AuntieEndo#2

TW Miscarriage, Ectopic Pregnancy, addiction (brief mention- non descriptive)

Endometriosis

A long word, difficult to pronounce. Just in case you were wondering en-dough-me-tree-oh-sis or as I like to remember: eat a doughnut by a tree with your sis.

I am going through the diagnostic process of that, but for the purpose of this and my patience we shall refer to it as Endo. Though it has many names in my house: shit storm, bad uterus, ouchies, bring me a hot water bottle, and so help me I need tablets. Just to name a few.

So no I don’t know if I have it but I’m pretty sure, my gynaecologist is pretty sure, the hospital is pretty sure and my soon to be surgeon is pretty sure.

Why are we all pretty sure? Well I have a period, like most womb bearing humans at the tender age of 25 and that period can be painful, as in stubbed your toe times a million painful. I’m talking cannot get out of bed, cannot. Even. Move. A. Muscle. Pain, it’s just super not cool. I also have pain during sex (yeah pretty awesome don’t you think), I have pain when I poop, I have pain when I do certain exercises, sometimes it feels like I have pain when I just try to pronounce endometriosis. I digress.

Other than pain, I suffer from lightheadedness, fainting spells, lower immune system, nausea, extreme fatigue and just to put the cherry on top depressive spells…but honestly that last one can you blame me!

So when did all this start? Well the immune system stuff kinda feels like my whole life I’m very susceptible to colds, coughs and flus. I was put on the pill at 14. The fainting and depression happened around 15-23 years of age. Then I turned 24, I decided I didn’t want to be on the pill anymore I had no libido, I was depressed, and hating it so I took the leap. Have to say first 6 months oh lord I was back, the real me the happiness, the laughter, hello libido and singing. I was singing again.

But Hannah where did it all go wrong? Well I’ll tell you friends. I had the mother of periods I’m talking Aunt Flo (no relation to auntie endo, she’s on the other side of the family) was raging. I honestly had never seen or felt anything like it. So off I went to hospital (after some persuasion, thank god for Mother in laws), whipped straight up to ultrasound because they suspected miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, and they found… absolutely nothing. Cheers!

So doctor what is going on? Seems to me dear girly…it’s just your period.

If that’s JUST my period…then your medical degree is JUST a piece of paper. Is what I wanted to say, instead I held on to my emotions till I got to my car and cried like a baby. Yeah real high moment for me.

It’s not just the doctors… had a colleague who was just like, you know you could solve all this if you had a baby. Yeah, no thanks I’m good right now. Disclaimer: having a baby, having a hysterectomy will not cure endometriosis, there is no cure for endometriosis.

After that ultrasound I was carted back to the GP, they were just like hey here’s some pain killers. Cool. These don’t work. Here’s some stronger painkillers oh but don’t take them for more than three days you’ll get addicted. Cool.

It took just over a year for the gyne appointment to roll round. Yes COVID played it’s part. Then I found myself on the list for surgery. I have no date yet, still waiting on that one!

Here we are present day, still in pain and have been since that first painful spell in July 2020.

So that’s me, that’s my endo story. I am far from finished though.

-Hannah, pain level 3/10 feeling fineee :)