In this video from Boldly, Laura shares what it’s like to live with endometriosis. Diagnosed in 2012 when she was a senior in college, Laura had been experiencing symptoms for years and was repeatedly told that it was just painful periods.

MORE: Seven of the most common endometriosis symptoms

Laura talks about the profound effect endometriosis has on her life, often rendering her unable to do her job writing at a desk due to the extreme pain. She explains that there is no cure for endometriosis and even surgery can only give relief for a short period of time.

As well as living in almost constant pain, Laura talks about how it’s impacted her relationships and how difficult it is to enter into a relationship knowing that there will be many instances when you won’t be able to have sex because of the disease. In addition, if your relationship becomes serious, there is a chance that you might be infertile.

MORE: Tips for dealing with endometriosis pain during sex

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