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27 is the average age when a woman is first diagnosed with endometriosis 

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27 is the average age when a woman is first diagnosed with endometriosis 

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29% of women who had their endometriosis treated, conceived within 9 months in contrast to only 17% of women whose endometriosis was diagnosed but not treated during laparoscopy 

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29% of women who had their endometriosis treated, conceived within 9 months in contrast to only 17% of women whose endometriosis was diagnosed but not treated during laparoscopy 

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40% -Patients in whom it can persist beyond menopause following hysterectomy

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40% -Patients in whom it can persist beyond menopause following hysterectomy

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82% of women are at times unable to carry out day-to-day activities due to endometriosis

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82% of women are at times unable to carry out day-to-day activities due to endometriosis

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73% have had their relationships affected by endometriosis

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73% have had their relationships affected by endometriosis

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30% to 50% of women with endometriosis may experience infertility

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30% to 50% of women with endometriosis may experience infertility

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Endometriosis can be seen as a disability. However, it is still a very unknown condition. I believe that when more women start to speak out about their experience, those being diagnosed with it now, will not feel so alienated by it.

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12% aged 11-13 years to 45% aged 20-21 years in the above series, the rate of endometriosis was found to increase with age

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12% aged 11-13 years to 45% aged 20-21 years in the above series, the rate of endometriosis was found to increase with age

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176 Million women across the globe have endometriosis

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176 Million women across the globe have endometriosis

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My situation compared to those without access to healthcare

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My situation compared to those without access to healthcare

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Dealing with a chronic disease is a hard battle. Dealing with a chronic disease without accessible healthcare is unthinkable. However for some, is a reality. There are multiple ways to deal with endometriosis, such as diet changes, oral contraceptives, laparoscopic surgery, and hormone therapy. Without the medical access to these options, women suffer in silence. There is minimal research on endometriosis, especially on the effects it has on women in poor countries. This may have to do with
1) The disease not being deathly
2) Men run the world,  they have other, more serious diseases to be concerned with
3) Not effecting enough of the population to be a major issue

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I first noticed problems with my period when I was 14. I was having heavy and long periods. My doctor explained that it was just my body getting used to a period and would adjust itself as my hormones relaxed. I got my first period when I was 10 at my grandmothers house. I was mortified, seeing blood in an area that was not spoken about, made me think my insides were collapsing and falling out of me. My parents soon explained everything that was happening, and it hurt to see that I was dealing with an issue so young, while many of my peers would not have an issue like this one until their teens. In 2014 my period started to become unbearable. I saw my family doctor who said if it gets any worse come back, for now take an advil or tylenol and use a heating pad. In 2015 I saw her again and it was not until July when I had my first ultrasound. They spotted multiple fibriods and ovarian cysts but did not pursue them. My doctor prescribed me an oral contraceptive and I continued my day to day life. In July of 2016 I went in for a check up ultrasound where they decided to do an internal ultrasound as well. A week later I was diagnosed with adenomyosis. I was then given a referral to a gynaecologist who asked me many questions about my lifestyle. He chose not to give me the laparoscopic surgery because of other complications. In simple terms he said "if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, I shall assume it is a duck". He put me on a medication called Visanne which essentially tricks the body into thinking that it is pregnant. Pregnancy stops menstruation all together and is supposed to kill endometrial cells. I will be on this medication for two years, then the doctors will evaluate my situation and if it has not improved, then I will go into a laparoscopic surgery. However all of these treatments are not permanent. The endometrial cells will continuously grow even after cauterisation. The only permanent solution is a full hysterectomy. At 18 years of age, I do not want to even consider a surgery that will alter my body forever.

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There are organizations who are able to get products to women with endometriosis. However, in third world countries, women may not even have the opportunity to be diagnosed with endometriosis. This is why it is important for women to stand together as one, globally to raise awareness of a condition such as this one.

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Women without access to period necessities

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Women without access to period necessities

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Women in third world countries, and even homeless women in Canada, do not have access to items that could help menstration greatly. Whether those items include over the counter pain killers, tampons, or pads. There are women who do not have these products. Having a period is hard enough without these items, no less with endometriosis

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What did I learn while researching this topic?

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What did I learn while researching this topic?

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That 1 in 10 women world wide are diagnosed with this condition, and many of these women are not able to access resources and health care needed in order to properly treat this condition.

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Cancer. Statistics have shown that women who are diagnosed with endometriosis have higher rates of being diagnosed with cancers such as, ovarian, uterine, or breast.

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As much as doctors tell patients not to research their symptoms online, WebMD helps people understand their condition in more depth.

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Endometriosis is usually a long-lasting (chronic) disease. When you have endometriosis, the type of tissue that lines your uterus is also growing outside your uterus. The clumps of tissue (called implants) may have grown on your ovaries or fallopian tubes, the outer wall of the uterus, the intestines, or other organs in the belly. In rare cases they spread to areas beyond the belly.

With each menstrual cycle, the implants go through the same growing, breaking down, and bleeding that the uterine lining (endometrium) goes through. This is why endometriosis pain may start as mild discomfort a few days before the menstrual period and then usually is gone by the time the period ends. But if an implant grows in a sensitive area, it can cause constant pain or pain during certain activities, such as sex, exercise, or bowel movements.

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Endometriosis is usually a long-lasting (chronic) disease. When you have endometriosis, the type of tissue that lines your uterus is also growing outside your uterus. The clumps of tissue (called implants) may have grown on your ovaries or fallopian tubes, the outer wall of the uterus, the intestines, or other organs in the belly.

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While online support groups are easily accessed, person to person support is few and far between. A counsellor is always an option, however group therapy is hard to come by. There are two places in Ontario currently hosting group support.

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Endometriosis Support Alberta
Women Connected- Calgary Endometriosis and Fertility Support Group
Saskatchewan Endometriosis Sisters

Manitoba Pelvic Pain Warriors (Endo, Adeno, Fibroids, PCOS)

Winnipeg Endometriosis Warriors

The Endometriosis Network Canada - Montreal

Contact: Charlyne Carrier - info@massocharlynec.com

L'Institut Kine-Concept in Montréal 760 St-Zotique, Mtl, Qc H2S 1M5

Endometriosis Support - Atlantic Provinces

Halifax's In Person Support Meetings

Endometriosis Support for Durham Region

Endometriosis Support Group Peel & Halton

Ottawa Endometriosis Support Association

Ottawa Valley Endometriosis support group (Petawawa, Ontario)

Endometriosis Support Group Of Windsor and Essex County

Endometriosis SW Ontario Support Group

Guelph Endometriosis Group

Endo Sisters Support Group of Hamilton

The Endometriosis Network Canada hosts in-person support meetings on the second Thursday of each month.

Contact: Katie McLeod - katie@endometriosisnetwork.ca

Meets: 2nd Thursday of every month, 7-9pm

Location: CSI Annex - 720 Bathurst St, Toronto - Main floor, Room #6

Meets: 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7 pm

Location: True Essence Healing Centre, 2599 Petawawa Blvd., Petawawa, Ontario K8H 2Z3

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Support Groups - The Endometriosis Network Canada

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Endometriosis Support Alberta Women Connected- Calgary Endometriosis and Fertility Support Group Saskatchewan Endometriosis Sisters Manitoba Pelvic Pain Warriors (Endo, Adeno, Fibroids, PCOS) Winnipeg Endometriosis Warriors The Endometriosis Network Canada - Montreal Contact: Charlyne Carrier - info@massocharlynec.com L'Institut Kine-Concept in Montréal 760 St-Zotique, Mtl, Qc H2S 1M5 Endometriosis Support - Atlantic

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While endometriosis does effect hormones, which can cause mood swings, it can also effect mental health. Studies have shown that people who suffer from chronic pain have a higher risk of depression and anxiety. Not only that but the condition can hurt a person mentally as well. When a person is diagnosed with endometriosis, the doctor explains that having children (depending on the severity) may either be difficult to conceive, or will not happen at all. Whether or not a person wants children, having that option taken away from you, is devastating. It makes a person feel mortal. You wont live forever, and your legacy wont either, when you leave this earth a part of you wont be staying behind.

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Having a chronic disease that effects your day-to-day life changes everything. The way you see yourself and others around you. You carry a burden that nobody can see because they would never know unless you told. But with a condition like this one, you think to yourself "who really wants to hear about this". Being diagnosed with a disease such as endometriosis, can break a woman's heart.

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The exact cause is unknown. However there are many theories such as

Retrograde menstruation. In retrograde menstruation, menstrual blood containing endometrial cells flows back through the fallopian tubes and into the pelvic cavity instead of out of the body. These displaced endometrial cells stick to the pelvic walls and surfaces of pelvic organs, where they grow and continue to thicken and bleed over the course of each menstrual cycle.

Transformation of peritoneal cells. In what's known as the "induction theory," experts propose that hormones or immune factors promote transformation of peritoneal cells — cells that line the inner side of your abdomen — into endometrial cells.

Embryonic cell transformation. Hormones such as estrogen may transform embryonic cells — cells in the earliest stages of development — into endometrial cell implants during puberty.

Surgical scar implantation. After a surgery, such as a hysterectomy or C-section, endometrial cells may attach to a surgical incision.

Endometrial cells transport. The blood vessels or tissue fluid (lymphatic) system may transport endometrial cells to other parts of the body.

Immune system disorder. It's possible that a problem with the immune system may make the body unable to recognize and destroy endometrial tissue that's growing outside the uterus.

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Painful periods (dysmenorrhea). Pelvic pain and cramping may begin before your period and extend several days into your period. You may also have lower back and abdominal pain.

Pain with intercourse. Pain during or after sex is common with endometriosis.

Pain with bowel movements or urination. You're most likely to experience these symptoms during your period.

Excessive bleeding. You may experience occasional heavy periods (menorrhagia) or bleeding between periods (menometrorrhagia).

Infertility. Endometriosis is first diagnosed in some women who are seeking treatment for infertility.

Other symptoms. You may also experience fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, bloating or nausea, especially during menstrual periods.

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This is a strain of endometriosis. Adenomyosis is when the lining of the uterus grows into the muscle wall surrounding the uterus. It can be detected with an ultrasound and is common within women who have endometriosis. However, not all women who have adenomyosis have endometriosis. Symptoms include

Heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding

Severe cramping or sharp, knifelike pelvic pain during menstruation (dysmenorrhea)

Menstrual cramps that last throughout your period and worsen as you get older

Pain during intercourse

Blood clots that pass during your period

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The only way to formally diagnose endometriosis is to have a laparoscopic surgery. This involves a small capsule like camera being inserted through the naval and into the surrounding area of the uterus. The endometrial cells are so small that an ultrasound cannot detect the cells.

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The Endometriosis Network Canada is working to provide education, support, awareness, and resources for those with endometriosis, and those affected by it. Please consider donating to our cause.

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The Endometriosis Network Canada is working to provide education, support, awareness, and resources for those with endometriosis, and those affected by it. Please consider donating to our cause.

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Lara Parker writes about what dating with a disease that causes pain with intercourse is like.

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I was supposed to be at the restaurant in 30 minutes. I opened our text conversation and, for the fifth time in a half hour, typed then deleted my excuse for canceling on him. I scolded myself for thinking I wanted to date. I looked in the mirror and tried to regain my composure.

I imagined what it would be like to tell this cute, blue-eyed stranger that no matter how loud he made me laugh or how attentively he listened to my childhood stories, I may never be able to have sex with him. I felt like I was going to be sick. I pushed the thought out of my head, erased the text, grabbed my keys, and walked out the door. There was no turning back now.

Dating isn't easy for anyone, I assume. But it feels a lot more complicated when you're a straight woman with medical conditions that prevent you from having vaginal intercourse. When, exactly, was I supposed to bring that up? Women's magazines and online advice columns never taught me how to handle this.

As I parked my car, I could feel beads of sweat dotting the back of my neck. When I met his eyes in the restaurant, my anxiety skyrocketed. All I could do, during our routine discussion of our jobs and our interests, was nod my head at the right times and laugh when it seemed appropriate. The cocktail menu boasted a tequila drink "known for making your clothes fall off." My date made a joke about it. My hands started to shake. I barely remember the rest of the night but I do remember that I never heard from him again.

Up until then, my sex life had been defined by the question "What's wrong with me?" About two years ago, I was given an answer. I was diagnosed with endometriosis, vulvodynia, and vaginismus - aka Vagina Problems. The diagnosis means a lot of things for my reproductive organs, but the main takeaway is that my genitals are often in a lot of pain - inside and out - and especially when penetrated. I may never have sex and I will have pain in that area indefinitely.

My "sexual experience" consisted of doctors poking and prodding me and men looking disappointed at me for something I couldn't explain or help. My doctors told me I could have a sexual experience in other ways. But I never bothered to ask them how that would work when I flinched at the mere touch of a man. They told me there was more to relationships than just sex. I figured that was pretty easy to say when you were able to have sex.

In the past two years - in the hopes of alleviating my pain - I have been to physical therapy, psychological therapy, and started support groups. I have slept with ice on my vagina, tried electric shock therapy and acupuncture, brought my heating pad with me everywhere I go, and used a dilator every morning before work. I have tried to cut out red meat, given up gluten, signed up for more yoga classes, and bought exclusively cotton underwear. I also started to date again.

I'd had boyfriends in high school and dated some in college, and I enjoyed it. I was as shocked and disappointed as they were when - after happily rounding first and second bases - the actual sex stuff turned out to be so excruciating for me. And the pain and humiliation of my first two attempts at sex made the prospect of any kind of intimacy (even self-exploration) extremely unappealing. In fact, by the time I was diagnosed, I recoiled even when a man flirtatiously touched my arm or complimented me in a suggestive way.

Over the years, people have been quick to write off my vaginal pain conditions as me being a tease or as anxiety stemming from past sexual trauma. But who wouldn't be anxious about having sex when it had been so traumatic every single time I tried?

It doesn't help that, since I last had a boyfriend, the line between dating and dating app-enabled casual sex has become very thin. When I say I started dating, really it was just joining Tinder. I work full-time and after work usually head straight home to watch reality TV, so Tinder seemed like the only way to meet someone in Los Angeles. As I swiped left and right one evening after another while lying alone in my bed, I felt the pit in my stomach grow. I wasn't sure what I wanted, other than to feel like a normal 23-year-old going on dates.

I was so preoccupied with my secret, I couldn't tell whether I liked him.

I studied each guy's five-picture collection and tried to look for clues in them as to whether or not they would be accepting of my issues. Each match made me panic as I imagined explaining my situation to someone. Should I tell him upfront? On the first date? Over text? After several dates? Was it unfair to hide it? When it actually came time to plan a date, I almost always made up an excuse.

There was a possibility I could climax in other ways. As several friends and fellow sufferers over the years had pointed out, oral sex exists. But the feeling of arousal was so often accompanied by emotional distress that I never wanted to try. I could hardly even listen to friend's stories of sexual escapades without feeling like my stomach was going to fall out of my body. All I could think about was the disappointment that I would cause and the disappointment that I would feel after yet another failed dating attempt. I wanted to date and feel normal, but the problem was that I wasn't normal...not in the sexual sense anyway.

It was a Saturday night, and I had somehow convinced myself to go on another date. My eyelashes were still damp from the tears I shed while talking on the phone with my best friend. "I'm just not someone who is supposed to be loved," I told her. She reminded me my Vagina Problems were not the end of the world and there were ways around them: oral, toys. I believed she was right. But as I sat at the café table with my tea growing cold in front of me, I began to lose faith.

I looked at his big brown eyes through his glasses while he told me about the love he had for his dog. The guy seemed nice enough, but I was so preoccupied with my big secret, I could hardly decide whether or not I liked him. And as I tested the waters for spilling the big secret, I became more and more anxious.

"I get sick a lot," I said. He looked confused, and changed the subject. I couldn't blame him. As he walked me to my car, he placed one hand on the small of my back. My body began to shake. He thought I was cold, even though it was a hot night.

When we got to my car, he tried to kiss me. I turned my head, got into my car, and cried the entire way home. I texted him later in a desperate attempt to explain myself.

"Basically, I have a condition that prevents me from having any sort of sex, and I'm still learning how to deal with it... It's hard to explain."

"I'm really sorry but I don't think I can do this," he said.

I couldn't either. Since my diagnosis, I suddenly had a lot of baggage, and I was finding it difficult to carry. I no longer felt as if I was worth loving. Writing this now, it seems ridiculous to assume that no one would love me because of something out of my control. But if years of watching TV and reading magazines had taught me anything, it was that men need sex. And when I couldn't give them that, there were millions of other women who could.

In my mind, I believed there was nothing else about me that made up for the fact that I did not have a functioning vagina. All my girlfriends' and doctors' reassurances weren't enough. I needed a man to tell me that my conditions weren't a deal breaker. I wanted it so badly I began practically screaming it from the rooftops. I told a guy I went to college with, and one that I'd never met in real life. I told my high school friend, and the guy from my math class. And I also told a man we'll call T.

I needed a man to tell me that my conditions weren't a deal breaker.

I told him about my conditions one day over Gchat. We were co-workers at the time, and strictly just friends. I felt safe coming clean to him because there were no expectations and no hopes of romance. I so desperately wanted a man to know about my conditions and tell me that it wasn't a deal breaker. He didn't respond at first, and I immediately closed out of the little chat window and tried to distract myself with Twitter. I heard the familiar ping of Gchat and braced myself.

"I'm so sorry you have to deal with that," he said. He began to ask me questions about my conditions. I felt tears start to form in my eyes. It wasn't until months later that we talked about my Vagina Problems again. I went to his department for a two-week stint and found myself on a long photo shoot with him. We were cleaning up after everyone else had left.

"How are you feeling?" he asked. "Have you seen any improvement?" I looked at him, for hints of indifference, but saw only concern. He waited for me to answer, stopping what he was doing to give me his full attention.

"I'm fine," I replied - a sentence that was both a lie and a wish. I assumed he was asking just to be polite, but he then asked me to explain my conditions to him more.

I told him mostly everything - about how I'd tried dating, and what it felt like to go through shock therapy - leaving out the parts about how I still cried in my bed when a guy made any sexual reference in my presence or how I could barely watch any movie with a sex scene without wanting to break something. And when I was finished, he didn't run away or look at me in disgust or fear. He carried on like I hadn't just told him my deepest, darkest secret.

We started texting, and as days turned into weeks, I began to divulge more and more to him. It felt so easy, and I never once felt ashamed. He didn't press me, but never hesitated to ask for more information. And one day, as we were sitting in my car talking, I looked at him and saw his smile. I thought about his sense of humor, and the way he could make anyone laugh. And I thought about the way he was able to touch me, without laying a finger on me. When he kissed me for the first time in my car before his improv class, I didn't feel like running away. I felt safe.

I thought I wanted to be able to have pain-free sex. But what I needed was to feel accepted for the way that I am. And being accepted meant being able to have my own kind of sex. It didn't come easily - there were many failed attempts, lots of shutting down, and countless tears - but each time we began to explore, I felt a little more comfortable.

It wasn't pushing through the pain to make vaginal intercourse work; we were taking the time to explore each other's bodies to figure out what did work. It was about going slow, but refusing to give up and realizing there was always another way. We were determined to figure out what worked. And we did.

For years, I believed that pleasure and vaginal sex were synonymous. Sex and the City taught me that women were almost always able to enjoy AND get off from regular ol' penetration. And when I realized I may never be able to, I felt like less of a woman. I always assumed literally everyone was orgasming from sex except for me, but multiple studies show that only around 25% of women are able to orgasm from vaginal sex alone. Regardless of my medical conditions, I am not alone in this. And when I realized that, it was easier to let my body off the hook.

A lot of people tried to convince me that vaginal intercourse is not all there is to sex. And that sex is not the most important thing in a relationship. They also told me people find love in the most unexpected places, and that when someone loves you - truly loves you - nothing else matters. And now, I finally believe them.

I thought my Vagina Problems would be the thing that tore any of my relationships apart, but in truth it's brought me and T so much closer. I won't pretend that finding him guarantees me a happily ever after, but it has shown me that, like everyone, I deserve one.

Sex is just one of many ways to express the intimacy that I found with T. I feel equally close to him when we have our own version of sex, and when we lie down next to each other, holding hands while I use my heating pad.

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What It's Like To Date When You Can't Have Sex

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I was supposed to be at the restaurant in 30 minutes. I opened our text conversation and, for the fifth time in a half hour, typed then deleted my excuse for canceling on him. I scolded myself for thinking I wanted to date. I looked in the mirror and tried to regain my composure.

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What It's Like To Know You Can't Have Kids

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You don't have to give birth to someone to be their mother. Check out more awesome BuzzFeedYellow videos! http://bit.ly/YTbuzzfeedyellow MUSIC Dreamscape Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc. Made by BFMP www.buzzfeed.com/videoteam + Lynn Chen lynnchen.com Lara Parker twitter.com/laraeparker Ana Lydia Ochoa-Monaco twitter.com/latinaprpro GET MORE BUZZFEED www.buzzfeed.com/videoteam www.facebook.com/buzzfeedvideo www.instagram.com/buzzfeedvideo www.buzzfeed.com/video www.youtube.com/buzzfeedvideo www.youtube.com/buzzfeedyellow www.youtube.com/buzzfeedblue www.youtube.com/buzzfeedviolet BUZZFEED YELLOW More fun, inspiring, interesting videos from the BuzzFeed crew.

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Visuals of endometriosis. Be aware this content is graphic and may not be suitable for some viewers. 

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Visuals of endometriosis. Be aware this content is graphic and may not be suitable for some viewers. 

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Uploaded by Carol Ann Lewis on 2011-05-21.

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Endometriosis (en-doe-me-tree-O-sis) is an often painful disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus — the endometrium — grows outside your uterus. The cells will attach themselves to parts such as the muscle wall or the bladder. When a women starts her cycle, the cells outside of the uterus also have their period.

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Lara Parker, shares a little bit about what its like to live with endometriosis.

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Lara Parker, shares a little bit about what its like to live with endometriosis.

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Living With A Chronic Illness: Endometriosis

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"I felt like I had to make up for the fact that I was broken." Check out more awesome BuzzFeedYellow videos! http://bit.ly/YTbuzzfeedyellow MUSIC I Can Dream Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc. Trails Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc.