Black-ish alum Marsai Martin, 18, struggled with debilitating period pain for years before seeking medical attention. Four years after a doctor diagnosed her with an ovarian cyst the size of a small grapefruit, Marsai had surgery to remove it and relieve the pain. Here’s what the actress wants young women to know about the common but painful condition.
In December of 2022, I opened up my Instagram account and went “live” to share a difficult and scary health experience. I had been diagnosed with an ovarian cyst four years earlier, and finally, at 18, I decided to have a surgery to remove it and relieve the pain I was experiencing. At the time, I couldn’t find any information from people who had been going through the same thing.
I’m now 18 years old—I look things up on blogs and I like to hear from other women about their experiences. But there was nothing online. I couldn’t find a lot of information about ovarian cysts, or first person accounts from people I could relate to.
I was scared after receiving my diagnosis. As a young Black woman, I wanted to hear from women who looked like me that I was going to be okay. Roughly one in 10 women experience ovarian cysts, but they’re usually benign, don’t cause pain, and often go away on their own, per Cedars-Sinai.
Women of color often face even more hurdles when it comes to their reproductive health–whether that’s a maternal mortality rate that is three times higher than white women in the US, or the fact they’re 1.5 times more likely to die from cervical cancer.
Eventually, I came to realize that I could be that voice for people and fill that void. That’s why I spoke out on Instagram.
I wanted to share my experience so that other women wouldn’t suffer in silence. Before my diagnosis, I thought the crippling period pain and severe nausea I went through each month during my cycle was normal. So, I resisted going to the ER for my period pain for years.
And if I hadn’t sought out help, I probably would have continued trying to tough it out. I would have continued to go through intense, debilitating pain every month during my period.
I got my first period when I was 11.
But my symptoms got really bad when I turned 14. Every month, on the first day of my cycle, I would have excruciating pain and nausea. It affected my work, my social life—everything. I was so sick, I couldn’t leave the house. This usually lasted for a few days.
I always got confused when I’d be out with my friends and they’d share that they were on their periods. It surprised me that they could be out living a normal life at that time. I knew my mom also had painful periods, and she even warned me that I might experience the same thing. So, I just assumed this was how periods were supposed to feel.
At 17, I learned that a grapefruit-sized ovarian cyst was contributing to my painful periods.
But one day, when I was 17, I just couldn’t take it anymore. I had extreme cramps and I was so nauseous, I wasn’t able to eat or drink. It felt like I couldn’t move. The slightest sip of water would make me projectile vomit. I had lower back pain, dizziness, migraines, and tender breasts, and on top of that. The pain had been constant from the moment I woke up, and it was so unbearable that I finally went to the ER around 8 p.m.
The doctors said I was dehydrated and gave me fluids. After taking an ultrasound, they told me that I had a very large ovarian cyst that was likely causing the pain.
An ovarian cyst is a fluid-filled sac that forms within or on an ovary, often during ovulation. They can also occur if you have hormone problems, endometriosis, or if you’re pregnant, the Mayo Clinic says.
I already knew I had a cyst because I’d had a scan four years earlier showing a cyst that was 9.5 centimeters in diameter–my doctor later compared it to the size of a small grapefruit. When my large cyst was first found, I was told that it would likely be absorbed, dissolve, or resolve itself. I didn’t know it was one of the sources of my intense period pain until I went to the ER years later.
Large cysts, like mine, can either be surgically removed or they can eventually rupture on their own, which can cause sudden, intense pain. While ruptures usually aren’t dangerous, they can, in some cases, cause internal bleeding that require medical attention, per John’s Hopkins. And while most ovarian cysts disappear without treatment, mine clearly hadn’t.
My primary care physician referred me to a gynecologist, which was a new experience for me. Up until that point, my pediatrician had been adequate for my health needs.
Despite everything, I was relieved to hear that what I was going through wasn’t normal. It wasn’t clear why I was only having pain on my period, but there is some evidence to suggest that hormone changes and inflammation on your cycle may affect cysts.
This wasn’t the first time I’d spoken to a doctor about my painful periods.
While I’d never been to a gynecologist, I had spoken to my general doctor before about my cramps. She just recommended that I take over-the-counter pain-relievers like Aleve and naproxen to try to help me feel better. The medication worked for a while, but my pain eventually progressed to the point where anything that went down–water, food, medication–would come back up. My family kept asking if I wanted to go to the ER, and I always said no.
I had my first gynecologist appointment the same week that I went to the ER, and I felt a little weird about the whole thing. I had to talk to someone—a doctor—I’d never even met before about my body. I didn’t really know how to react or respond.
At the second appointment, she mentioned that I could either take birth control pills to see if they would help the cyst shrink and manage my painful periods, or I could have laparoscopic surgery (which is an operation where small incisions are made and the procedure is guided with the help of a camera) to remove the cyst.
I decided to have the cyst surgically removed.
I spent about two weeks trying to decide what to do and, despite being incredibly nervous about surgery (it would be the first time ever going under anesthesia), I decided to go for it.
The cyst had been the same size for years now, and my new gynecologist said that birth control pills likely wouldn’t make the cyst shrink. I’d still be in pain. Ultimately, the gynecologist recommended the surgical route.
It was September 2022, and I was 18 at that point. We scheduled the surgery for December. I was so scared in the weeks leading up–it was the only thing I could think about. I have major anxiety, and I didn’t know how my body would react to the surgery and anesthesia. I’d never even been in a hospital for longer than a few hours. But as I waited for my surgery date, I still got my period each month. And despite my fears, every month I just kept thinking, “I can’t wait for this pain to be over.”
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I was so glad I had the surgery, and I wanted to share my story.
Surgery and recovery went pretty smoothly. Back at home that same day, I was uncomfortable and gassy from the surgery (carbon dioxide gas is put into your body for laparoscopic surgery, and it can be uncomfortable while your body works to remove the gas afterward). Every movement I made hurt, I couldn’t sleep on my side, and I had piercing pain when I used the bathroom.
After a few days, I started moving around more, and that helped. But it was still a good week-and-a-half until I was back to myself again. Still, I was so glad I’d had the surgery.
These days, my cycles are way better. They’re not perfect, and I still have mild cramps, but medication helps now. The first day of my period used to be unbearable, but now I can still live my normal life without debilitating pain.
After I went “Live” on Instagram, I received a ton of responses from women and girls who had gone through the same thing as I had, or experienced similar symptoms. Some blogs even reposted my story. Major outlets covered my story, and people tweeted their reactions.
I hope my story will encourage other women to not accept a life of pain, to get a second opinion. Pain is not normal. I want other women to talk about their pain, and to keep speaking out until they’re taken seriously. And to the women out there suffering silently right now: You owe it to yourself to speak up.
