At age 8, Jules Meadows had her first menstrual period. With it came excruciating pain no one could explain.
Her cycles were irregular, extremely heavy, and so painful that she often vomited or fainted.
Her grandmother knew something was wrong and took her to a pediatrician. The response: Irregular, painful cycles are common in young girls, so just give it time.
“But the pain got even worse with time,” Meadows said. “I had terrible cramping, and it spread to my abdomen. As I got older, I got headaches, and leg or hip pain so severe that I had limited mobility. I was lethargic and weak, and I was just a young girl in elementary school. I had no idea what was happening.”
She began to wonder: Is this what every woman goes through?
That question would eventually lead her to specialists at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health), where she would finally receive the diagnosis and treatment that changed her life.
“I couldn’t fathom living with this pain the rest of my life,” Meadows said. “I went to the pediatrician so many times. I know now that it’s due in part to how young I was then, but they just kept saying, ‘Give it time.’”
Years without answers
Young patients with severe menstrual pain are often prescribed birth control pills. But Meadows said no doctor was willing to prescribe them when she was 8.
“For a very long time, nothing at all was done for me except for over-the-counter medication,” she said.
Around age 12, she began taking birth control pills, but they brought no relief.
“I was told there are many kinds of birth control pills, and the doctor wanted to try multiple kinds,” she said. “Some do work, others cause additional adverse symptoms, but nothing helped me.”
Her condition worsened. She bled every day for nine months, developed anemia, and underwent testing for blood disorders.
“It was very traumatic,” she said. “It went on like this for about five years.”
A difficult adolescence
As Meadows entered her teens, her symptoms affected nearly every part of her life.
She missed school frequently, struggled in certain social situations, and could not participate in extracurricular activities or sports.
“It was just too hard,” she said. “A lot of my peers did not yet have their periods, and they didn’t know how to relate to me. For the most part, I was forced to accept the situation because it didn’t seem like there were any answers.”
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a chronic condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, often on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or other pelvic organs. It can cause severe pain, heavy bleeding, fatigue, and, in some cases, infertility. The condition is often underdiagnosed and can take years to identify, partly because symptoms vary widely and may be mistaken for typical menstrual pain.
Searching for relief
At 17, Meadows saw some improvement after receiving an intrauterine device, or IUD, from a pediatric gynecologist. The device helped control her bleeding but not her pain. She still did not have a diagnosis.
Eventually, she stopped searching for answers.
“I had done some research on endometriosis, and I thought I might have it,” she said. “I read that in order to get a definitive diagnosis, you have to have surgery.”
Then, a social media video about endometriosis changed her perspective. She saw it and something clicked.
“I was pretty sure I did have endometriosis,” she said.
A turning point
In October 2024, Meadows went to the emergency room with symptoms resembling appendicitis. Imaging revealed an endometrioma, a type of cyst linked to endometriosis, on her right ovary.
“That was a miracle,” she said.
Endometriosis is notoriously difficult to detect through imaging, and many cases go unrecognized.
She was referred to a gynecologist at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health), who suspected endometriosis and ordered additional imaging. She was later referred to Dr. Emily Sendukas, a specialist in the condition.
Diagnosis and treatment
Meadows underwent two surgeries, including a full excision procedure in December 2025.
“All my lesions were removed, whether visible or microscopic, and she removed the scar tissue from my abdomen,” she said. “She cleaned everything up on the inside. It turns out, I had Stage 4 deep-infiltrating endometriosis.”
Now 23, and working toward a master’s degree in public health, Meadows said her life has dramatically improved.
“There’s a huge difference,” she said. “Through surgery, hormone replacement therapy, and hormonal contraceptives, my symptoms are suppressed. There’s been a drastic improvement in bleeding and pain, and it’s been a huge mental load off me.”
After years without answers, she said, the diagnosis brought validation.
“I wasn’t crazy,” she said. “Something was really very wrong with me.”
Looking ahead
Meadows said her care team prioritized preserving her fertility, though she may face challenges in the future.
“It’s a shock to hear you might need treatments like in vitro fertilization,” she said. “But I believe my care team can help me explore options if I decide to have children.”
Raising awareness
Meadows now encourages others experiencing severe symptoms to document the symptoms, seek medical care, and ask about endometriosis.
“You get into a mindset of not being able to take this pain anymore,” she said. “Getting a diagnosis and being believed opened me to the possibility of living my future.”
She emphasized the importance of being heard.
“It’s not just me being dramatic,” she said. “It’s very underdiagnosed, and there are doctors who will make you think it’s not that bad. But it was that bad.”
Talking openly about menstrual health, however, remains difficult.
“It’s hard to have these conversations at work,” said Meadows, who had to explain frequent absences and surgeries to co-workers and supervisors. “Endometriosis impacts every part of your life.”
Still, she continues to share her story.
“It’s been a very long journey, but things are finally better,” she said. “I want to talk about it so that I can help other people.”