Sorry for the delay

I'm sorry it has been so long since I have written a blog things have been out of hand of late so I haven't had the time or the words to write its not so much writer's block but rather writer's blank. I have wanted to write but I haven't been able to think of what to say but I have decided that I think the best thing to do is to talk to you about something very close to my heart and that has made a huge difference in my life over the past 11 months.

I want to apologies now for anything that you might read that either offends you or distresses you but I think its about time I share my story about my health and short but painful battle with Endometriosis so far. Also I hope that if anyone is out there thinking they might have it or know someone who does have it and wants to know more about it. Also to try and raise awareness for this horrible disease that affects over 1.5 million women in th UK alone and it is estimated that it could be as many as 17 million worldwide if not more. It is one of them diseases that only women have but it affects every aspect and relationship that they will come across in their day to day life. It can stop you from feeling human and female any more but you have to try and make the best out of the bad things that it gives us, though that is easier said than done. But like today I did a bake sale at my university and managed to raise £60 with the help of the people in my class which for the charity will make a huge difference to everyone that the money will go towards helping.

So here's my story I hope it helps you to understand me, the disease and why things may not always seem as simple as they are. Have you ever asked yourself the following questions :Do you always dread your next period? Is the pain crippling, unbearable? Does it last for days? Well I share your pain literally since 3^rd may 2002 at my friend’s birthday party- that was fun. From my first period they have always been painful and lasted anywhere between 6 to 8 days. I told my parents about it and they thought it would be something I would “grow” out of it as it were. But low and behold as I got older they got more painful it would affect my appetite which is never good as it’s fair to say I love my food. It felt like my guts were being kicked in by a horse and ripped out too, plus I could be bleeding for up to 7 to 8 days and was heavy for 95% of the time. So it’s fair to say I had a “happy” period using the words of Always products. At the age of 16 I decided to go on the pill to see if that would help –it did, they went down from 7 to 8 days to 4-6 days which made a big difference though it only made them slightly lighter. For 4 years I was on the pill not really having many issues though they were still very painful and normal painkillers didn’t seem to help but I just got on with it as much as possible- easy said than done.

Then last year I had missed a couple of periods , I wasn’t having sex or pregnant naturally so I just thought it was down to being ill or stressed- being an University student does that to you. Then a couple were late as well. Worried much. Then in April I was in agony and nearly threw up which is not normal for me but I hadn’t started my period yet, so I went to the doctors and discussed it. The doctor asked if it was possible for me to be pregnant I said no as I hadn’t been sexually active for nearly 6 months – response was flattering, “yeah it doesn’t look like your pregnant and if you were we could tell as you would have been at least 5 months pregnant.” I was sent for a scan, blood test and taken off the pill to see if it was masking what was wrong with me. Oh and I was sent for my first ever smear test – never again it was so painful and within a week of that I had my internal scan- fair to say I was in a lot of pain after that.

I was referred to the hospital after the blood test and the smear test came back clean- which I could of already told them. My scan showed cysts on my ovaries so it was thought I had PCOS- Polycystic ovary syndrome. Though I was told the pain could be IBS- which I can tell you it wasn’t that at all. As of 20^th may 2011 I was put on co-codamol to try and ease the pain and I put my first compliant ever in against the doctor I saw due to the way he spoke to me and treated me. Then 26^th July my appointment was cancelled at the hospital without them telling me and I had been checking for over a month that the appointment was still going ahead or if there was an earlier one and they said “No yours is the earliest available.” I then turned up for my appointment with my mum and about 20 odd questions to ask to the doctor. Apparently the doctor thought it would a good week to go on holiday at least 5 women in the morning had been turned away then when I was there at least another 5 of us were turned away. You would have thought that the 5 in the morning would of raised questions on why we were all turning up and didn’t know what they were on about when they said it was cancelled.

The next month I finally saw the consultant and had yet another smear test and was told that the only option was to have a laparoscopy which scared me as last time I had an operation I was 14 and that was on my knee, I could live with that it couldn’t have any major effects on my future life. It wasn’t something I was willing to make a decision there and then and then later regret it. So after weeks of erming and rring I decided to go for the operation – I mean what did I have to loose other than still not knowing what was wrong with me and maybe having time off university. It was booked 2^nd November 2011 I would have a laparoscopy to see what was going on. I wasn’t really worried just wish it could have been done sooner and that they had listened to me when I said in August that it ideal needed to be done during holidays so I didn’t have to miss university unless necessary.

24^th October was my pre operation assessment yet more blood test- but I did find out what blood group I am I’m more special than my parents thought I was AB res negative one of the rarest blood groups. So the operation went okay apparently they found some behind my uterus and removed it via heat therapy, basically burnt it off. I managed to cut my lip too which threw everyone on who I managed it. I was able to go home that night and slept on the sofa for two nights as I wasn’t ready to master the stairs on my own yet.

After a month of recovery plus withdrawal symptoms from co-codimol things were looking good and we thought it had gone away. But shock horror about two weeks before my follow up appointment on 20^th December the pain was starting to come back and after telling the consultant her advice was “All you can do is drug yourself up or there is the option of getting pregnant , that has helped a lot of women but of course that is a personal decision but that’s all we can do for you”

Fair to say I’m not pregnant and enjoying being back on the painkillers again, now the pain is a lot worse than it was before the operation and I’m waiting to see the consultant but got a letter about my referral and it was for a new hospital in the wrong county. So not happy at the minute. 

At the minute I am waiting to see my consultant on 27th March and hopefully that will help me with getting to the bottom of why things have flare up again and are worse then they were before the operation. Til the next time I talk to you. Please feel free to comment on here and follow me