{"id":2258,"date":"2012-03-08T18:58:26","date_gmt":"2012-03-09T02:58:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/?p=2258"},"modified":"2021-10-09T06:45:35","modified_gmt":"2021-10-09T06:45:35","slug":"endometriosis-sarahs-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Endometriosis: Sarah&#8217;s Story"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Sarah-Dunwood.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"2259\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/sarah-dunwood\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Sarah-Dunwood.jpg?fit=198%2C320&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"198,320\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Picasa&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 500D&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1337466739&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;50&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1600&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.02&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Sarah Dunwood\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Sarah-Dunwood.jpg?fit=186%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Sarah-Dunwood.jpg?fit=198%2C320&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-2259\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Sarah-Dunwood.jpg?resize=176%2C285&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Sarah\" width=\"176\" height=\"285\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Sarah-Dunwood.jpg?w=198&amp;ssl=1 198w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Sarah-Dunwood.jpg?resize=186%2C300&amp;ssl=1 186w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 176px) 100vw, 176px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Some days my pain is so excruciating that it takes every little last bit of willpower I have to drag myself out of my bed and face the world. Those days used to be a few out of every month, now those days are every day. &nbsp;I know the cause of my pain. &nbsp;I know what the solution is. &nbsp;I know when that solution is coming and it is only a few weeks away, but time seems to somehow dilate and those few weeks seem as far away as the stars and planets that I stare at on those few cloudless nights we have in the grim north!<\/p>\n<p>So here is my story. &nbsp;Long and tedious it may be, but it is my story nonetheless and it is time that I put it all down in one place.<\/p>\n<p>I have just turned 40. &nbsp;I feel it. &nbsp;In fact, add another 20 years on&#8230;that&#8217;s how I think I feel. This state of mind is not normal for me but it has been the status quo for over 2 years.<\/p>\n<p><!--more-->You see I, like many other women, have a condition called endometriosis. &nbsp;It is often a silent condition that goes unnoticed and can often cause very few symptoms. &nbsp;It is frequently misdiagnosed and from my research, it can take many years for a firm diagnosis to be achieved and treatment to be secured. &nbsp;In the meantime, that long wait can cause untold damage, not only physically, as in my case, but mentally and emotionally too.<\/p>\n<p>Rewind 21 years. &nbsp;I was at university. &nbsp;I was not a social butterfly, not confident as such. &nbsp;I certainly didn&#8217;t get overly involved in the social scene at uni. &nbsp;I got on with my work, attended my lectures, occasionally went to the Thursday night &#8216;disco&#8217;, but really, kept to a small group of friends who I met. &nbsp;Why?<\/p>\n<p>Every few weeks I would be plagued with horrific period pains. &nbsp;Pains that rendered me speechless. Doubled over. &nbsp;Often fainting. &nbsp;It was embarrassing and terrifying and I really didn&#8217;t want to be around people when that happened. <!--more--><\/p>\n<p>I had investigative surgery &#8211; a laparoscopy and hysteroscopy and nothing was found. &nbsp;The results were duly sent to my GP who tactfully advised me that with most &#8216;women&#8217;s problems&#8217; they were resolved with pregnancy and maybe I should consider having a child. &nbsp;REALLY? &nbsp;19 years old, 1 year into university, a career as a teacher planned out. &nbsp;Quality advice there.<\/p>\n<p>I learned to live with it. &nbsp;Hiding usually worked. &nbsp;But at least back then it was limited to just a few days a month.<\/p>\n<p>I got older, I got married, I had my one and only child when I was 27.<\/p>\n<p>Prior to my pregancy and for a few years afterwards, I used the contraceptive pill. &nbsp;My pain, bouts of fainting and such like disappeared as such &#8211; certainly they were not a monthly focus for me and so there was a significant chunk of time where I did not think of it. &nbsp;I thought of other things instead&#8230;particularly the dawning realisation that my marriage was an epic disaster (but that is another story).<\/p>\n<p>My marriage ended. &nbsp;I met someone new. &nbsp;Life was sweet.<\/p>\n<p>I came off the pill aged 35. &nbsp;February 2008.<\/p>\n<p>In October 2008 I went to see my GP &#8211; I had trouble getting comfortable at night. &nbsp;If I slept on my left side I felt like something was pressing on the inside of my pelvis, if I rolled onto the right, I had a horrible dragging sensation. &nbsp;I needed to go to the toilet with the frequency of an older man with a prostate problem. &nbsp;The pain was back, but not the fainting. &nbsp;Still, it was focused to a few days, each month.<\/p>\n<p>I was sent for an abdominal ultrasound, which showed nothing. &nbsp;I know now that for my condition, it wouldn&#8217;t have showed anything. &nbsp;Nothing there, nothing is up with you. &nbsp;Pretty much. &nbsp;I was told it was probably IBS and to watch my diet.<\/p>\n<p>Time passed, a proposal came, a wedding was planned. &nbsp;We said our vows in April 2010 and neither of us expected that &#8220;In sickness and in health&#8221; would come to pass quite so quickly.<\/p>\n<p>A few months later I was recalled following a smear test. &nbsp;Abnormal cells. Colposcopy. &nbsp;That was pleasant.<\/p>\n<p>Then, less than a year from our wedding, I returned again to my GP &#8211; I was exhausted, constantly. &nbsp;Hot flushes some nights. &nbsp;Frequent sleep disturbances and a persistent nagging pain in my pelvis that caused me to be fidgety, uncomfortable and distressed for much of my time. &nbsp;The pulling\/pressure sensation was back with avengeance and MY GOD &#8211; the PMT and subsequent few days were just horrific.<\/p>\n<p>Early menopause I was told.<\/p>\n<p>Menopause doesn&#8217;t cause pain. &nbsp;No matter. &nbsp;A symptomatic approach is taken to diagnosis I was told. My symptoms indicated menopause.<\/p>\n<p>Some days the pelvic pain would change, become acute and it really started to impinge on my daily life. &nbsp;I tried to manage. It&#8217;s difficult when you are a teacher. &nbsp;Doubling over in pain and howling is not considered good form in the classroom &#8211; not if you are the adult anyway!<\/p>\n<p>I returned to the GP &#8211; saw someone different &#8211; and was referred again in October 2011 for another ultrasound.<\/p>\n<p>Yep, you guessed it &#8211; nothing there. &nbsp;Aside from the fact that they didn&#8217;t do a pelvic but did an abdominal, the ultrasound was not going to show my condition (that I didn&#8217;t yet know I had).<\/p>\n<p>At my wits end, my GP decided to refer me to a consultant gynae at my local hospital. &nbsp;However, I had to wait and go through 8 weeks of pure hell before my GP was allowed to make the referral. &nbsp;Peer review within the surgery meant I would not be referred unless I first consented to taking the mini pill for 3 months.<\/p>\n<p>No choice.<\/p>\n<p>After 10 days, I started bleeding. &nbsp;I bled for 42 days straight. &nbsp;I was exhausted, suffering from extreme mood swings and what I now understand was depression. &nbsp;I once considered that maybe it would be better if I wasn&#8217;t here. &nbsp;Just once. &nbsp;THAT was enough and I stopped taking them and demanded my referral. &nbsp;I got it.<\/p>\n<p>I thought an end was in sight. &nbsp;My family and friends rallied and supported and we all looked forward to finally knowing, having an answer and therefore being able to do something about it.<\/p>\n<p>I attended the appointment. &nbsp;The consultant was 30 minutes late for the first appointment of the day &#8211; mine. &nbsp;She rushed in, didn&#8217;t listen, made a miraculous diagnosis without so much as an examination, told me that she was going to adopt a particular cause of action &#8211; a treatment &#8211; and that we would have to wait at least 6 weeks for that to take place, and another 6 months for it to settle and see if it resolved things. &nbsp;It did not seem to matter to her that what she was prescribing as (in her words) &#8220;a miracle cure&#8221; was not for the symptoms that she was PRESUMING but that I did not have. &nbsp;This rush job was topped off with a cervical biopsy which was agony and frankly unnecessary, having only just had my annual smear test two months earlier. &nbsp;I was dispatched for blood tests and left feeling shaken. &nbsp;No mention of diagnostic surgery. Just treatment. For something that manifested itself differently than the symptoms I had.<\/p>\n<p>That same day, when I had regained my composure, I contacted another consultant gynae and arranged for a private appointment a few days later. &nbsp;I needed a second opinion.<\/p>\n<p>Thank goodness I did.<\/p>\n<p>I explained all of this. &nbsp;I was told that the only way to really assess what was happening was laparoscopy. I felt better for knowing that my distrust and anger at the treatment in the previous week was based on my own good understanding, not just a reaction for the sake of it. &nbsp;The consultant contacted my GP, she referred me to him and I was back in the system.<\/p>\n<p>The answer came in October 2012. &nbsp;The cause of my pain is scar tissue. Not just little bits, but effectively the equivalent of an extra womb in my pelvic area. &nbsp;My left ovary and fallopian tube are encased in the scar tissue, which has also encroached into other areas and has headed towards my left ureter. &nbsp;That, combined with extensive endometriosis, means that my pain is unsurprising and, to my relief, very very real.<\/p>\n<p>The sadness is that if all of this had been spotted somewhere earlier along the way, if it had not been masked for many years by the contraceptive pill, if I had been referred sooner, seen a different consultant on a different day, then I might not now be facing the daunting prospect of a full hysterectomy, along with the removal of the ovary and tube that is now dead and potentially the other one if it isn&#8217;t healthy. &nbsp;I wouldn&#8217;t be waking in the night in a cold sweat dreaming about all of the terrible things that could go wrong. &nbsp;I wouldn&#8217;t be so consumed with chronic pain and acute attacks at random times that going to work everyday is like climbing a mountain and worrying about getting back down again. &nbsp;I wouldn&#8217;t be agonizing over the time that I am now having to spend away from my students, about colleagues having to step in for me. I wouldn&#8217;t feel so desperately guilty about the time that I have not spent with my husband and my son in these last two years. &nbsp;I wouldn&#8217;t be considering writing letters to my loved ones, just in case. &nbsp;That in itself is a terrifying thing to admit that you are considering.<\/p>\n<p>In two weeks, I have my surgery. &nbsp;I hope that it is the end of this and the start of me being me again, because I do not like what I have become.<\/p>\n<p>By Sarah, Cheshire, England<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><em><strong>Do you have a story to share? We\u2019d love to feature you in our Endometriosis Awareness Campaign! Share your story, \u201c<a title=\"Share Your Story\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/?cat=789\">here<\/a>.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div><strong>Special Event Invite:<\/strong><\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Join us March 14th (11am PST) for a special tweet chat to raise Endometriosis Awareness.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The topic: Endometriosis: The Invisible Disease and the Women Who Suffer. Click <a title=\"tweet chat details\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/index.php?route=information\/information&amp;information_id=8\">here<\/a>, for details.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>New resources to check out \u2013 Click the image to view<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a title=\"60 Minutes to a Better Period\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/index.php?route=information\/information&amp;information_id=9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/60-Minutes-to-a-Better-Period-Button-190.jpg?resize=190%2C219&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"60 Minutes to a Better Period Button\" width=\"190\" height=\"219\"><\/a><a title=\"Better Your Period Product Packs\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/index.php?route=product\/product&amp;path=20&amp;product_id=179\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Better-Your-Period-Product-Pack-Ultra-190.jpg?resize=190%2C222&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Better-Your-Period-Product-Pack-Ultra-190\" width=\"190\" height=\"222\"><\/a><\/p>\n<map id=\"bc92928\" name=\"bc92928\"><\/map>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Some days my pain is so excruciating that it takes every little last bit of willpower I have to drag myself out of my bed and face the world. Those days used to be a few out of every month, now those days are every day. &nbsp;I know the cause of my pain. &nbsp;I know [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1275],"tags":[68,180,178,181,50,168],"class_list":["post-2258","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-endometriosis-stories","tag-endometriosis","tag-extensive-endometriosis","tag-menopause","tag-pelvic-pain","tag-period","tag-period-pains"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Endometriosis: Sarah&#039;s Story - Be Prepared. Period<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Living with endometriosis is not easy and regular treatments make you sicker. Sarah&#039;s story of endometriosis describes it better.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Endometriosis: Sarah&#039;s Story - Be Prepared. Period\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Living with endometriosis is not easy and regular treatments make you sicker. Sarah&#039;s story of endometriosis describes it better.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Be Prepared. Period\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-03-09T02:58:26+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-10-09T06:45:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Sarah-Dunwood.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8e23b3a5d4360e06f8268d84404c45d8\"},\"headline\":\"Endometriosis: Sarah&#8217;s Story\",\"datePublished\":\"2012-03-09T02:58:26+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-10-09T06:45:35+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/\"},\"wordCount\":1818,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Sarah-Dunwood.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"endometriosis\",\"extensive endometriosis\",\"menopause\",\"pelvic pain\",\"period\",\"period pains\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Endometriosis Stories\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/\",\"name\":\"Endometriosis: Sarah's Story - Be Prepared. Period\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Sarah-Dunwood.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2012-03-09T02:58:26+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-10-09T06:45:35+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8e23b3a5d4360e06f8268d84404c45d8\"},\"description\":\"Living with endometriosis is not easy and regular treatments make you sicker. Sarah's story of endometriosis describes it better.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Sarah-Dunwood.jpg?fit=198%2C320&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Sarah-Dunwood.jpg?fit=198%2C320&ssl=1\",\"width\":198,\"height\":320,\"caption\":\"Sarah Dunwood\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Endometriosis: Sarah&#8217;s Story\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Be Prepared. Period\",\"description\":\"Helping women and girls - go with the flo!\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8e23b3a5d4360e06f8268d84404c45d8\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fb9890324cff4019c6488ff50372c53508638f01468529db0c58b1a60ce64f1e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fb9890324cff4019c6488ff50372c53508638f01468529db0c58b1a60ce64f1e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/author\/admin-2\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Endometriosis: Sarah's Story - Be Prepared. Period","description":"Living with endometriosis is not easy and regular treatments make you sicker. Sarah's story of endometriosis describes it better.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Endometriosis: Sarah's Story - Be Prepared. Period","og_description":"Living with endometriosis is not easy and regular treatments make you sicker. Sarah's story of endometriosis describes it better.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/","og_site_name":"Be Prepared. Period","article_published_time":"2012-03-09T02:58:26+00:00","article_modified_time":"2021-10-09T06:45:35+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Sarah-Dunwood.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8e23b3a5d4360e06f8268d84404c45d8"},"headline":"Endometriosis: Sarah&#8217;s Story","datePublished":"2012-03-09T02:58:26+00:00","dateModified":"2021-10-09T06:45:35+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/"},"wordCount":1818,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Sarah-Dunwood.jpg","keywords":["endometriosis","extensive endometriosis","menopause","pelvic pain","period","period pains"],"articleSection":["Endometriosis Stories"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/","url":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/","name":"Endometriosis: Sarah's Story - Be Prepared. Period","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Sarah-Dunwood.jpg","datePublished":"2012-03-09T02:58:26+00:00","dateModified":"2021-10-09T06:45:35+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8e23b3a5d4360e06f8268d84404c45d8"},"description":"Living with endometriosis is not easy and regular treatments make you sicker. Sarah's story of endometriosis describes it better.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Sarah-Dunwood.jpg?fit=198%2C320&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Sarah-Dunwood.jpg?fit=198%2C320&ssl=1","width":198,"height":320,"caption":"Sarah Dunwood"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/endometriosis-sarahs-story\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Endometriosis: Sarah&#8217;s Story"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/","name":"Be Prepared. Period","description":"Helping women and girls - go with the flo!","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8e23b3a5d4360e06f8268d84404c45d8","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fb9890324cff4019c6488ff50372c53508638f01468529db0c58b1a60ce64f1e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fb9890324cff4019c6488ff50372c53508638f01468529db0c58b1a60ce64f1e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"url":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/author\/admin-2\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paHzrx-Aq","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2258","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2258"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2258\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15904,"href":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2258\/revisions\/15904"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2258"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2258"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bepreparedperiod.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2258"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}