Most women experience pain during their periods. We’ve come to expect and accept it as normal. Just like us, Marsai Martin, the Black-ish star experienced pain during her periods but hers was on another level. An excruciating one that usually ended with her projectile vomiting and yet, she still truly believed that was normal. When she was 14 she found out she had an ovarian cyst the size of a grapefruit that was adding to her pain. She was also told that most cysts go away on their own and so for 4 years she did nothing. Martin, 18, had endured years of crippling menstrual agony before realizing that it was too much. She decided to undergo surgery to remove the grape-sized cyst. The actress urges young ladies to be aware of the prevalent but uncomfortable ailment.
Here are 7 things we learnt from her harrowing journey:
- Pain isn’t normal. If your menstrual cramps hurt so much you can’t move for days, there’s a problem. You owe it to yourself to speak up about your pain.
- Deciding to see your doctor because you are in pain doesn’t make you weak.
- Pain medication helps and is advised but if you don’t notice a lasting effect, see your gynaecologist.
- You can survive for years with an ovarian cyst but you don’t have to.
- Ovarian cysts are common in women with regular periods and seeing symptoms are rare. What this means is you could have an ovarian cyst and not know.
- Everyone’s body is different. Just because you don’t suffer from painful periods doesn’t mean your sister, mum or friend doesn’t as well.
- The hormone changes and inflammation that occur when you’re on your cycle may affect cysts, which could cause you more pain.