Bindi Irwin has opened up about being "given a second chance at life" after her recent diagnosis.
In a new interview with PEOPLE, the 25-year-old revealed the difficulties of suffering in silence after experiencing debilitating health symptoms, including abdominal pain and nausea, that were initially dismissed by doctors.
"I was tested for everything," Irwin told the outlet in this week’s cover issue. "Every tropical disease, Lyme disease, cancer, you name it. I had every blood test and scan imaginable."
"It’s so hard because you feel like it’s inescapable," she continued. "You don’t know what’s wrong with you, and then when people tell you 'It’s all in your head' or 'you’re hormonal' or 'just have a cup of tea, lay down,' you end up feeling so desperately alone because there’s no answers."
Irwin has spent the last decade suffering from endometriosis, which is a condition characterized by the presence of tissue resembling endometrium (the uterine lining) outside of the uterus. It causes a chronic inflammatory reaction that can result in the formation of scar tissue within the pelvis as well as other parts of the body.
The World Health Organization adds that physical symptoms of the condition can include a combination of painful periods, chronic pelvic pain, painful bowel movements, and in many cases, infertility. Mental health symptoms include depression or anxiety which can affect the general quality of one's life.
The star admitted to the outlet that she was starting to lose hope, but a moment last year that saw her in an immense amount of pain changed everything.
"I was so scared that they wouldn’t find anything because we had run out of everything else to test for," she called. "After years of doctors and various people telling you there’s nothing, you really start to believe it. You wind up in this strange space of self-doubt, fear, and insecurity. That’s hard to overcome."
However, after undergoing a laparoscopy, medical professionals finally had some answers to give the mom-of-one.
Irwin was diagnosed with endometriosis - with the procedure seeing the removal of 37 lesions as well as a cyst on her ovary which were eventually removed.
Now, she's on the path to recovery.
"...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," she said before adding: "I feel like I have a second chance at life."
Taking to Instagram back in March, the Animal Planet star updated her followers about her journey to her diagnosis via a lengthy post.
Alongside a picture of her lying in a hospital bed wearing a gown, she delved into the details of the past few months emphasizing the importance of raising awareness about endometriosis and the effect it can have on women's lives especially when doctors don't take it seriously.
"I’m aware of millions of women struggling with a similar story," she wrote in part of the emotional post. "There’s stigma around this awful disease. I’m sharing my story for anyone who reads this & is quietly dealing with pain & no answers.
"Let this be your validation that your pain is real & you deserve help. Keep searching for answers," she concluded.
