Meryl's Story

I am a typical woman; a worrier. Because of this, I believe my doctor saw my pains as just ‘Meryl asking for attention’. I was diagnosed eventually when I was 26. However, my right hand side had been in pain since I was seventeen. My doctor at the time thought I had appendicitis and a laparoscopy showed possible signs that appendicitis could be the cause of the pain. So I had it taken out. However, I continued to have pain but was told it was scar tissue. I lived with the pain for nearly nine years, believing my doctor, although I always had concerns about my very heavy periods and the agony I went through. I had an episode of chronic anxiety, which I believe led my doctor to think less of me. The fact that I did have IBS and scar tissue led to many amusing arguments with her.

Eventually, one week, I could not move. The pain was so unbearable that I physically could not breathe properly. I thought I had ruptured something. I went and saw a different doctor who thought I might have polycystic ovarian syndrome, and I had a scan but nothing showed up. Then after waiting for six months I was sent to see a gynaecologist who said I may have a very mild case of endometriosis, but a laparoscopy and small laser surgery would fix it.

After I woke up from surgery, hoping everything would be alright and I would be pain-free, the surgeon came to see me. He told me that I had significant endometriosis. It had covered my entire right ovary, including my scar tissue and bowel, spread across over my bladder and started to grow on to my left ovary. He told me that laser surgery was not an option as there was too much, and lasering it would not make a difference.

I was shocked and hurt that no one had mentioned endometriosis to me before and angry that my doctor had let me go through the pain for nine years. I read everything I could get my hands on. I wanted answers. Why is it misdiagnosed for IBS? Why is there not something to simply test for it? My doctor meekly apologised. Since my surgery I have had several different types of treatment, none of which made any kind of impact on my endometriosis. My body adapts to injections/pills etc. and it starts all over again. I am very fed up of being in pain because it gets me down.

Currently I am trying to be positive and take charge of my health. I am exercising, running and trying to lose the weight that treatment has made me gain. I try not to use painkillers, because I do not want to rely on them all the time. I am encouraging my friends to always seek advice or a second opinion.

I work for a charity and know what deliberating diseases/poor health can do to people. I want to make endometriosis more apparent to people, get more information out to others and also help raise funds. 

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