"Support, Uplift & Empower": Kristy's Endometriosis Journey
By Kristy Elks
My journey has been a long one. It started with an innocent 10 year old girl who got her period way before she was ready. The first few cycles were heavy but not too painful. Fast forward a few months and they would last 6-7 days, be extremely heavy and painful. By 14 I was having pain not just with my period but other times within the month and was diagnosed with recurring appendicitis. It wasn’t until many years later tracking my cycle that I realised the debilitating pain that left me unable to walk properly and that would wake me in my sleep was ovulation pain. I took many days off school with this pain and within 24-48 hours the pain would be gone.
I remember walking between classes in highschool needing to sit down halfway because the pain was so bad. Not just in my pelvis but down my legs and my lower back. Doctors always told me period pain was normal. I went on the pill at 18 and it didn’t really help. At 21 and 24 years of age I had my two daughters and then tried the implanon and mini pill, neither gave any relief and my cycles remained long and painful.
I would suffer extreme migraines with my periods, brain fog, debilitating fatigue, lower back and leg pain, bowel and bladder issues. No one once mentioned endometriosis could be the cause. I would have 1-2 ultrasounds each year but nothing ever showed up and I was told everything looked fine.
It wasn’t until my Mum was watching TV one day and a story came on about endometriosis. She called me and said ‘I think this is what you have’. I did some research and ticked all of the boxes. Still....... no Doctor listened or wanted to investigate.
By 2016 at 35 years of age I was suffering badly and my symptoms escalated. I was desperate to improve my health so I started on a health kick. I was walking 30 minutes a day, eating good food and minimal gluten and dairy, practicing meditation and mindfulness. I lost 5 kilos and my mental health also improved. But I was still getting sicker.
In 2017 a regular gyno told me he wouldn’t operate, as he didn’t think I had endometriosis. He offered the Mirena, which I refused, and I left. Fast forward 12 months, in January 2018 I went back to him and begged him for surgery. I had done a lot of research and I knew that excision surgery was the ‘Gold Standard’ for endometriosis. I researched this Gyno and his website said he was trained in excision of endometriosis. So in May 2018 at 37 years of age and after 27 years of suffering he diagnosed me with Stage 2 endometriosis and told me he excised all visable disease from my Pouch of Douglas and both uterosacral ligaments. I was later told at my 6 week post op appointment that he excised and ablated all disease. [I did not agree to ablation].
About 3 months post op all of my symptoms came back and worse than before. By February 2019 the pain was excrutiating. My lower back and leg pain never went away, my whole body hurt with ovulation and my period and I had no pain free days, I was constantly fatigued and sitting down hurt. My wheat bag never left my side. I was swollen and puffy and couldn’t even take my dog for a walk. Not only that, my bowel was not functioning properly and some weeks it felt like I had a UTI.
I did my research and found another surgeon who performed a second surgery on my in July 2019 and I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Endometriosis. She performed excision surgery and now at 4 months post op I feel the best I have in years. I still have some fatigue and headaches with my periods but I am able to function. I’m also seeing a wonderful pelvic physiotherapist regularly.
After my diagnosis I was very upset and angry that I was left to suffer for so long. But I have made it my mission in life to support, uplift and empower other women suffering from this disease and that is why I reached out to QENDO to become a volunteer. No one should have to face this alone
If you or someone you know needs support or guidance with their endometriosis, adenomyosis or PCOS, please utilise our support line 1800 FORWOMEN, available 24/7 - the on call support worker will contact you ASAP in regards to your message.
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