Sammi

Hi all! My name is Sammi and I run the support group for Endometriosis UK in Hartlepool.

I have had difficulties for most of my adult life. I am in remission from a brain condition called IIH and I am still going strong. I am a long kane user as a result of losing my eyesight from the brain condition. I am left with just tunnel vision and what I do have is quite blurry. Despite this, I still plod on! Until recently I always managed to work, find a nice balance between looking after my family, my mental health and I was happy.

Then three years ago my painful heavy periods got significantly worse and I never knew what this actually was. I had always had issues with my periods since I was a teenager but nothing as severe as this. Back when I was a teenager I was told my issues were perfectly normal and it happens to every women. I now know that painful heavy periods that disrupt your everyday life are not normal and I wish I had the knowledge back then to advocate for myself. 

It took around two years to be able to see a gynaecologist, and turns out I have endometriosis. I have declined a lot of treatment as my fertility journey is not complete and I preferred treatment that aligned with this. I am currently waiting on excision surgery. Despite all of my illnesses I have always found ways of moving and adapting through life, until the beginning of 2025 when I had to leave my job. I have only recently gone back into employment and now feel ready to support others on this journey. 

You would have thought a brain condition would be what flawed me the most, but for me, nothing is as draining or as painful as my gynae issues. I feel the biggest reason for this the length of time it takes women to be diagnosed and to receive any help. A brain condition is treated immediately but anything deemed "women's issues" has a very long wait before any support is medically given! Once you get there, it's still endless waiting and constantly searching for answers. Quite often it can feel isolating and lonely, despite having an amazing support network, nobody can truly understand some of the personal issues that come with this and the mental health impact it can have.

Endometriosis is not just difficult periods. It is not just pain for a few days a month. It is so much more, way more than I can begin to describe in just an introduction post.

One thing I know I want to do is support other people going through this process - no matter what stage of diagnosis or their journey they are at. Support networks are amazing and I have found them so helpful. So feel free to come along to ours in Hartlepool if you are in need of support or a listening ear.

We meet every Sunday at the women's health hub in Hartlepool. Inside the Arches off Park Road. TS247PW