Two women share their experiences of crippling pain and the journey towards an endometriosis diagnosis.
Severe menstrual cramps, pain during intercourse, intestinal and urinary pain and bleeding during menstruation and even infertility. These are some of the symptoms of endometriosis, a condition that affects one in 10 women.
Recently, singer Anitta reported on social media that she is suffering from endometriosis. She the artist said she has been suffering for nine years and said she will undergo surgery after she is diagnosed with the disease.
He did not specify the date, but said the procedure is already scheduled and he had to “cancel a lot” from his schedule, as, after the surgery, “you can’t put in much effort for a month.”
On average, it takes women eight years to be diagnosed. A number that, according to the NGO Endometriosis UK, which offers support to endometriosis sufferers, hasn’t changed in a decade.
There is no known cause or cure for the condition.
But what is it really like to live with this condition?
Two women share their story with the BBC about Endometriosis Awareness Month below.
What is endometriosis?
– This is when tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other parts of the body, usually around the reproductive organs, intestines and bladder.
– Like the lining of the uterus, the tissue builds up every month and then bleeds;
– However, unlike a period, there is no way for blood to escape;
– Accumulation of trapped blood can cause internal injuries and scar tissue;
– Some women have no symptoms, but for many others the pain can be debilitating and the condition can lead to infertility.
– Currently, there are no known causes or treatments.
Megan Morgan, who lives in Bristol, West England, was diagnosed with the condition in 2021 after experiencing pain outside of her period, something she had never experienced before.
She says she had such a severe attack one night that she woke up with paralyzing pain in her uterus and ovaries. She that day she thought she was bleeding.
The 26-year-old says she saw an older doctor, who made her feel like she was “going crazy” after trying to say that the symptoms Megan was experiencing were “normal”.
“I just cried in front of her and then she said, ‘Look, I think we can do some tests if you insist,'” he recalls.
“I started thinking that maybe he was right, that maybe it was normal and maybe I should have suffered so much,” she adds.
It was after the tests that she was diagnosed with endometriosis.
Stoma and infertility
Megan, who also suffers from ulcerative colitis, a long-term condition that causes inflammation of the colon and rectum, said one of the hardest parts of the diagnosis was seeing her health deteriorate and learning to accept a new reality.
“When I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, I felt very lonely. I was 20 and was the sickest person I knew.”
“I have known people who have suffered at my age, but have not had the pain of losing their health.”
Megan says that when she was diagnosed with endometriosis, she knew what “the journey was going to be like” and started therapy immediately.
“At some point, due to ulcerative colitis, I may need an ostomy (a surgical procedure that involves opening a hollow organ). With endometriosis, I may become sterile or have to remove parts of my uterus and ovaries, ”he said adds.
Despite this, Megan, who is pursuing a PhD in endometriosis and chronic pain, says her biggest concern is how the condition might limit her future.
Victoria Hatton, of Churchdown, in the county of Gloucestershire in the west of England, switched to birth control pills at the age of 14 after her periods left her physically ill.
“It didn’t help,” he says.
She says she went to the doctor several times, complaining of pain in her legs and back before her period. However, she continued to feel that it was just a “muscle tear”.
Victoria says the lack of knowledge and symptoms of endometriosis made her wonder if she was overreacting and if the symptoms were all in her head.
“I always had pain in my back and legs; I was hurting from the pain. My upper back and neck hurt.”
‘For me’
Victoria was eventually diagnosed with the condition at the age of 19 after a laparoscopy, a surgery in which a camera is inserted into the pelvis through a small cut near the navel. The procedure indicated endometriotic tissue in her diaphragm.
At the time, he knew very little about the disease; I only knew one other person with endometriosis. She has heard that she may become sterile.
“I didn’t know anything about endometriosis,” he said. “I felt very lonely. I didn’t go to any support groups because there weren’t any around.”
After her last surgery in August 2021, Victoria, along with a friend, decided to create an endometriosis support group in her hometown.
They hope to start face-to-face meetings in August 2022.
Victoria adds that it is important that “people this young know that there is support out there” and that “they can talk to their GP without feeling like they are causing them an unnecessary problem.”
– The text was published in https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/brasil-62131855
Source: Terra
Benjamin Smith is a fashion journalist and author at Gossipify, known for his coverage of the latest fashion trends and industry insights. He writes about clothing, shoes, accessories, and runway shows, providing in-depth analysis and unique perspectives. He’s respected for his ability to spot emerging designers and trends, and for providing practical fashion advice to readers.
