“The Bachelor” Contestant Lexi Young Opens Up About Endometriosis Diagnosis: 'My Pain Was Validated'
"I have been suffering for over a decade, turned away from doctors and finally had the answer to what was going on with my body," Young said on TikTok
Disney/Richard Middlesworth
Lexi YoungThe Bachelor contestant Lexi Young is bravely opening up about her journey with endometriosis.
During a one-on-one date with this season's bachelor Joey Graziadei in Malta on Monday's episode, Young, 30, took the opportunity to share more about her diagnosis, a topic she's been vocal about on social media.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, endometriosis is a condition in which endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus. It affects up to 10% of women between the ages of 15 and 44.
Young revealed to Graziadei how her journey with endometriosis began at a young age, highlighted by painful periods that persisted through high school and college.
In a TikTok video preceding the episode, she elaborated, expressing her frustration with unsuccessful treatments, including medication and birth control pills prescribed at a young age.
Disney/John Fleenor
Joey Graziadei and Lexi Young"After college, I moved out to San Francisco, and my symptoms escalated," she disclosed. "I reached a point where I would faint at work due to the intensity of the pain. It became impossible to fulfill my job duties, and I found myself attending multiple doctor appointments weekly in search of answers."
Young's journey took another turn as she recounted being diagnosed with unfamiliar conditions and being dismissed, only to be told her pain was psychological and rooted in anxiety and depression.
"All of this made me feel invalidated and led me to doubt the reality of my pain," she added.
After relocating to New York City to be closer to her family, the Bachelor contestant faced a worsening of her symptoms. "I was rushed to the emergency room multiple times while working at the GAP headquarters in NY. I was losing a lot of blood. I had really bad abdominal distention,” she recounted.
Just when she was about to lose hope, she met with a doctor at New York University who changed her life.
“This surgeon truly changed my life, and I am so grateful. She listened to me and validated that my pain is 100% real, and she had a strong hunch that I had endo," Young explained. "Endometriosis cannot be diagnosed through an MRI, x-ray, CT scan or any lab tests. It has to be diagnosed through a laparoscopic surgery. These surgeries are usually quite expensive and are primarily diagnostic."
After undergoing an MRI that revealed thickening of uterine ligaments, she proceeded with surgery to remove the root of the endometriosis.
The reality star added, “It was the most emotional, validating day I’ve ever had. When the doctor walked into the room, she told me that I had stage IV deep infiltrating endometriosis all over my pelvic cavity, and it had even spread to other organs. I finally felt like my pain was validated. I have been suffering for over a decade, turned away from doctors and finally had the answer to what was going on with my body.”
Disney/John Fleenor
Lexi Young and Joey GraziadeiDespite the surgery, Young revealed that she still experiences flares every week. She is also learning to navigate how endometriosis will affect her future, including her plans to have children.
Following Monday's episode, she took to Instagram to express her gratitude for the opportunity to share her story on TV, hoping to inspire other women and let them know they aren't alone in their endometriosis journey.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Young wrote, "Tonight’s episode has been hard to watch back after everything I have been through, but it has also allowed me to reflect on just how far I’ve come. I knew that if I could help even one woman out there suffering from endometriosis or infertility, it would make me feel like in some small way that my pain and suffering was worth it."
"I want to thank each and every one of you for the outpouring of messages and support I have received," she added. "I cannot even put into words how much it means to me to get the opportunity to share my story on this platform, but I am beyond grateful for the support of my family and friends, as well as the kindness and understanding shown to me by Joey, the producers and @bachelorabc for allowing endometriosis, an invisible illness, to finally be seen."
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
