It Took 14 Years to Get Diagnosed with Endometriosis, and She Now Uses Nutrition to Manage Her Pain

It took nearly 14 years for Bailey Ruckus, known as Chef Bai, to receive an endometriosis diagnosis. During those years, she experienced extreme pain, constant gaslighting, and mental health struggles.

As a professional chef, cookbook author, and advocate for women’s health, Bailey has used her experience to raise awareness and share her story about how an endometriosis diet and self-advocacy transformed her life. 

“I was in agonizing pain. I was bleeding so much. I was literally screaming.”

Early Onset and Misdiagnosis: A Long Road to Finding Answers

Bailey’s journey with endometriosis and diet started at a young age, with her first period at just 11 years old. The pain was so unbearable that Bailey thought she was dying. “I was in agonizing pain. I was bleeding so much. I was literally screaming,” she recalls. Yet, her pain was brushed off as a normal part of womanhood.

From there, Bailey was prescribed birth control for endometriosis while still in elementary school, which seemed to push puberty into overdrive. “Before you knew it, I was the only girl in my seventh, sixth-grade class that had boobs,” she says. 

Bailey Ruckus when she was a young girl. Her endometriosis journey started when she was only 11 years old and first put on birth control to manage severe period pain.

Despite the pain, Bailey’s symptoms were dismissed by medical professionals, and she spent years trying different hormonal treatments in hopes of alleviating her pain. “I’ve literally been on every birth control you can imagine,” she adds, “and it made high school a nightmare for me.”

As her symptoms worsened, Bailey’s mental health also deteriorated, with depression and anxiety becoming part of her daily life. She reflects, “The mental health aspect was one of the worst things. My hormone dysregulation and endometriosis made things even worse.” 

The Struggles of Gaslighting and Misdiagnosis

Bailey’s path to an official diagnosis was a 14-year journey filled with doctor’s appointments, misdiagnoses, and repeated dismissal of her pain. “Every single time I’ve been to the hospital, I’ve been given nothing but pain medicine and told I’m being dramatic,” she explains. The situation worsened when a doctor mistakenly diagnosed her with meningitis and performed an unneeded spinal tap.

“It’s probably all in your head. Everyone has period pains."

Bailey endured unnecessary procedures and permanent nerve damage, all because the medical professionals she encountered dismissed her symptoms as "just period pain." “It’s probably all in your head. Everyone has period pains,” she says, recalling how she was often told her pain wasn’t real.

Finally, at the age of 25, after years of seeking answers, Bailey was officially diagnosed with endometriosis. “It took me 14 years to get a diagnosis,” she says, but it was the beginning of her road to healing and hope.

Her Endometriosis Excision Surgery and Recovery

After years of being told her symptoms were "in her head" and being dismissed by doctors, she finally received a diagnosis and underwent excision surgery to treat her endometriosis.

Despite the surgery being a turning point in her journey, Bailey recalls the aftermath as being extremely difficult. She woke up from the procedure in significant pain, with complications that left her unable to get out of bed for several weeks.

“I woke up from the surgery screaming in pain. They knocked me out again,” Bailey says, reflecting the severity of the situation. The recovery was long, and she only began to feel some relief months later.

Though the surgery was intended to address her endometriosis, Bailey felt the care she received was far from ideal, with doctors failing to provide proper aftercare. “I was told everything was fine and that I should be walking in four days,” she explains. “I couldn’t get up and do anything for three weeks.”

Overcoming Trauma and the Power of an Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Endometriosis

Bailey’s healing process began when she decided to take control of her health. The turning point came when she embraced a new lifestyle focused on nutrition for endometriosis. 

“I made the radical choice to go vegan,” Bailey explains. “I changed everything—my food, home products, haircare, makeup, and more. This wasn’t just about my endometriosis; it was about healing my entire body.”

One of the biggest changes Bailey made was eliminating dairy, which she says can be part of an anti-inflammatory diet for endometriosis. “Dairy is so high in estrogen, and it really aggravated my symptoms. Once

I gave it up, I saw a profound change in my body,” she shares. Her acne cleared up, she experienced less bloating, and her mental health improved.

In addition to cutting dairy, Bailey embraced a diet filled with plant-based foods, eliminating processed foods, refined sugar, and gluten. “The best diet for endometriosis for me was plant-based,” she notes. “I also avoid gluten because it aggravates my symptoms, as many women with endometriosis report.”

Nutrition, Nightmares and Finding Support for Endometriosis

Bailey’s focus on nutrition, particularly an anti-inflammatory diet for endometriosis, aligns with expert advice from Harvard Health Publishing, which recommends incorporating anti-inflammatory foods such as tomatoes, olive oil, leafy greens like spinach and kale, fatty fish like salmon, and fruits such as strawberries and blueberries to help reduce inflammation and manage chronic symptoms.

She suggests starting with simple dietary changes, such as eliminating gluten and dairy. “Giving up dairy was life-changing for me,” Bailey recalls. “But making these changes takes time. You have to be patient.”

In addition to maintaining a balanced, nutrient-rich diet, Bailey encourages women to be mindful of what they consume at different points during their cycle. “During ovulation, eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables to help balance your hormones,” she advises. “During your luteal phase, make sure you’re getting enough protein to support your body’s energy needs.”

Bailey also stresses the importance of sleep and stress management. “If you’re stressed, it’s going to make everything worse,” she says. “Endometriosis symptoms are aggravated by stress, so it’s important to find ways to manage it.”

Research has shown that sleep disorders are prevalent among women with endometriosis, with a study by Chaichian et al. (2024) revealing that these patients have significantly poorer sleep quality compared to those without the condition. The study found that sleep disturbances, especially in women experiencing pelvic pain, have a major impact on their overall quality of life, underlining the importance of addressing sleep issues as part of comprehensive endometriosis care.

For Bailey, adjusting her lifestyle also helped relieve some of her endometriosis symptoms. "I stopped having nightmares, which for me was just like a revelation to wake up just peaceful, which I had never experienced in my life." 

She adds, "Endometriosis caused so many issues I didn’t realize were related. Severe night terrors were one of them. Once I changed my lifestyle, my diet, and how my hormones were fluctuating, I stopped having nightmares. It was a revelation to wake up peacefully, something I had never experienced before.”

According to Bailey, within six months of changing her lifestyle, she was able to stop taking painkillers and hormone replacements, clear up her acne, and eliminate her nightmares.

“You need one person who will support you and advocate for your health."

Bailey recommends getting enough rest, using stress-reducing techniques like meditation or yoga, and having a strong support system. For Bailey, her husband became a key advocate in her journey. “You need one person who will support you and advocate for your health,” she says.

The Road Ahead: Ongoing Healing and Self-Advocacy

While Bailey has made significant progress in managing her endometriosis, she still faces challenges. Recently, she discovered she has fibroids, which have caused new symptoms. However, despite these setbacks, Bailey remains optimistic. “I’m doing much better than I was before, but I still have to manage my symptoms,” she says.

"Trust your body, trust your instincts, and don’t let anyone dismiss your pain.”

To help those interested in a plant-based diet, Bailey recently authored a cookbook, "Breaking Up With Dairy," which features simple recipes with dairy alternatives.

She continues to advocate for herself, encouraging others to take control of their health. “Self-advocacy is the most important tool you have,” Bailey says. “Trust your body, trust your instincts, and don’t let anyone dismiss your pain.”

Her advice to those struggling with endometriosis? “Start with small changes, give your body time to heal, and trust the process.”