Endometriosis In Profile: Brandy Nicole

For Endometriosis Awareness Month, I have put some questions to my endo sisters, and have invited them to share their journey here with you.

Meet Brandy Nicole:

How long have you been suffering?
I’ve been suffering for 12 years.

What does your pain feel like?
My pain feels like a white hot knife stabbing and twisting inside my pelvis and lower back. I always make the joke that it feels like I have a unicorn bucking around inside my pelvis…silly but you gotta make light of the situation somehow.

What have you tried in order to be pain-free or symptom-free?
At least 10 different birth control methods including various pills, patch, and nuva ring, otc pain relievers such as tylenol, motrin, and aleve, muscle relaxers such as flexeril, stronger rx pain relievers such as hydrocodone and oxycodone, stretching, breathing, heating pads, hot epsom salt baths, distraction (reading, movie watching, listening to music), lupron shot, and multiple surgeries.

Have you ever been discriminated against at school, the workplace or the public eye, just for being ill from Endometriosis?
I’ve had employers look down upon me for missing days of work during flares or having surgery. I’ve never been fired, but have come close. Luckily, while taking college courses I’ve had professors who have worked with me and have been understanding.

Do you have access to adequate health care?
I currently have adequate health care, but this is just recent. The past three years I went without insurance and lacked the funds to get proper treatment, therefore my endo definitely got worse.

Do you have an in-person support system (family, partner, friends, etc.)?
My mother is very supportive, but sometimes I don’t want to worry her or overwhelm her so I turn to a close knit group of friends who have been there for me for the past 5 years. I truly appreciate them. I’m lucky, a lot of people don’t have support.

What are your best coping mechanisms?
My best coping mechanism is knowing that I have no other choice but to cope. Life isn’t going to slow down because I have endometriosis, and I don’t have the resources to slow down myself. So when I think I cant do it, somehow I find the strength somewhere to keep going.

Anything else you’d like to say?
I feel its important to add that even though endo can be a strain on personal relationships, its not a reason for your partner to give up on you. If they do, then they arent who you think they are and you are better off with them gone.