Endometriosis Battle

By Tyla

I was 16 years of age when I was first admitted into hospital with severe pain causing me to vomit and crawl into a ball crying. Continuous test showing nothing the hospital said “constipation and sent me home”. Although I had not been toilet and the pain had began to settle a couple days later. Years of being in and out of hospital, days off work and school, missing sports and events with excruciating pain I began to give up thinking this is just my life and to suck it up. At age 19 I was again admitted into hospital with severe pain but this time showed a cyst flipping my fallopian tube. I was offered a hysterectomy which I strongly declined being so young.

I then decided to reach out to a private gynaecologist, I was hopeful now that maybe I would get some answers but unfortunately I was told that this was “neurological pain”. I left questioning myself and believing this really was just in my head. I then gave up.

A few years down the track a family friend reached out and had a similar journey to me but had found an amazing surgeon and facility called Oxford women’s health! I reached out to the surgeon Simon Jones and he got me in quickly, we had a few appointments before agreeing I needed surgery and he believed it was endometriosis. The relief I’ve finally hearing a diagnosis and feeling valid was a something I never thought I would feel.

After my surgery I was told I had endometriosis everywhere.. uterus, bowels, fallopian tubes, ovaries etc. He did an amazing job and removed all he could and I got the mirena to slow the growth down. He explained to me if this had been left I unfortunately would’ve struggled to have children which was a scary reality check for me.

3/4 years on I’m now 26 years old with the most beautiful 1.5 year old daughter. Although I still have flare ups and pain I’m grateful to have been able to have my daughter. Oxford women’s health are still supporting me in this journey with ongoing surgery’s for endometriosis when necessary. Beyond thankful for them as they helped turn my life around to say the least!

The sayings of “you don’t look like you have a disease/illness” or “it can’t be that bad you don’t look like you’re in pain” are so hard to respond to when it’s how your life has been so you’ve learned to live with it and still try live your life, so What an incredible page this is for people’s stories to be heard and endometriosis awareness to be voiced and spread!