Hey my name is Carolyn. I am 36. I had suffered from painful menstrual cycles from a young age but got worse as I got older. I didn't think that there was an explanation to being in excruciating pain as I thought it was normal. I would go to the doctor & explain my pains but they were just as baffled. Doctors prescribed me contraception pills & pain killers. I would sometimes go to the chemist to purchase pain killers only to be treated like I was addicted to them & that there is nothing wrong with me. I was over being in pain & not taken seriously. I asked the doctor what can I do to stop this pain. I was looking into having a hysterectomy but because I was young & hadn't had any kids the doctors ruled it out. I had married young & was terrified at the thought of having a baby but when me & my husband were ready to become parents I couldn't conceive. I was referred to IVF treatments in 2012 & was accepted to have 2 free trials. Our first attempt failed. We were heartbroken, so we decided to take a break. In 2013 I went to the hospital where they did an ultrasound & found I had a cyst on my ovary. I was referred to see a gynecologist when they decided I needed to have a key hole surgery also known as laproscopy. They had found Endometriosis & drained the cysts & explained to me it is severe Endometriosis. I was somewhat relieved as to why I had chronic pains & couldn't conceive. My body would rather grow cysts than to have a baby. Being diagnosed, I didn't grasp on how this illness would affect my body & life. When I healed from having the laproscopy my gynaecologist mentioned since I've had surgery it would be best to give our 2nd IVF a go. We were successful & now have a 6 year old son. When he was 3 years my pain slowly came back. Because I've moved from Waikato to Auckland I've had to change hospital districts & GPs. I'm on the waiting list to see a gynecologist which is expected to be September 2023. I have enrolled at another doctor & he's trying his best to have me seen earlier but no promises. I'm overweight, always bloated, tired, sore lower back, no energy, pain that runs down my leg & have left chest pain. Any excercise I do I get ovary cramps. I can only hope to get on top of my health, heal & be taken seriously.
