This lived-experience story is published in the writer’s own words.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
For a good three years I had noticed a pattern. 12 days to the day before my period my whole body would be full of symptoms.
From dizziness to fatigue, headaches to severe pain, and very low mood.
Randomly, it wasn't until October-November 2024 that I started to feel pain in my pelvic area - even outside of my period. Jan 2025, I had a period that lasted 10 days of heavy bleeding, clots and was very painful. It stopped for 2 days, then came back with a vengeance. I was in Ohope on camp and went to Whakatane hospital. Was given an iv and some pills to stop the bleeding. Then, onto the list for an internal ultrasound in Feb. Results came back saying I had chocolate cysts in my ovaries. Booked for an MRI in June which confirmed endometriosis. It's on and around my ovaries and in my Douglas pouch. This literally makes Endo a pain in my rear end! I was referred to Waikato Hospital for Endo Clinic. My referral was accepted in June and date for first Endo Clinic October 21st. That day was cancelled due to the doctor being sick - I am still waiting on a raincheck date.
There is only one Endo Clinic a month at Waikato Hospital, and it services the Lakes District as well as Waikato (I live in Taupo).
I couldn't get the Nov 18th one as its already fully booked.
Today, I am home again (I work full time). I have to waddle when I walk due the swollen and inflamed cysts in my ovaries. My period is not due for another two weeks.
I am always in pain or discomfort due to inflammation, and it doesn't matter if I'm on my period or not. I've tried birth control and period control pills, but so far, they have made my other symptoms worse. More headaches, and more dizziness. So I've had to stop and just work on pain management. I'm often at work with my hot pad and pain killers.
I am writing this with thoughts in my head of driving to the ED. But what can they do? I have all the pain killers and they still don't help. So I sit here away from my job, my husband and my family. It hurt to drive my child to school today and my oldest to work.
Please listen while so many of us are screaming!
We need and deserve better. So many of us are in pain and there is help out there that is so far out of reach.
You need us back out there living our lives that contribute to yours.
Title of the story thanks to David Bowie. One of the lines in the song is FEEL MY BLOOD ENRAGED.