I had always had pretty painful periods and, after having my children, I started, around the time of my monthly cycle, to get different symptoms that included stomach pain, rather than cramps. Following some blood tests, I was referred to a specialist. I had started to Google by this point (which sometimes isn’t the best idea!) but I had read about endometriosis and, when I saw the specialist, I asked if I might have it and she told me definitively that I didn’t have it, despite not undertaking any tests. As I subsequently discovered, this is not an uncommon experience.
I joined Bank of Ireland in 2019, and then during lockdown, my symptoms started to deteriorate further. I ended up in A&E with severe abdominal pain and, following that, was seen by an endometriosis specialist, who said that it was highly likely that I had endometriosis and I would need keyhole surgery – a laparoscopy, to investigate. So in July 2021 I had the op and was told that I had stage 3 endometriosis, seven years after I first started getting symptoms.
In terms of day to day impact, I can wake up in the middle of the night with abdominal pain and I have a routine now – I go downstairs, get heat on my tummy, take strong painkillers and wait for the pain to reduce, but that can also happen in the middle of the day when I’m in work and quite often I will have a hot water bottle handy as well as painkillers. I also get a gripping sensation which runs down my legs, caused by the inflammation in my pelvis pressing on my nerves, and hand in hand with those comes fatigue which is like a wave and is really debilitating.
Bank of Ireland has always been really supportive. When I was first diagnosed, I had a fairly new boss, who was male, and I kind of gave myself a bit of a pep talk about being open with him about what was going on as I didn’t want to be on the back foot if I needed some flexibility. I talked to him about my symptoms and how they potentially impacted me in work, and I’ve continued to do that with all of my line managers, who have all happened to be male, and have found them all very supportive. I feel fortunate that we have a hybrid working model, so I can work from home…get a hot water bottle…painkillers etc. But I also know that I could say to my boss and my team “Listen, I’ve been up since 3am and might need to take a bit of time today”…and that’s invaluable.
In 2022, Bank of Ireland made the commitment to becoming an Endometriosis Friendly Employer, which has been a catalyst for talking about women’s health internally. We’ve held a couple of online events where colleagues have talked about their own personal experiences of the condition and we’ve set up an Endometriosis Circle which provides a safe space for colleagues to connect and discuss endometriosis.
I’m really glad that Bank of Ireland has become an Endometriosis Friendly Employer. I’ve been very happy to be open about my condition, but I know not everyone is as comfortable with that. By being part of this scheme, we can ensure that it’s easier for colleagues to have conversations with line managers or colleagues to get the support that they need at work.
Thank you Rachel for sharing your story.
Find out more about the Endometriosis Friendly Employer scheme here.
