Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue from the lining of the uterus is present in places of the body where it doesn’t belong.
This tissue can wreak havoc, causing severe pain and bleeding, and lead to inflammation, scarring, infertility, pain during sex, and other problems.
But it can be hard to diagnose.
Often severe pain and bleeding is dismissed as “just a heavy period.” And even when it’s causing serious problems, obvious bloating, and other physical issues, doctors may think people with endometriosis are imagining, exaggerating, or making up their symptoms.
We want to hear how you were diagnosed with endometriosis.
Tell us when you first started having symptoms, and how long and what it took to be definitively diagnosed with the condition.
Maybe you saw multiple doctors before being diagnosed.
Or it took years before you knew you had the condition.
However you came to be diagnosed, we want to hear about it.
Share your story — and any relevant pics — in the comments below, and it might be featured in an upcoming BuzzFeed News article.