Bindi Irwin shares major health update on condition that left her with ‘inescapable’ pain for ten years
BINDI Irwin shared a major health update on the condition that left her with “inescapable” pain for over a decade.
The 25-year-old wildlife warrior opened up on her battle with endometriosis and says she now finally has a “second chance at life”.
Bindi endured more than ten years of extreme fatigue, pain, and nausea before being given her diagnosis last year.
Endometriosis is a long-term condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside the uterus, in other places such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
The debilitating condition can cause symptoms including painful periods, heavy bleeding, and in some cases, infertility.
Bindi went public with her diagnosis in March after undergoing surgery and has now spoken out about her journey to discovering just what was causing her so much pain for over ten years.
“Every tropical disease, Lyme disease, cancer, you name it. I had every blood test and scan imaginable,” she told People.
“It’s so hard because you feel like it’s inescapable,” she said.
The mum-of-one revealed how people would often dismiss her symptoms and tell her “It’s all in your head”, or “You’re hormonal”.
“You end up feeling so desperately alone because there’s no answers,” she added.
Last August, Bindi underwent a laparoscopy – a keyhole surgery to look inside the abdomen and pelvis.
“I was so scared that they wouldn’t find anything because we had run out of everything else to test for,” she said.
The brave mum finally got her answers after a decade-long stretch, when doctors found 37 cysts on her ovaries following the surgery.
She then received her endometriosis diagnosis and following specialized treatment and surgery, the wildlife conservationist said she feels “like I have a second chance at life… I feel brand new”.
“It’s not like a light switch, but every week I feel like I’m able to do a little bit more,” she said.
“Now I wake up in the morning, and I don’t have to take anti-nausea medicine or have my heat pack.
“Being able to go for a walk with my daughter and not feeling like I have to throw up in the bushes is just wild to me.”
On Thursday morning, Bindi announced the People interview on her Instagram story, sharing a message directly to her followers.
“I have read thousands and thousands of comments from you, the lovely individuals following me here,” she said.
“You have shared your pain while battling with endometriosis-related health problems.
“My heart breaks for every person who is living in agony from this disease.”
Bindi said she was sharing her own health story in the hopes that followers might “find reassurance that you’re not alone”.
“Sometimes this disease feels impossible to overcome, and I’m so sorry if you haven’t been able to get the medical help you need,” she continued.
“Please keep searching for answers. You are so strong and loved and worthy of real, genuine help.”
Bindi and her husband Chandler Powell announced she was pregnant with their first child in August 2020.
“Baby Wildlife Warrior due 2021. Chandler and I are proud to announce that we’re expecting!,” Bindi wrote in an Instagram post.
“It’s an honour to share this special moment in our lives with you. Though I’m still in my first trimester, we really want you to be part of our journey from the beginning of this new life chapter.
“We couldn’t wait to share the news as this beautiful little being has become the most important part of our lives. Your support means the world to us.”
Following the news of the pregnancy, Bindi’s mum Terri said Bindi’s late father Steve “would be beyond proud” of her for the birth of her daughter Grace Warrior.
Bindi was just eight years old when her famous croc hunter dad tragically lost his life after suffering a stingray injury to his heart.
The wildlife expert’s shock death rocked fans across the globe in 2006, with Steve also dad to 19-year-old Robert.