After 20 Years of Being Ignored by Doctors, a Woman Finally Gets Answers at 36

For 20 years, Jessica Wings was told by doctors that her pain was 'just anxiety' or that she was overreacting. The Washington woman had been suffering from severe pain since she got her first period at age 14. At 36, she finally learned the real reason for her suffering — and had surgery that changed her life.

Jessica's pain started before she even knew what a period was. She remembers lying on the floor, sweating and writhing in agony, thinking she might be dying. By the time her mom got home from work, the pain had faded — and a month later, she got her first period.

The pain during her periods was crushing and centered in her pelvis. It would spread to her back and thighs and was so intense that she sometimes blacked out. This happened because of something called a vasovagal episode, which is when the heart rate and blood pressure drop suddenly and a person briefly loses consciousness. She says the pain was worse than kidney stones, broken bones, and two serious accidents.

Over the next 20 years, the pain ruled her life. She had to cancel plans with friends and could not keep an in-person job. She was even fired from a job because she couldn't work during her periods. She became so afraid of having a pain episode in public that she rarely wanted to leave her home.

Doctors kept telling her nothing was wrong. They said she had a low pain tolerance and advised her to take ibuprofen. They also told her she did not have endometriosis, a condition where tissue that normally grows inside the uterus instead grows in other places in the body. Endometriosis affects more than 6 million women in the United States and can cause severe, long-lasting pain.

Two years ago, Jessica had a scan that came back 'unremarkable,' meaning doctors did not find anything unusual. A gynecologist offered to perform a hysterectomy — surgery to remove the uterus — to stop her periods, even without a clear diagnosis. But something felt off to Jessica, and she decided not to go ahead with that doctor.

Feeling hopeless, she stopped looking for answers for a while. But the pain didn't stop, and her frustration grew. She decided to search for doctors who had more experience treating women's health issues, especially endometriosis.

That search led her to Pacific Endometriosis and Pelvic Surgery in Gig Harbor, Washington. A specialist there performed a more detailed scan and right away saw that Jessica's uterus was enlarged and showed signs of adenomyosis — a condition where the inner lining of the uterus grows into the muscle wall around it. The doctor also found a uterine fibroid the size of a kiwi fruit.

Jessica was stunned that previous doctors had missed all of this. The specialist also suspected endometriosis because of how one of Jessica's ovaries appeared and because of tenderness in areas where the condition is commonly found. It was this doctor who told Jessica she had a high pain tolerance and must have been suffering greatly.

The doctor explained Jessica's options for treating adenomyosis. She could choose a procedure to cut the nerves sending pain signals from the uterus, or she could have a hysterectomy, which is considered the most effective treatment. The doctor also explained that excision surgery fully removes endometriosis tissue, which works better than ablation surgery that only burns the surface and can leave deeper disease behind.

Jessica spent about a year thinking it over and decided to have a hysterectomy and excision surgery in July. The surgeons removed her uterus and treated Stage 3 endometriosis found during the procedure. Jessica kept her ovaries, so her body still goes through hormonal cycles — but without a uterus, she no longer has periods or period pain.

Nine weeks after the operation, Jessica was 99 percent pain-free. She says the recovery from surgery was far easier than any of her worst period days. Today, she can leave the house without fear, keep plans with friends, and live her life on her own terms. 'At 36, I can finally focus on living my life,' she said.