Jessica’s story: After years of leg pain, Jessica found relief through excision surgery

Starting from high school, Jessica always had bad cramps. She thought she just had a “bad period” even though a lot of her periods would send her to the emergency room due to vomiting and heavy bleeding. The emergency room would often send her home telling her that she had a bad stomach virus. At age 21, her gynecologist diagnosed her with a cyst and upon doing a laparoscopy her doctor found endometriosis. The doctor removed the cyst, but it kept growing back, despite being on birth control. She just kept feeling sicker and sicker.

Luckily, Jessica’s doctor recognized that she was in over her head in treating her endometriosis. Her doctor referred Jessica to Dr. Seckin. Jessica had to travel by train for almost two hours to get to see Dr. Seckin. She stepped out of her comfort zone navigating the hustle and the bustle of NY. She was glad she did because she immediately felt at ease by Dr. Seckin and felt that he could help her. Throughout her life, Jessica encountered doctors who made her believe she was going crazy and weren’t able to diagnose her. Finally, Dr. Seckin had many answers for her, including the explanation that endometriosis can indeed cause leg pain and that excision surgery will help her.

On the day of the operation

Jessica drove into the city the day before her surgery and her and her parents checked into a hotel near the hospital. There she did her bowel prep and went to the hospital early the next morning for her operation. Jessica felt that almost immediately after surgery she could feel the pain in her legs disappear. She stayed overnight in the hospital and then went and stayed in a hotel for an extra night to avoid the long drive home for one other day.

Jessica has been pain-free for almost a year. She is currently preparing to do another operation with Dr. Seckin to clean up some additional endometriosis. Jessica stresses to live with endometriosis and all that comes with it you need a good team in your life consisting of excellent doctors and supportive family and friends. She is also grateful to have a supportive job and a boss who completely understands.

Jessica has had her days living with this disease that she felt so mentally and physically exhausted and felt defeated. She wants everyone to know it is okay to cry. She says:

“Keep telling yourself it is going to get better. It may take a while, but it does get better.”

She also feels she wouldn’t be the person she is today if she didn’t have endometriosis. It made her stronger and she views it as another obstacle she has to get through to make it to the finish line.

In terms of having Dr. Seckin as a doctor, Jessica completely believed in him the first time she walked through his office. She had “that feeling” about him. She feels that if she had a daughter one day she would want him to be her doctor.