How I Was Diagnosed with Endometriosis at 11

Nothing like having your pain dismissed for three years just because of your age.

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I’ll admit, that title is slightly misleading.

I was actually diagnosed with endometriosis when I was 14 years old, but we now know that it began when I was 11. Let me explain.

11-year-old Leslie, probably wearing three layers of undergarments under that sweet skirt and denim vest

Onset of symptoms

The symptoms began when I was 11 years old. I was having horrible pain around my abdomen and terrible headaches, and I’d begun menstruating and bleeding heavily.

The idea of using tampons at that age was dismissed, so I was constantly wearing overnight pads and carrying an extra pair of underwear and pants (or two) in my backpack because I always knew bleedthrough was inevitable.

So every morning I would go through my backpack to make sure I had everything I needed for the day:

Textbooks? Check.

Pens and pencils? Check.

Lunchbox or lunch money? Check.

Gym clothes? Check.

A couple more outfits so I can do an…