Endometriosis Speak Out

In October 2005 I had my first child aged 21. A few months later my periods became extremely heavy lasting up to two week, several months after that I started experiencing sever right side pain almost every day. I was referred for ultra sounds and nothing was found. 3 ultrasounds and numerous blood tests later I was referred to gynaecology.

On listing all my symptoms the consultant decided to book me in for a laparoscopy. This was November 2006. The diagnosis was endometriosis.

The following couple of years I was a guanine pig, tablets after tablets, surgery after surgery. I went on to have a child in 2009, and 2011. Then I was started on injections (rolodex was the first one for 6 months, then prostap as zolodex didn’t help)

It was decided in Feb 2012 to preform a hysterectomy as I had tried every pain relief, coil, injection going.

At my pre-op however there was one complication … I was pregnant! So any more surgery was delayed!

I had my daughter in sept 2012, and the pain returned instantly. Unfortunately they were unable to do a hysterectomy for 12-18 months so In may 2013 they did a TCRE (trans cervical resection) this was now my 10th surgical procedure in 7 years. To this date I had been an inpatient 37 times for surgery, pain management etc.

I requested to see a different consultant in December 2013, and I was lucky to get an appointment in Feb 2014 with Jane Moore one of the top pelvic pain specialists. On my first appointment she ordered an MRI scan as she believed I had Add to dictionary… the results showed she was right.
Adenomyosis is the same as endometriosis but it is in side the uterine muscle rather than outside.
Because of all the issues I had, she decided to do a total hysterectomy (uterus, tubes, ovaries and cervix) this was booked for December 18th 2014.

The day of my surgery arrived.. I was 30. I had many mixed feelings, could I live with the pain incase I wanted another child? What if my sisters couldn’t carry a baby, I wouldn’t be able to help… would I feel less of a women?

So I had my surgery.. within 48 hours I was rushed back to theatre because I had internal bleeding and lost 1.5litres of blood! 3 blood transfusions and 3.5 hours in surgery later and the emotions hit! BUT from that day on, I’ve never had pain again.

8 years of agony, 8 years of not knowing if I could physically get up and take my kids to school, 8 years of bleeding so heavily that I would soak through even maternity pads in 10 minutes… I was better!

Most people will never know what people with endometriosis go through, how debilitating it can be. But there is hope. Some people are lucky and pain and symptoms can be managed with medication, some are unlucky and need several surgeries or at worst a hysterectomy.

There is some great support out there, I will link below.

If you suffer with endometriosis speak out, it needs more awareness and needs GPS to take it more seriously because my GP used to make me feel like crap, telling me it was all in my head.. clearly not.

Sorry for the rambling but that’s my story x

Kim