By Shania Obrien For Daily Mail Australia
01:04 29 Oct 2023, updated 01:11 29 Oct 2023
Alicia Garrigos endured eight years of excruciating pain and mysterious symptoms before finally receiving a diagnosis for the cause of her suffering.
At the age of 16, Alicia, a swim teacher from Melbourne, began experiencing unexplained fatigue, acid reflux, and severe pain.
In an interview with FEMAIL, Alicia, now 20, revealed that numerous health professionals dismissed her symptoms, suggesting that she simply needed to exercise more and change her diet to manage her heavy periods.
It wasn’t until later that Alicia discovered her symptoms were caused by endometriosis, a condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of it, resulting in severe pain.
‘Going through all of that alone was extremely difficult,’ she said. ‘I experienced anxiety and depression. I felt like I was going crazy and that it was all in my head. There were days when I couldn’t even walk.’
Alicia’s classmates often belittled her pain, thinking she was being dramatic. However, during a surgical procedure, a surgeon found lesions on her ovaries and abdominal wall, confirming her condition.
Alicia experienced her first period at the age of 12, which was accompanied by significant pain and cramps. At 16, her general practitioner put her on various forms of birth control, but her symptoms persisted.
‘The doctors seemed obsessed with attributing my heavy period to my weight,’ she explained. ‘They suggested changes in my diet and more exercise. They didn’t consider that my iron levels were low due to excessive bleeding.’
Alicia continued, ‘Now that I’m on two contraceptives and no longer have a period, my iron levels are normal.’
The first gynecologist Alicia visited, when she was 18, attempted to dismiss her symptoms, claiming she was too young to have any serious issues and that birth control would solve her problems.
‘He barely asked me any questions, it felt like he just wanted to get me out the door and wasn’t interested in my pain. It was hurtful considering that I was paying so much to see him,’ Alicia shared.
However, Alicia knew he was wrong. Her period was extremely heavy, causing her to bleed through everything, and she also experienced intense sciatic nerve pain that made it difficult for her to walk.
