"I have had fibroids and endometriosis for over five years, been passed from pillar to post around the NHS, been in debilitating pain and bleeding so much that I became severely anaemic. At points, I couldn't leave the house because the blood flow was so intense and yet I could not get an appointment on the NHS to get anything done about it. It was ruining my life and yet not considered life-threatening."
"Yet I was repeatedly denied pain relief, to the point another patient across from me got up and looked for a nurse to treat me. A scan revealed she had appendiceal endometriosis and had probably been suffering from it for years. She was told that her appendix would likely have burst if she had left the hospital."
"I hate to say it, but if this condition was happening to men, things would be very different. The women who got in touch shared deeply personal insights into their condition, as well as medical records, photos, treatment information, and even in one case a dismissal letter."
Women with endometriosis share accounts of prolonged suffering and medical neglect within the NHS system. Gill Capewell endured five years of severe pain and bleeding, becoming anaemic while struggling to access appointments, ultimately requiring a full hysterectomy. Freya Bowen experienced intense menstrual pain since age 14, with cysts dismissed as self-resolving despite repeated hospital visits. During a serious infection at 17, she was denied adequate pain relief despite experiencing excruciating symptoms. A scan revealed appendiceal endometriosis that had progressed undiagnosed for years, requiring emergency appendix removal. These accounts highlight systemic failures in recognizing, treating, and managing endometriosis, with women's concerns minimized and conditions left untreated until reaching critical stages.
Read at www.bbc.com
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