Like many other women, when seeking help about my periods, I spent years having GPs tell me “You’re a woman, you will just have to learn to live with it” and suggesting ibuprofen, hot water bottles and putting me on the pill.
I was finally officially diagnosed with endometriosis via laparoscopy in August 2016. I was approaching my 31st birthday.
Five years and various surgical and hormonal treatments which have stopped my periods later (including two lots of chemical menopause), I had excision surgery with one of Wales’s NHS endometriosis specialists at the end of October 2021.
After being in theatre for just over six hours, all my visible endometriosis was excised…there was a LOT OF IT covering my pelvic wall, bowel, rectum, womb and ovaries! I was diagnosed with the added loveliness of suspected adenomyosis. (Just a reminder.... there is no cure for endometriosis, and I was told there is a 30-50% potential chance it will come back even after the 'gold standard' of treatment).
Following surgery, I was in hospital for two nights and signed off work for three weeks. I took my recovery day by day – it’s not a linear process and some days you can feel great and the next feel like death warmed up!
After the three weeks was up, I did debate about extending my time off, but by that point I had pretty much completed Netflix was bored out of my brain. My manager was really supportive and didn’t want me rushing back if I wasn’t ready, so I did a week of reduced hours to get me back into the swing of work and then was full-time again the following Monday. I work from home too so that was another factor in getting back into the swing of things as I could pick the comfiest chair to work from and take breaks whenever I needed.
Since surgery I have honestly felt like a new woman. I have had a few ‘off’ days and still get the bloating and occasional bleeding with bowel movements, but I have not had this many consecutive pain-free days since before I started my period back in 1999!
I’ve had regular catchups with my surgeon on the phone since my surgery and he is really happy with my progress…. turns out I’ve also lost 3kg sine my operation too!
This newfound zest for life inspired me to sign up to run the Cardiff half marathon on behalf of Endometriosis UK. I am no runner, but I fancied a challenge and figured if I didn’t do it this year, whilst I am pain free, I may not get another chance before the dreaded endo rears its head again or the adenomyosis potentially gets worse causing problems.
In January I started Couch to 5km, and I couldn’t jog for 30seconds without giving up! Fast forward to May and I ran the Cardiff Bay 10km in 1hr 15mins! I would have never thought that was possible for me before my surgery. Bring on Cardiff Half in October!
