March is endometriosis awareness month 🌻

Throughout this month I am going to be raising money for such an important charity, to help fund further research into helping other women like me and their families. ❤

⚠️ Long, but important post for so many women ⚠️

Anyone who has any questions about endometriosis or wonders how it affects both the sufferer and their families, read this very important post 👇

This is endometriosis and this is my life.

❗Not being able to work full time because after 2 days work your tummy balloons like this..

❗Calling in sick often because you physically cant move because of the pain and bloat, but then feeling mega guilty and anxious because once again, youve let work down.

❗Not only that but you begin to financially struggle because no matter how ill you are, bills, childcare and standard costs of living all add up.

❗Having anxiety when leaving the house and checking you have every single pain killer you are taking to ensure you have an emergency stash if you flare up.

❗To then having a panic attack as soon as you feel a tiny bit of pain and you realise you've forgotten the strong painkillers- codeine.

❗Being on so many medications because of how much this disease impacts your life:
-anti depressants (because of the obvious way it effects you)
-160mg beta blockers (for the anxiety)
-240mg Codeine per day, paracetamol, mefanamic acid, naproxen (for the pain)
-stool softeners, stomach settlers, (because of the effects of all those pain killers)
-Whatever hormonal pill/treatment they've put you on to "help".

❗Then being told your codeine prescription is being suspended because you have been on it for such a long time, and that paracetamol "should be adequate enough" 🤔

And after all these medications... STILL being uncomfortable and in pain.

❗Getting told to cut everything out your diet to see if it has an impact - dairy, gluten, red meat, sugar, sweeteners etc to find that NOTHING helps and you just end up mega hungry...

❗Saying youre having a good day when the pain is infact just at a 6 on the scale today rather than a 9.

❗Not being able to fill your bladder more than half way without being in agony.

❗Getting so excited for nap/bedtimes because youre so exhausted and need to sleep off the pain, then to wake up in agony because your bladder is so full.

❗And dont even get me started on bowel movements! Labour contractions when going to the loo for a number 2.. fun fun fun.

❗Getting passed from pillar to post before you actually find a decent consultant, (i am incredibly lucky and mine is amazing!)

❗Weight gain, sore breasts, abnormal hair growth, incresed appetite, nausea, mood swings- all from the 100000 hormonal treatments the doctors decide to put you through, to realise they make no difference whosoever.

❗Constant back/leg/stomach ache when the tissue is around your nerve endings, giving you lightning pains if you even think of moving in a certain way.

❗Having the same symptoms as many female cancers so whenever a new symptom arises, panic mode sets in not just for you, but for your family too.

❗Getting told afflicting information about how "the best thing for you is to be pregnant." When infact for some women, this is impossible.
*Not to mention the amount of pregnancy losses for those who finally fall pregnant, due to the body struggling to carry the baby.

❗Having the discussion of a possible hysterectomy at 26 year old to stop symptoms.

❗Finally falling pregnant, getting your whole family and friends excited for you to have a miscarriage when you are so close to the 12 week mark.

❗Having to then start again and decide what medication, treatment or pain management approach you are going to go through now.

⚠️ And thats not even everything, this condition is real and it affects so many women's lives, its about time something was done to help, dont you think? ⚠️