Endometriosis ☹ I've always had painful periods ever since I hit puberty, but my mother always told me that it was normal. The older I got, the worse my periods got. By my senior year of high school, I had to call in sick on the first day of my period every month because I would be vomiting and in too much pain to stand up straight.

I got on birth control for a year, which helped my pain, but had to stop because I was losing hair, losing my sex drive (as a 20-year-old newlywed), and developing symptoms that my doctor said were leading to blood clots in my legs.

Within the past 6 months, Ive been having severe nausea, bloating, pain in my abdomen while using the bathroom, sharp pain during sex, and pains around my bellybutton and in my lower back. I experience all this when I'm not on my period, but it gets so much worse while I'm menstruating. I've finally had enough, and decided to call my doctor/GYN. She can't get me into her office until the 30th. Please wish me luck! And if this sounds like Endo to any of you, advice would be appreciated!