis.

It's a bittersweet time, because no one wants to be diagnosed with a severe chronic illness, but to hear those words and knowing it was not in my head, was the best thing I've ever heard all these years.”