I guess I start back in 2013, I was 14, I started my period at the age of 12 so I had grown to understand the ins and outs of my monthly visit from auntie red however started to get this awful pains in my belly and of course took a trip down the GP. After pushing them for a while they finally agreeed to send me for a ultra sound scan.
Okay we're going to detour for a minute to talk about my first experience of an ultrasound scan, there I am sitting in the waiting room in full school uniform with dad laughing a joking about to make time go faster and I take a moment to look around, EVERYONE in that waiting room assumed I was pregnant I knew it. It was to this day the most funny thing I've experienced because they were so unaware of what was happening inside of me- which is ironic in a way because that exactly how a lot of people view me now...
Back to this history lesson however, yes turns out I had a nasty ovarian cyst growing on leftie (poor old lefie) so next step was to get a referral to a specialist (note: the word referral haunts me now as in my world REFFERAL= AGNOSING LONG PERIOD OF WAITING) so it ended up I was missing so much school mum and dad decided we were going private (how posh) so went to see good old Dr Steir (number 1 of MANY gynaecologists I've had the pleasure to speak to) and the following week I was going under the knife.
So the big operation day arrived, got to Chesfield Hospital, shown to my room and then took my first pregnancy test (protocol and all for the procedure) but that was a funny wait with my mum and dad assuring them that the only way I would've been pregnant was by the power of god and I could be giving birth to the next Jesus.
I had to fast for this operation may I add, not a major task you may say but I will now also add that my bloods were not taken prior to the op so had to do all that whilst footless OH THE AGGONY! At this point in my journey of health. Amelia Davies was very very scared of needles- like sick dizzy cry type of scared so it took a total of 3 attempts to get my blood but finally by 10pm I went down and returned safely from the procedure. Yay! Anaesthetic is not my friend also, I was SO HUNGRY after my op but nooooooo mr anaesthetic wasn't having any food so it was straight to sleep for me.
Or sleep was what I thought would be happening, turns out in hospitals you have to be checked on, in my case every 2 HOURS!!!! So it was a sleepless night but was obviously thankful to dr stier and his team of amazing nurses who helped me but god did I consume some foood the next morning.
So Dr Stier returns in the morning to inform me that yay all went well the cyst is gone BUT and this is the biggest BUT ever. "We found some endometriosis"
And this is we're it all got pear shaped... t.b.c
I am so sorry that you are affected by this horrible condition. I had it from my first period until my last in 2015. I had been trying to get a hysterectomy for years after surgery didn't work. Finally, at 43 I was able to have my uterus out and it's been 2 glorious years without that mind numbing pain. I lost years of my life, two to three weeks out of the month I felt horrible. Not trying to be a Debbie Downer but it really is terrible thing. Not sure of the Cannabis laws in the UK, but that helps a lot and the only thing that saved me. You are so young and I am not recommending a hysterectomy now (and you would only need your uterus taken out if everything else is healthy), but if you decide you want a family and after having the children you want, I would say go for it. It really is the only cure. In other good news, having a hysterectomy reversed my early menopause and I still have a healthy sex life. Good luck to you darling and I do hope you find a way to feel better. Do your reasearch too and speak with your Dr.s. With love from CA xoxo
ReplyDeleteHello Amelia.
ReplyDeleteJust read your story and I fully sympathise. My daughter, who's in her early thirties, has endometriosis, so we're reading about it and finding out more about it so we can appreciate better what symptoms she's experiencing. She has twin daughters so we're extremely grateful for that.
As far as people's responses to this go - I've suffered from depression and anxiety for over thirty years and thoughtless responses have been similar! I completely recovered three years ago and now I write a blog about my recovery and the rebuilding of my polymath creativity.
So yes, I understand perfectly where you're coming from, and good luck with your own blog! 😃 If you'd like to talk with someone who understands, please feel free to contact me.
Jo, Hampshire UK
From the day I started my periods aged 13 I was in immense pain every month. The pain was so unbearable I would be very sick. Like you I missed school for a whole week every month. I was backwards and forwards to my GP who just said it was normal for girls to experience painful and heavy periods every month. Eventually I was put on the contraceptive pill and after much juggling to find one that suited, the mini pill, life was much more manageable. I struggled to conceive my first child, it took 5 years to get pregnant but I then subsequently had 4 more children 3 of the being triplets. Aged 38 I discovered a lump in the scar tissue of the caesarean of which I thought was a hernia and it was then and only then I was diagnosed with endometriosis. Everything made sense of why I had been through so much pain every month. Aged 50, I am still taking the mini pill and I am so looking forward to the menopause to finally get rid once and for all. I wish you the very best in your life and I hope my story gives you hope for your future.
ReplyDeleteFrom the day I started my periods aged 13 I was in immense pain every month. The pain was so unbearable I would be very sick. Like you I missed school for a whole week every month. I was backwards and forwards to my GP who just said it was normal for girls to experience painful and heavy periods every month. Eventually I was put on the contraceptive pill and after much juggling to find one that suited, the mini pill, life was much more manageable. I struggled to conceive my first child, it took 5 years to get pregnant but I then subsequently had 4 more children 3 of the being triplets. Aged 38 I discovered a lump in the scar tissue of the caesarean of which I thought was a hernia and it was then and only then I was diagnosed with endometriosis. Everything made sense of why I had been through so much pain every month. Aged 50, I am still taking the mini pill and I am so looking forward to the menopause to finally get rid once and for all. I wish you the very best in your life and I hope my story gives you hope for your future.
ReplyDeleteFrom the day I started my periods aged 13 I was in immense pain every month. The pain was so unbearable I would be very sick. Like you I missed school for a whole week every month. I was backwards and forwards to my GP who just said it was normal for girls to experience painful and heavy periods every month. Eventually I was put on the contraceptive pill and after much juggling to find one that suited, the mini pill, life was much more manageable. I struggled to conceive my first child, it took 5 years to get pregnant but I then subsequently had 4 more children 3 of the being triplets. Aged 38 I discovered a lump in the scar tissue of the caesarean of which I thought was a hernia and it was then and only then I was diagnosed with endometriosis. Everything made sense of why I had been through so much pain every month. Aged 50, I am still taking the mini pill and I am so looking forward to the menopause to finally get rid once and for all. I wish you the very best in your life and I hope my story gives you hope for your future.
ReplyDeleteYour not alone me myself as well diagnosis endometriosis back 2011.i have a couple of years of painful period and age 24 I have 21 days nonstop bleeding with fresh blood then at age 25 I had my laparoscopic surgery ...after they found out I have endometriosis.then I though after surgery it help me to lesser the pain but I was wrong though I still taking some pills to ease my period ..until 2014 I decided to stop all the pills I tried and trying some herbal that I think would help me ..I watch my food intake for the whole day mostly I eat veges fruits and I seldom eat red meat ..I eat fish chicken sometimes because I have allergy ..so far so good it turns normal and the only I noticed when I consumed too much sour before my period when period starts itself too painful so I not into sour food .less salt less sugar and I sometimes eat bitter food ..hope it helps for you..
ReplyDeleteI from Philippines..
I just read your story on BBC/facebook and found some disturbing inaccuracies buy the wtiter.
ReplyDeletelook up Nacys Nook on facebook. it’s not a support group, but a self educating group.
they have a list of “nook approved doctors” all over the world.
In the article it was stated the after menopause the symptoms are less, this is not true. the only treatment is EXCISION. ( never ablation )
by a surgeon trained in endo.
there is no cure yet. birth control isn’t the answer, nor is a hysterectomy, unless you have other issues such as fibroids .
good luck to all who suffer from this awful disease.