Bindi Irwin reflects on how far she has come in her endometriosis journey.
In a recent interview with Good morning Americathe God! It’s the Irwins star has been open about how much her health has improved since undergoing surgery for endometriosis, a reproductive condition in which uterine tissue grows outside the uterus, causing cramping and chronic pain.
“It’s been a long journey,” Irwin, 25, said as she began to cry. “It’s been ten long years.”
“When I first came out of surgery, the first thing he said to me was, ‘How did you live with so much pain?’ And that confirmation meant a lot to me,” she told the newspaper.
Irwin recalled being a teenager when she started feeling tired, cramping and nauseous. However, after visiting many doctors, she was never given an explanation of what was causing her symptoms and her pain was often dismissed.
“I’ve been tested for cancer, I’ve had an MRI, an ultrasound, a CT scan, whatever. They checked everything on me and the scariest thing was that there was no answer.”
Irwin — daughter of the deceased Crocodile hunter star Steve Irwin — spent years in pain. During that time, the Animal Planet star married husband Chandler Powell and had a daughter, Grace.
Bindi Irwin says doctors dismissed her pain before endometriosis diagnosis: ‘It’s all in your head’ (Exclusive)
Bindi Irwin/instagram
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
She admitted that during her pregnancy, her “severe unexplained pain” led her to believe she was having a miscarriage. “We are so lucky to have Grace. “So many women can’t get pregnant because of endometriosis,” she added.
Fortunately, Irwin finally underwent surgery to confirm her endometriosis diagnosis earlier this year.
“My health is night and day now,” she admitted. “It took some time to recover because it was such an extensive operation. They removed 37 lesions and now I am a completely new person.”
She continued: “I can actually go for a walk with my family. I can do conservation work. I can finally be with our daughter. I can run around with her, play with her, have fun and enjoy her joy.”
Irwin said she hopes other women find comfort in her story and can get the care they need.
“Maybe my story resonates,” she said. “Maybe if you’ve been through undiagnosed, excruciating pain, you’ll be able to say, ‘Hey, that girl has symptoms similar to mine. Maybe that’s what’s wrong with me.'”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education