Suffolk endometriosis women share their stories

She began to believe that she was the “Queen of Drama” when she was told there was nothing wrong with her as she fought the pain of an unbearable period.

She had been suffering from symptoms since she was 13, but when she entered her 20s she knew it wasn't just in her head.

After deciding to find an answer from Sudbury, Suffolk, Miss Parker demanded help and was eventually diagnosed with endometriosis.

It is an incurable state in which cells resemble the cells in the lining of the uterus grow elsewhere in the body; It will affect over 1.5 million people In the UK.

For Endometriosis Awareness Month, Miss Parker wants to share the reality of this often debilitating condition, along with two other women in the county.

As a teenager, Miss Parker was prescribed hormonal birth control by her doctor to manage her pain, without worrying about the painful period.

As she gets older, the flare-up worsens, and she's “crying hysterically” so that painkillers don't help anything.

Following the “really bad” match, she was offered ultrasound and an internal scan.

“I then left and they said, 'You're definitely okay, there's nothing wrong with you,'” the 26-year-old explained.

“I thought maybe it was in my mind, maybe I'm the queen of drama.”

The gynecologist later suggested that he could have endometriosis, and laparoscopy was confirmed to confirm the uterus in July 2022.

After some delays and freezing the eggs outside of her control, Miss Parker had surgery last January to remove endometriosis.

“We couldn't prepare our body for that surgery,” she said.

“I thought I was in a rough week… five weeks later, when I got back to work.”

Miss Parker says it took her 7-8 months before she felt “healed inside,” and she now has 95% symptoms free.

She explained that she freezes the egg after doctors said endometriosis could affect her chances of becoming pregnant in the future.

According to the UK for endometriosis, the condition does not necessarily cause infertility, but it can cause fertility issues, but the reason is not entirely known due to lack of research.

“I'm trying to stay positive because maybe I'm someone who doesn't need another surgery,” she added.

“I really hope nothing grows.”

Lorraine Clark, 63, was 63, from Alton Broad, and similarly began to notice pain before, during and after the period from 15.

Contraception to manage pain never helps, and she was also misdiagnosed in an appendix issue.

Decades have passed before Mrs. Clark asked her to see a gynecologist.

They couldn't find anything wrong with her and she was also offered a laparoscopy.

“They were looking at my uterus in three different areas, and then I found out I had endometriosis,” she said.

At this point she was 41 years old – she was 26 years without knowing what was wrong with her or why she didn't get pregnant with her child.

“I had a complete hysterectomy, and when I had the surgery, the gynecologist came to my bed and said, “Lorraine, why did you ever wonder why you didn't have children?” Mrs. Clark continued.

“After she left, I was in tears, which upset me.

“I wanted two boys and one girl, but that didn't happen because of endometriosis.”

Mrs. Clark said she had been “relatively healthy” since her surgery, but she still experienced sharp pains.

Last week she returned to the doctor and introduced her to ultrasound.

“I don't want my worst enemy to become endometriosis,” she added.

“It's a scary, scary disease. It's scary.”

In late 2007, Michelle Chambers, a native of Sudbury, experienced pain during a period of pain that she felt was “internally injured” with “sharp stinging pain.”

Although the initial appointment did not find any issues, after the procedure to remove pre-cancer cells after smears, doctors suspected endometriosis.

She was diagnosed in 2009 and had surgery to remove endometriosis in 2010, but three months later she was re-grown despite the doctors telling her that it was impossible.

Mrs. Chambers underwent another surgery in 2011, tying the fallopian tubes to prevent pregnancy.

“I was saddened for the child when I had to make that decision, even if it was my decision,” said the 44-year-old.

“I wanted to have a moment.”

Endometriosis continued to grow in 2012 with another operation under a new doctor, and in 2013 it was decided whether she was still in pain.

“The hysterectomy happened six weeks after my wedding day, so that was our honeymoon,” she said.

“It was a long, long recovery period and I wasn't expecting it.”

Endometriosis was removed again in 2015, but despite the pain in 2017, endometriosis has not grown.

“I'll try to break you because bad days are scary, and the fatigue is absolutely crazy. You can't explain it,” she said.

“Thankfully, I am one of the lucky ones.

“I had a partner who was standing by my side the whole time, we laughed a lot, we were stubborn, I did a lot of research, listened to my body, made the right choice for me.”

A spokesman for the NHS England said, “The experience of many women affected by endometriosis is not sufficient and many have waited too long for proper treatment and diagnosis.”

They added that the NHS is deploying a women's health hub and raising more awareness of the condition to help diagnose patients more quickly.

The department for a spokesman for the Ministry of Health said, “This government has inherited the NHS, where women wait up to 10 years for a diagnosis of endometriosis.