Hayley C's Story

Living with Endo

I always had terrible period pain growing up, and I’m talking on the floor, huddled up in a ball, head between my legs, sweating and screaming in agony while the cramps felt like hot knives plunging into my lower stomach. Doctors just trialed me on different pills over the years but never was I educated on endometriosis. I didn’t even know such a thing existed. I was always told I just simply was unlucky with terrible pain and that we just had to find the right pill for me to combat the painful cycle.

It wasn’t until I turned 24 that I went to a Gynaecologist because I started experiencing sharp pain when having intercourse. I was constantly exhausted both mentally and physically from the pain, and I knew something wasn’t right, so an internal ultrasound later we discovered some Endometriosis. I then went straight in to surgery for my first Laparoscopy. Because I’d not known of the Endo, it had been growing for quite some time and was heavily spread around the outside of my uterus (which is common for Endo), bladder, and one of my ovaries…so I had it all removed. I stopped taking the pill because from what my Gyno told me, Endo is fuelled by Oestrogen and the pill was just pumping more Oestrogen in my body. I had a Mirena put in to slow the growth of the Endo but that too was putting more Oestrogen into my body. The pain had completely gone a few months after the surgery, and I wasn’t even getting periods due to the Mirena. I was so relieved to have been free of the constant agony of Endo, which I usually felt most in the mornings and during a cycle.

Within a year, I started experiencing pain again, and got worse very quickly. I went in for my second Laparoscopy and the Endo was once again removed. This time the Endo has come back tenfold, spreading across my uterus, bladder, ovaries and bowel. There were 2 cysts that had also grown. I had the Mirena removed, and since then I have been taking natural supplements to reduce the excess Oestrogen in my body and eating clean foods, staying away from too much meat and animal products.

It’s been 1 year since my second surgery and I’ve just started to experience pain again. In my case, the Endo is quite severe. Not every woman with Endo is going to experience pain to a high level, but that doesn’t mean it should go ignored.

Gut health and maintaining a clean diet are imperative to keeping your body healthy and slowing the growth of the Endometriosis.

This Auto-immune disease is incurable, but by maintaining a healthy lifestyle and getting a check up a couple times a year from your Gynaecologist, it’s manageable. It’s crucial to go to the doctor and get a check up if you’re feeling like something is not quite right!