I’ve known about my endometriosis for four years. But due to lost paperwork (from my first surgery), it has been on my medical records as ‘suspected’ the whole time.
Until Wednesday.
What does an ‘official’ diagnosis mean for me? It means I can have lifetime pain management support, better access to fertility options and not have to fight (quite as hard) to be listened to by medical professionals.
I’ll be getting my full MRI report soon, which should show some of the locations of my adhesions. If my suspicions are right, one of these spaces will be the implantation location of my excruciating pregnancy back in 2021, and the reason for my miscarriage.
I bleed for 10 days a month, require very strong pain medication for around 5 of those, and strong pain relief around 15-20 days a month. It has become so normal to me that I forget this isn’t how most people have it.
The pain has been compared to childbirth and heart attacks.
We hear the term ‘endometriosis’ thrown around a lot, without really knowing what it means for those involved. Why? Because those who suffer with it have to just ‘get on with it’. Can’t go into work on your pain days? Lose your job. Haven’t got any money because you keep losing your job? You’re not ‘bad’ enough to qualify for support. This is the story of 1 in 10 women in the UK.
So the next time you meet an Endo Warrior, please know, we really are Warriors. And I salute every single one of us.
LYL xoxoxo