For me being diagnosed was a pretty fast process, although I did the research and had to put forward the suggestion that my symptoms showed it could be endometriosis. I feel I was quite lucky as I had quite a patient doctor who listened and helped me get diagnosed quickly. However, I know this isn't the case with many other women suffering with endometriosis.
So far, I have been treated with prostap for 6 months and had two minor surgeries. I am now waiting for an extensive bowel, urethra, womb and surrounding areas surgery to remove the endometriosis which will happen in summer.
Because I am quite a young person with endometriosis, the impact has been major.
I am very lucky to have already met my partner because my life would have been much different.
We struggle to do usual things which other couples do, we can’t have sex often because I'm in too much agony to do so or I've either been on a period for months on end. We don't go very far and have to make sure there is a hospital close by if we do just in case.
We live on the 'just in case rule'.
But through all this and at our age he is still the most supportive person I know and have in my life.
I am currently at university studying biomedical science and my disease motivates me. I eventually want to go into research into endometriosis and work for a cure! But for now making it into lectures is a massive achievement in itself.
I manage in different ways, sometimes just simple breathing techniques do the trick, others need a bit more.
Then I try to focus my attention on something like painting which is a very relaxing pass time for me, but on the bad days a trip to the hospital is needed for morphine but that's normally last resort.
I'm currently learning that if I can try and take a few days without any kind of painkiller the days in which I really need some become easier as I only need a low dose of the medication to ease the pain.
