Courtney's Endo and PCOS Journey
By Courtney Stevens
My story began when I was 11 years old. I was living my best life in primary school with no responsibilities, playground friendships that we thought would last a lifetime and best of all I seemed to be a happy, healthy little girl. If only I knew how much health would truly shape my future. I remember thinking “why do people wish others health and happiness? Isn’t that a sure thing? why waste your wish on that? I soon learnt that my version of health and happiness was going to be hugely different to others. At the age of 11 I received my first period which was accompanied by excruciating pain. Oh, how my view changed on what to wish for. The next 11 years were shaped by the struggle to be heard, believed and helped. The effects of endometriosis and PCOS rocked every aspect of my life and relationships and was one of the main reasons why I left school at the young age of 15. Cutting my education short at that age seemed fine at the time. I was a teenager with all the time in the world, right? How lucky is that! While that’s true, I had all the time in the world I also had no qualifications behind me to help pay for all the expenditures of life, which includes the excessive costs that accompany living with chronic illnesses.
Symptoms kept on piling up until I was in pain every day, after every meal, from morning to night with no one helping me. I had seen every “best doctor”, “top specialist” that had ALL told me I do not have endometriosis or PCOS because “I am too young to have it“ or “I am too skinny for PCOS” and “I am addicted to pain meds and making my symptoms up” and even while experiencing painful sex, being told by my childhood doctor “ have you tried using lube?” That one is my absolute favorite. You don’t think that I would have tried EVERYTHING, I mean everything to deal with that issue before sitting and talking with the doctor I’ve seen since birth about my sex life? It’s safe to say I never returned to that doctor. Sorry Nan for having to reading that, I know you’re here reading because you’re my number one fan. Love you.
While this story seems to be negative and a bit of a downer, I promise you there is a lighter side to this yin and yang life of mine. While all of that honestly sucks, no one should ever be dehumanized like I was by many doctors, who I believe need more education in some of these areas, after many years I finally found a doctor that took me seriously. In 2015 I stumbled by accident upon my current doctor after waiting on a 3-hour waiting list at my local Medical Center. I had been going there, jumping from doctor to doctor, in hopes of someone helping me, but with no such luck. He changed everything. Within 3 months I had my first laparoscopy that confirmed after all those years (10 years roughly) I did have endometriosis. What mixed emotions washed over me hearing those words? Relief that I knew my own body, I wasn’t crazy, and I did have it. But then came the shock. I didn’t expect this. After wanting an answer for all those years hearing those words made it all become real. I am really living with a chronic illness. A chronic illness that has no cure and no one really knows anything about. No, it is not just painful periods (insert eye roll here).
Since then I have had a second laparoscopy and been diagnosed with PCOS and vaginismus. I have started treatments such as internal physiotherapy made dietary changes and am slowly trying to find the best way to manage my symptoms. I took part in a trial surgery where I had Botox shots injected into my internal pelvic muscles to help with continuous muscle cramping and spasms by a specialist at the Woman’s Health and Research Institute of Australia in Sydney. I am happy to report this has greatly improved my life and I highly suggest it and advocate it to become available for women across our nation. Through all of this, my mental and physical health was frail, and I felt for a very long time that I would not ever be able to pull myself from the darkness. But day by day as all of us do, I still woke up, I still cried, but I also still smiled. I have felt like a hypochondriac, a crazy lady, felt broken, lost even and I have learnt that I am okay with those feelings, because those feelings are fleeting. I have found that I am also brave, caring, understanding, non-judgmental and accepting of not only myself but of those around me, that are all on their own journeys through life.
I spent a lot of my time researching ways to help my health when no one else would. At 21 I re-enrolled to do my HSC, completed a Diploma of Beauty Therapy and am now at Endeavour Collage of Natural health completing my Bachelor of Health Science in Naturopathy. It is a struggle completing university and having these issues (I’ll get into how I manage and handle that another time if anyone likes) but through all of this I have found my passion in life. With the help of now being apart of the brilliant team at Qendo and my Degree I hope to help support those on their journeys, help educate the younger generation on the signs and symptoms, be a support for families and partners of those affected by endometriosis and to spread awareness through education.
I could ramble on for days, but I’ll leave it at this for now. Thank you for letting me be a part of your journey, I look forward to everything that comes with my new chapter at Qendo.
Until next time,
Kindly Courtney