Oldham nurse urges doctors to have the stomach to fight endometriosis

An Oldham nurse who suffers with a crippling condition has made a desperate plea to doctors to understand her condition better.

Endometriosis, which affects one in ten women of child bearing age, has meant near constant bleeding for Lucy Bowker since her early teens.

But the 24-year-old has met with a constant brick wall of disbelief from medics who dismissed her agony as “a heavy period”.

Now Lucy has joined forces with Chadderton charity Endometriosis Awareness North to better educate everyone on the shattering physical and mental health associated with “endo” – starting with the medical profession.

“Our small charity has spent its first few months surveying and meeting clinicians and medics, and has discovered a frighteningly high level of ignorance, with some believing patients merely have back or menstrual pain,” said charity creator, Dr Anita Sharma.

In Lucy’s case, befuddled doctors actually removed her appendix at one point to cure her abdominal pain.

Meanwhile, over the years, she somehow countered a haemorrhage, hospital infections and remarkably managed to give birth.

“My life has been littered with hospital attendances,” added Lucy.

“I would be treated in A&E and receive strong painkillers before being sent up to the ward for ‘pain management’, which consisted of a junior doctor reviewing me and prescribing another medication which inevitably would not work.

"I just felt nobody took me seriously or listened to my concerns.

"That is the position for a lot of women with endometriosis.”

The condition is caused when tissue similar to the lining of the womb adheres to other parts of the body, including the fallopian tubes.

Three-quarters of sufferers admitted to an Endometriosis Awareness North survey recently, that they felt “desperate”, with 11% saying they were currently having dark thoughts.

Yet diagnosing endo can take up to seven years.

“If this were a condition that resulted in men enduring agony, time lost from work, plans cancelled constantly and people constantly questioning your pain, I am sure treatment would be better and even a cure forthcoming,” continued Dr Sharma.

"But here is another example of women being treated like second class citizens.

"We are so pleased Lucy is with us.

"The fact that she is a nurse means there will be somebody on the front line, batting for women with endometriosis and countering the prejudice against those with the condition.”

Concluded Lucy: “The doctors I was seeing at the hospital were not specialists in endometriosis.

"My management consisted almost solely of pain relief.

"It is so crucial that you get that diagnosis.

"It may not be a magic label that makes things better, but it does allow you access to treatment options.

"Endometriosis is now encompassing almost every aspect of my life and has now reached the glands near my kidneys.

"It causes me immense pain and prevents me from working as often as I want to; and the impact of endometriosis on my medical health is quite separate from the affect it has on my mental health.

"I am not able to engage in activities a typical 24-year-old would.

"However, I do now have people on my side and am determined to do my bit to help other women in my position.

"That is the only way we can really move forward.”

Support the Endometriosis Awareness North charity by visiting: www.endometriosisawarenessnorth.com

Their site includes information on the signs and symptoms of endometriosis.

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