Olivia Culpo says endometriosis "wreaked havoc" on her life.
Olivia Culpo has opened up about her battle with endometriosis
The 30-year-old model/reality TV star has opened up about her battle with the condition - which causes pain and fertility issues when tissue grows outside of the uterus - in a candid clip from her TV show 'The Culpo Sisters' after spending years struggling to get a diagnosis and treatment - admitting the doctors she saw made her feel as if she was "overreacting".
In the video posted on Instagram, she explained: "Endometriosis wreaked havoc on my life. It took years and years and years to finally get a diagnosis. I remember not being able to function. It was the type of pain that kept me in bed all day."
Olivia said she was told "pain is normal" and prescribed medication but nothing helped. She went on: "I was almost made to feel like I was making up my symptoms and overreacting. It was very painful physically and also emotionally, because my pain was never validated ...
"Being made to feel like my chronic pain was an overreaction was disheartening and confusing. Who was I to disagree with not one, not two, but many highly educated and well-intending doctors?"
She was eventually diagnosed with endometriosis and realised she needed surgery to help prevent possible fertility issues. Olivia went on: "After dozens of wrong turns, I finally landed on the truth, which was that I had severe endometriosis and needed surgery if there was any hope to salvage my reproductive organs. If it wasn’t for those who shared their stories on random blog posts, I never would have found the courage to keep advocating for myself."
She is currently dating 25-year-old NFL star Christian McCaffrey and admits she now worries about having children as her part is "not ready", adding it can be "very, very stressful" when thinking about the future.
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