Teen Endo

By Trinity Lee and Teresa Lee

An easy guide for teenagers with endometriosis as told by a teen and her mom on their journey thus far.

 

After being on a turbulent journey with endometriosis for the past couple of years, the idea came to us to write a book targeted for teens and their caregivers.

All of the books we found had lots of great information and we learned a great amount from them, but they all had sections that we didn't care about or were very complex. Most of us do not have the time and patience to read hundreds of pages or look up medical terms and complicated words.

It is also hard to find a book written by an actual endometriosis patient and not a medical person. We always felt like the books that were out there had great information but were lacking a community feel and that daily life view.

 

Where were the tears, gross details, fear and anger?

We want this book to fit in well with the amazing endo community. Trinity wants other young girls to connect with her story and for it to have a conversation feel to it. This is the book we wish we had one year ago!

 

This book is for teens, school nurses, doctors, teachers and friends and family members of endo teens. More importantly, it's an easy and truthful guide that any young girl can pick up and understand, whether she is 12 or 20!

• Language: English
• Publisher: teresa lee
• Release date: Jan 18, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224180769

Trinity Lee

Trinity Lee is a senior in high school.  She has lived in Denver, Colorado and Dallas, Texas but has spent the majority of her childhood growing up in California.  She plans on attending college next year with interests in Political Science, U.S. History and Theater.  She has been active in the special needs community through specialized theater programs.  She also uses her knowledge of ASL to volunteer and advocate for the deaf community.  Her creative interests have been in the arts including acting, dancing, painting, and hair & makeup design. If you catch Trinity in the wild, she is most likely antiquing/thrifting and listening to The Smiths. Her favorite things to do are listening to music, reading, watching 80's movies, cuddling her cats, and hanging out with friends and family.

Book preview

Book Cover

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Teen Endo

An easy guide for teenagers with endometriosis as told by a teen and her mom on their journey thus far.

Trinity Lee

Teresa Lee

For all the teenage girls out there living with endometriosis.

Contents

Title Page

Dedication

Know Your Basic Female Body Parts

The Menstrual Cycle

What Is Endometriosis?

How Do You Know If You Have Endo?

The Effects of Endo On Your Life and Family

The Beginning

The Medical Industry and Women’s Health

I Think I Have Endo So What Can I Do About It?

Surgery

My Pre-op, Surgery, Post-surgery Flight Home

Endo Team

Money Talk

Not an Endo Girl But Want To Help?

My Year After Surgery

An Endo Mother’s Perspective

Dear Reader,

I wanted to quickly introduce myself.  I am a senior in high school and I only have one more semester until graduation. 

I love 80s movies, antiques, horror movies and books, thrift/vintage clothes shopping, music, and Disney pin collecting.

I have endometriosis and it is crazy how teens are often left out of the conversation.  I started an Instagram account called Teen Endo to help spread awareness and educate young girls.  My mom and I also kept noticing how we get asked the same questions or get the same comments over and over again.  I am hoping this book can reach and help young endometriosis girls with those questions! 

~Trinity

Disclaimer

The information contained in this book is intended to help readers gain information about their health.  It is not a substitute for medical treatment by a professional healthcare provider.

Every effort has been made by the authors to ensure that the information contained in this book was correct as of press time. The authors hereby disclaim and do not assume liability for any injury, loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, regardless of whether any errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. Readers are encouraged to verify any information contained in this book prior to taking any action on the information.

© Teresa Lee 2024. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

For rights and permissions, please contact:

Teresa Lee

[e-mail]

Follow Teen Endo on Instagram @ Teen_Endo

Introduction

After being on a turbulent journey with endometriosis for the past couple of years, the idea came to us to write a book targeted for teens and their caregivers.

All of the books we found had lots of great information and we learned a great amount from them, but they all had sections that we didn’t care about or were very complex.  Most of us don’t have the time and patience to read hundreds of pages or look up medical terms and complicated words.

It is also hard to find a book written by an actual endometriosis patient and not a medical person.  We always felt like the books that were out there had great information but were lacking a community feel and that daily life view.

You will notice that we don’t mention any specific doctor or other medical businesses that have treated Trinity.  We wanted this to be as truthful as possible without fear of angering anyone. Besides, at the end of the day, we are all on the same team.  We all want to bring more awareness about this disease and find a cure!

We want this book to fit in well with the amazing endo community.  Trinity wants other young girls to connect with her story and for it to have a conversation feel to it.  This is the book we wish we had one year ago.

This book is for school nurses, doctors, teachers and friends and family members of endo teens.  More importantly, it’s an easy and truthful guide that any young girl can pick up and understand, whether she is 12 or 20!

Know Your Basic Female Body Parts

Chapter 1

It is hard to understand any kind of disease and what it is doing to your body if you don’t know some of your basic body parts (organs).  Yet, in book after book it is assumed that young girls know this information.  The fact is that many teenagers do not know basic body parts and what each part does for them. 

Many schools no longer require or offer health or sex ed classes.  Many families and cultures do not talk about our bodies.  This lack of information is not good for any young person but for ones dealing with a disease it can be very harmful.  Many teenagers will turn to social media or the internet to get their information.  Just like any other topic - endometriosis information online can be good and some of it can be bad.

Here is a look at your female reproductive parts:

A diagram of uterus and ovaries Description automatically generated

Now let’s learn what each one does.  You will hear them over and over again when talking about endometriosis.

•    Ovaries - you have two ovaries and they are about the same shape and size as an almond.  They hold your eggs and produce estrogen (female sex hormone).

•     Fallopian Tubes - you have two fallopian tubes.  They act like connectors or passage ways from the ovaries to the uterus.

•     Uterus - it is commonly called the womb.  It is hollow and holds a baby during pregnancy.  Each month it develops a lining.

•     Cervix - it is sometimes called the entrance to the womb.  It acts like a gateway to the uterus.

•     Vagina - it is hollow and is the pathway for a baby to come out as well as other body fluids to pass.

Keep in mind there are more parts to your reproductive system but these are the basic ones. Also, keep in mind this system is very complex and these are simple definitions.

The Menstrual Cycle

Chapter 2

You have to know what your menstrual cycle is and what a normal cycle looks like in order to understand endometriosis.  Menstruation means having your period.

Most girls will get their first period between the age of 10 and 15.  The average age is 12.  Every girl’s body has its own schedule and that’s okay.

Your menstrual cycle can take anywhere from 21 to 45 days to complete a full loop or circle.  The average number of days is about 28 days.  You count the first day of your heavy flow as Day 1.

There are four phases in each cycle.  The length of each phase can be different between girls and can change as you age.

Follicular Phase - your ovaries already contain several hundred thousand undeveloped eggs at birth, but the eggs are not called into action until puberty. During this phase your ovaries are getting an egg ready.

Ovulation Phase - during this phase the ovaries release an egg into the fallopian tubes so it can travel to the uterus. Ovulation takes about one day.

Luteal Phase - during this phase your uterus is building up a lining and the egg is now inside the uterus.  If the egg does not get fertilized, then it dies. 

Menstruation - this is commonly called a period.  This is when the dead egg and the lining from the uterus leaves the body.  This is what appears to you as blood.

Diagram of stages of menstrual cycle Description automatically generated

What does a normal menstrual cycle look like?

Your periods may be erratic as an early teen.  This means one month you may have a 26 day cycle and the next a 38 day cycle.

Your periods should last anywhere from 2-7 days.  The average length of time is 3-4 days.

Your menstrual fluid can range in color from light red to brown.  Blood turns brown when it is exposed to air, which is why it looks more brown the longer it has been on a pad or clothing.

You should lose about 3 tablespoons of menstrual fluid over the length of your period.  That is the average but girls can range from about 1.5 tablespoons to almost 6 tablespoons.  Teens can have different flows each month.  A pad or tampon should last you several hours.  Most girls will need to change their pad or tampon 3-6 times per day.

It is common to have some cramping in your lower belly area during your period.  You can also have some back pain.  This pain usually is worse the first day and gets better each day.

Some girls can have other symptoms during their periods that make them feel unwell.  You may get light nausea