Living with Endometriosis
It's amazing how much pain women will put up with. That's why diseases such as endometriosis often go untreated for many years until they cause other health complications. About 10 years ago, I suffered from chronic nausea. I was pretty sure that wasn't normal, and had to have lots of time off school. It stopped me from sleeping, which made me exhausted and cranky most of the time. After having a variety of medical tests, the doctor concluded that my condition was 'psychological'.
I found that one way I could ease my 'queasiness' was to drink carbonated soft-drinks. Of course this was just a quick-fix, and the feeling returned after a short time. I accepted the condition as part of my life, and even dismissed it myself as 'anxiety'. After my 31st birthday, my husband and I decided it was time to start a family. For whatever reason, it wasn't happening. I thought that the people around me were right in saying that I was "too old" to have a baby. In spite of this, I saw people that I would never expect to get pregnant having babies. I accepted that maybe it wasn't on the cards for me, and gave up.
A few years later, I was chatting with a co-worker who was also having trouble conceiving. She went through the process of IVF, and eventually gave birth to a healthy baby girl. She gave me the contact details of her doctor, and I reluctantly made an appointment. I felt that I wasn't desperate enough to inject myself in the stomach everyday, but at the same time, I wanted to know what the hell was going on with my body!
After a series of extremely painful tests (they shouldn't have been that painful), I was diagnosed with moderate endometriosis. There was a big cyst on one of my ovaries, and it was stopping the eggs from reaching their destination. I made the decision to have the cyst removed, and my doctor said that I may be able to conceive naturally following the surgery. I was relieved to hear that, but also very scared about being operated on. I will keep you updated on life after the surgery!
In my case, endometriosis has had an impact on my whole body, as well as my general well-being. If you are experiencing any pain down there, I recommend getting a vaginal ultrasound, as a regular pap might not give you the full story. I'm really looking forward to not feeling fatigued and in pain all the time!
I found that one way I could ease my 'queasiness' was to drink carbonated soft-drinks. Of course this was just a quick-fix, and the feeling returned after a short time. I accepted the condition as part of my life, and even dismissed it myself as 'anxiety'. After my 31st birthday, my husband and I decided it was time to start a family. For whatever reason, it wasn't happening. I thought that the people around me were right in saying that I was "too old" to have a baby. In spite of this, I saw people that I would never expect to get pregnant having babies. I accepted that maybe it wasn't on the cards for me, and gave up.
A few years later, I was chatting with a co-worker who was also having trouble conceiving. She went through the process of IVF, and eventually gave birth to a healthy baby girl. She gave me the contact details of her doctor, and I reluctantly made an appointment. I felt that I wasn't desperate enough to inject myself in the stomach everyday, but at the same time, I wanted to know what the hell was going on with my body!
After a series of extremely painful tests (they shouldn't have been that painful), I was diagnosed with moderate endometriosis. There was a big cyst on one of my ovaries, and it was stopping the eggs from reaching their destination. I made the decision to have the cyst removed, and my doctor said that I may be able to conceive naturally following the surgery. I was relieved to hear that, but also very scared about being operated on. I will keep you updated on life after the surgery!
In my case, endometriosis has had an impact on my whole body, as well as my general well-being. If you are experiencing any pain down there, I recommend getting a vaginal ultrasound, as a regular pap might not give you the full story. I'm really looking forward to not feeling fatigued and in pain all the time!
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