More than just bad A changing tide for the period pain treatment of endometriosis RACHEL SEELEY
Most people are shocked or in disbelief when they get diagnosed with a serious illness. But for me, being diagnosed with endometriosis when I was 23 was a huge relief, because I could finally put a name to the awful, painful thing inside me.
For many reasons, including the common misconception that period pain is normal and a lack of understanding of the disease all the way from the community through to the health system, it takes an average of seven to twelve years to get a diagnosis.
Endometriosis is a chronic disease where cells similar to those that line the uterus (the endometrium) are found in other parts of the body. There is no known cure for endometriosis and the cause is unknown, but it affects 1 in 10 women, girls and trans men. Symptoms can vary greatly but include pelvic and lower back pain (not just during the menstrual cycle), bladder and bowel problems, nausea, bloating, fatigue, and heavy, painful periods.
When I was in school, I absolutely dreaded getting my period. I was plagued with pain the week before, during, and the week after every period, bleeding for ten days every couple of weeks. I dropped out of swimming lessons, I tried to avoid sleepovers, I bled through my night-time uniform of two pads, two pairs of underwear, boxer shorts, pyjama pants and a towel, and I took so many sick days the school became concerned.
Page 18 | Health Matters Magazine March 2020
