End Brittany's Endometriosis
Donation protected
My name is Brittany Harrison, I'm 25, hold a masters degree in Social Work and currently work as a manager for Starbucks. For those of you who know me, my story of chronic pain is not new. I have suffered chronic pelvic pain for 10 years of my life and have finally found a promising solution to this battle.
From the time I was 15 years old I have always struggled with excrutiatingly painful menstrual cycles that would leave me on the bathroom floor vomitting, dizzy, and in so much pain that I could barely move or speak. As the years went by these symptoms only became worse and started coming more frequently than my monthly cycle. I have lost count as to how many times I have been in the Emergency Room in unbearable pain. It was not until 2010 that a doctor finally took my chronic pain seriously. She operated on my laprascopically and removed my appendix, that was mishappen and covered in adhesions and removed my bowel from my abdominal wall, where it had been tethered by similar adhesions. These adhesions were endometriosis, a chronic illness in which the matter that lines the uterus during menstruatuon begins growing on other parts of the body causing pain, bleeding, gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, and bladder pain/overactivity. Endometriosis is very difficult to diagnose and treat as it typically grows back with a vegence if the surgery is not done correctly.
I felt great and pain-free for approximately 9 months after my first surgery, then the pain came back again full force, sending me in and out of the hospital. It wasn't until Christmas of 2015 where I spent my day in the ER hooked up to IV pain medication that I decided I needed to see another doctor for further exploration of my disease. So, in April 2016 I had my second laprascopic surgery. This time, my right ovary and fallopian tube had to be removed. And in addition to the lesions and adhesions of endometriosis present on my abdominal wall my right ovary was also 4 times the size of a normal ovary and polycystic. Again, I felt great and pain free for approximately 3 months post-surgery. Then, the pain returned, as well as all of the other unpleasant symptoms: diarrhea, constipation, back pain, bladder pain, frequent urination, fatigue, unbearable menstrual cycles. On my worst days I cannot get out of bed, much less go to work or perform normal daily activities. This disease and chronic pain has sucked the life out of me at only 25 years old.
Fortunatley though, I applied to the Center for Endometriosis Care in Atlanta, GA. A one-of-a-kind clinic for endometriosis patients much like myself. The surgeons at the CEC are some of the best in the world and use the most advanced and succesful techniques to prevent regrowth of endometriosis. They only take certain cases and choose to treat them, and I am so grateful to say that I was one of those patients. The plan is for me to have a third and FINAL surgery by Dr. Sinervo to remove any additonal hidden endometriosis and also perform a presacral neurectomy, cutting the nerves to my uterus to finally END my chronic pain. I have personally spoken to Dr. Sinervo and he gives me great hope that after reviewing my case files that he can really help me and put an end to this battle. Because of the nature of this facility, it is all out-of-network for health insurance, and although I have fairly decent coverage, I do not have enough to cover the expenses of the surgery, doctor, hospital and travel.
If you have never suffered chronic pain, I hope you never do. It is an awful, life-shattering ailment that makes you feel depressed, lifeless, and useless. And after 10 years of being told "it was all in my head" and that I just have "bad periods" and after having 3 of my organs removed I am ready to end this chapter of my life and move on to a normal, pain-free existence. Please, if you can help me in getting my life back. Even if you can just share my story to help some other woman who is suffering in silence. This type of chronic pain is NOT normal and it is NOT in our heads and there are solutions and I feel so blessed to have found mine, I just need a little help getting there.
Thank you eternally,
Brittany.
From the time I was 15 years old I have always struggled with excrutiatingly painful menstrual cycles that would leave me on the bathroom floor vomitting, dizzy, and in so much pain that I could barely move or speak. As the years went by these symptoms only became worse and started coming more frequently than my monthly cycle. I have lost count as to how many times I have been in the Emergency Room in unbearable pain. It was not until 2010 that a doctor finally took my chronic pain seriously. She operated on my laprascopically and removed my appendix, that was mishappen and covered in adhesions and removed my bowel from my abdominal wall, where it had been tethered by similar adhesions. These adhesions were endometriosis, a chronic illness in which the matter that lines the uterus during menstruatuon begins growing on other parts of the body causing pain, bleeding, gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, and bladder pain/overactivity. Endometriosis is very difficult to diagnose and treat as it typically grows back with a vegence if the surgery is not done correctly.
I felt great and pain-free for approximately 9 months after my first surgery, then the pain came back again full force, sending me in and out of the hospital. It wasn't until Christmas of 2015 where I spent my day in the ER hooked up to IV pain medication that I decided I needed to see another doctor for further exploration of my disease. So, in April 2016 I had my second laprascopic surgery. This time, my right ovary and fallopian tube had to be removed. And in addition to the lesions and adhesions of endometriosis present on my abdominal wall my right ovary was also 4 times the size of a normal ovary and polycystic. Again, I felt great and pain free for approximately 3 months post-surgery. Then, the pain returned, as well as all of the other unpleasant symptoms: diarrhea, constipation, back pain, bladder pain, frequent urination, fatigue, unbearable menstrual cycles. On my worst days I cannot get out of bed, much less go to work or perform normal daily activities. This disease and chronic pain has sucked the life out of me at only 25 years old.
Fortunatley though, I applied to the Center for Endometriosis Care in Atlanta, GA. A one-of-a-kind clinic for endometriosis patients much like myself. The surgeons at the CEC are some of the best in the world and use the most advanced and succesful techniques to prevent regrowth of endometriosis. They only take certain cases and choose to treat them, and I am so grateful to say that I was one of those patients. The plan is for me to have a third and FINAL surgery by Dr. Sinervo to remove any additonal hidden endometriosis and also perform a presacral neurectomy, cutting the nerves to my uterus to finally END my chronic pain. I have personally spoken to Dr. Sinervo and he gives me great hope that after reviewing my case files that he can really help me and put an end to this battle. Because of the nature of this facility, it is all out-of-network for health insurance, and although I have fairly decent coverage, I do not have enough to cover the expenses of the surgery, doctor, hospital and travel.
If you have never suffered chronic pain, I hope you never do. It is an awful, life-shattering ailment that makes you feel depressed, lifeless, and useless. And after 10 years of being told "it was all in my head" and that I just have "bad periods" and after having 3 of my organs removed I am ready to end this chapter of my life and move on to a normal, pain-free existence. Please, if you can help me in getting my life back. Even if you can just share my story to help some other woman who is suffering in silence. This type of chronic pain is NOT normal and it is NOT in our heads and there are solutions and I feel so blessed to have found mine, I just need a little help getting there.
Thank you eternally,
Brittany.
Organizer
Brittany Harrison
Organizer
Mount Olive, NJ