Bindi Irwin says she was ‘in so much pain’ battling endometriosis

Bindi Irwin has shared new details about her battle with endometriosis, revealing that she tried to put on a happy facade while dealing with the painful health condition.

“I was in so much pain and fighting an invisible battle every day,” the 26-year-old wildlife warrior told Australia’s 9honey Celebrity on Friday, September 20. “I spent a lot of my time trying to maintain a happy appearance while struggling to keep my head above water.”

Behind the scenes, Irwin struggled with pain, nausea and fatigue, with countless tests and appointments to determine the cause – which ultimately turned out to be endometriosis.

According to the Mayo Clinic, endometriosis is “an often painful condition in which tissue similar to the tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus – the endometrium – grows outside your uterus.”

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This was an experience made worse for Irwin because no one was able to diagnose it for more than a decade.

“At one point during my journey I was told by a doctor that it was all in my head,” she admitted to the outlet. “I really started to believe it.”

The Dancing with the stars The season 21 winner publicly shared details of her endometriosis in March 2023 when she revealed via Instagram that she had undergone surgery for the condition.

In the post, Irwin shared a selfie taken from a hospital bed and talked about why she underwent surgery.

“Dear friends, I have long doubted whether I should share this journey with you in such a public space. It came down to the responsibility I feel to share my story with other women who need help,” Irwin wrote. “I have been struggling with insurmountable fatigue, pain and nausea for 10 years. Trying to remain a positive person and hide the pain has been a very long road. The last 10 years have included a lot of tests, doctor visits, scans, etc. A doctor told me it was just something you have to deal with as a woman and I completely gave up trying to function through the pain.

She added: “I decided to have surgery for endometriosis. Going through the surgery was scary, but I knew I couldn’t live the way I was. Every part of my life was torn apart by pain.”

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In the 9honey interview, Irwin credited her mother with Terri – who was married to the late Steve Irwin – as her savior during the ordeal.

“She was there for me every step of the way, including helping me to the bathroom when I could barely walk after surgery,” she said.

Bindi, who shares three-year-old daughter Grace with her husband Chandler Powell added, “I don’t know what I would do without my amazing mom…I hope I can be even half the incredible mom to Grace that my mom is to me.”