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She was in agony, facing near-constant pain as well as fatigue, cramping and nausea. But doctors couldn\u2019t explain why Bindi Irwin<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 the daughter of late The Crocodile Hunter star Steve Irwin \u2014 struggled to function even after she underwent MRIs, ultrasounds and CT scans. All the tests they gave her, for everything from cancer to tropical maladies to Lyme disease, \u201ccame back totally clear, fine and normal,\u201d she tells Life & Style<\/em> in an exclusive new interview, noting that some medical professionals even dismissed her complaints. \u201cFor 10 years, I had no idea what was wrong with me. And yet, as I got older, my pain increased.\u201d<\/p>\n Things were never worse than following the 2021 birth of daughter Grace Warrior, though. \u201cAfter I had her, it was a snowball,\u201d Bindi recalls. \u201cIt was like I was on fire inside.\u201d<\/p>\n When a friend publicly shared her own health journey with endometriosis<\/a> \u2014 a condition in which uterine tissue grows outside of the womb, causing intense pain and, for some, infertility \u2014 a light bulb finally went off.<\/p>\n \u201cI was reading it thinking this is the first time I\u2019ve ever heard about someone having symptoms so similar to mine,\u201d says Bindi, who would go on to be diagnosed with the same disorder, have 37 lesions surgically removed and discover there was a large cyst \u201ctaking over my ovary. It was very, very scary, but I\u2019m grateful to get to share my story. I believe everything happens for a reason.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Bindi, 25, talked to Life & Style<\/em> on May 3, while being honored at the Endometriosis Foundation of America\u2019s 12th annual Blossom Ball in NYC. The Big Apple is also where \u201cthe stars somehow aligned,\u201d she says, and Dr. Tamer Seckin<\/strong> \u2014 a world-renowned endo expert \u2014 was able to operate on the Australia-based wildlife conservationist in early 2023 during a pre-planned trip to visit family in the States. The only way to confirm an endometriosis diagnosis is through surgery.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fear that I had going into surgery was intense. I had no idea if I would wake up and they would tell me that I didn\u2019t have it and then I\u2019m back to zero,\u201d Bindi says, explaining how she thought her life would essentially be over if it turned out the pervasive disease wasn\u2019t the source of her misery. \u201cThere\u2019s an agonizing fear that there\u2019ll be no answers and you will have to stare down the barrel of a gun for the rest of your life.\u201d<\/p>\n But following her hours-long surgery, she finally learned it was endo. As she awakened in the recovery room, she recalled, Dr. Seckin asked her, \u201cHow did you live with this much pain?\u201d She\u2019s since said her health now is like \u201cnight and day. It\u2019s completely different. I am a new person.\u201d<\/p>\nBindi Irwin\u2019s Shock and Recovery<\/h2>\n
Bindi Is Staying Strong<\/h2>\n