What are the symptoms of endometriosis?

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month.

What is endometriosis?

Endo-what? I hear you ask. Unfortunately, there isn’t very much knowledge or awareness around Endo, so I’ll give you a quick overview. But you can find out more on the NHS website. - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/endometriosis/Endometriosis is when tissue, similar to the lining of the womb, grows outside the womb and attaches itself to other parts of the body such as the bladder or bowel. This can cause severe pain and debilitating symptoms.

My experience with endometriosis

After 6 years of symptoms, I was diagnosed with severe endometriosis in 2016. The first time I heard the word, I had absolutely no clue what it meant. This is why endo awareness month is so important, to raise awareness around the condition, it’s symptoms and the management options available.

From the day I started my period, they were always very painful and heavy. The pain would leave me bedbound, clutching a hot water bottle.

As time went on, my symptoms worsened, and the pain became constant. I had nausea, vomiting, issues with my bladder and bowels, fatigue and bloating. I was given prescription painkillers to try and manage the pain at home but unfortunately some days were so severe that I would end up in A&E.

A few years after my diagnosis, my endometriosis was so severe that it caused my uterus and bowel to become stuck together which landed me in hospital with an IV of morphine to try and get the pain under control.

I was referred to a Gynaecologist to discuss my symptoms and we worked together to try multiple different hormone treatments over several months, unfortunately all with little to no success of making the situation manageable. We decided that surgery to remove the endometriosis would be the next method of treatment.

After multiple surgeries to remove my endometriosis, in September 2022, I had a hysterectomy, something you can read more about in my previous blog.

I want to share my story to help others understand more about the condition and why early intervention is so important.

My advice to anyone who suspects they may have endometriosis is, please speak to your doctor. Record your symptoms day to day and try to identify any patterns or triggers that make your symptoms worse.

When meeting with a doctor, it may be helpful to have someone with you or take a notebook to make sure you get all the information you need, the appointments can be a bit overwhelming so it might be difficult to remember it all!

Don’t be embarrassed! It’s okay to talk about periods and endometriosis. It can be scary when you’re experiencing such awful symptoms, but without talking openly, you may not be able to receive the care that you need to make your life more comfortable.

Lastly, please find support. Try to reach out to friends and family who may be able to support you or even join a support group, whether this is online or in person.

Find support here: endometriosis-uk.org

If you have any questions or just need someone to talk to, I’m only a message away!

Instagram - @endowarrior_x

Sending love,

Dionne x