![]() ![]() Everyone seemed to have different levels of pain and for different numbers of days. One day my middle school friends and I were chatting about all of our menstrual pains. Naturally, my friends were the next source of information. Unfortunately, my self-researched knowledge was never enough to answer all my questions. Whenever I heard my parents’ voice I would jump up from the ground and pretend to be looking at the spines of the various other library books. I never had the chance to fully read each book, but for many months I skimmed them from a back corner of the library’s teenage section. As I pretended to be looking at fiction books, I quickly absorbed all the information I could on puberty. I would nonchalantly grab one of the books and rest it open on a separate book shelf. After a few weeks of casually snooping, I found the shelf with books about teenage bodies and puberty. In middle school, my passion for science led me to do my own research at our local library on the pain that came with my period. Here is a short preview of the chapter regarding my journey trying to uncover a medical diagnosis for my pelvic and abdominal pain. In addition to synthesizing and sharing my journey on social media and my blog, I am in the process of writing a book about how childhood trauma has a direct impact on mental health, physical health, and relationships. confirmed in a study conducted in the early 2000s and published in 2018, the childhood trauma that one experiences in their early life is associated with an increased risk of endometriosis. Once I was diagnosed with endometriosis, I started reading studies about how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impacted my physical health. Additionally, I am currently undergoing IVF follicular stimulation with the goal to freeze embryos for when my husband and I complete our residency trainings in seven years. In the fall of 2020, I was finally able to be properly diagnosed with endometriosis with tubal occlusion through laparoscopic surgery. My past involves a complex childhood trauma history with racial discrimination whichprevented me from getting the resources and education to be previously diagnosed and cared for. My unique position as a medical student was a privilege that allowed me to advocate for myself in a way I had never had the confidence to do before. It wasn’t until I became a second year medical student that I acquired the knowledge and medical advantage that allowed me to stand up for my needs and get properly diagnosed through specialized medical care. My experience was a mix of medical gaslighting, misdiagnosis, and not taking me seriously for being a young Latina with minimal family support. Click here for the Spanish translation.Įven though I have experienced abdominal and pelvic pain since puberty, I have visited multiple physicians who were unable to properly diagnose me. Stephanie Moss has now translated her essay into Spanish, to ensure that her story is more accessible.
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