An operation to save my future. Endometriosis will not win.

I'm Jamie, I am 19 years old and I am currently studying mental health nursing full time. It is my passion to work with people who are struggling and so far it has been so rewarding but there has been one problem.

I am suffering from endometriosis.

3 years ago I started to have severe abdominal pain and went to the doctors. They put it down to a 'bad period' and gave me some Naproxen. This did not help and the pain would only get worse from here. I was 15 when this all started. I have chronic fatigue due to the pain, severe abdominal pain, leg and back pain. Some days I am unable to leave my bed due to the pain and no painkillers work.

After fighting with my doctors I was referred to urology as they thought it was my kidneys. I knew this was not the case. Everytime I suggested endometriosis they brushed it off. All of my results were coming back clear and they put me on several antibiotics and pinned it down to the fact that I had urinary tract infections that was struggling to be controlled.

I was then admitted to same day emergency care in the hospital, the doctors now thought that I had appendicitis. After countless urine samples and blood samples they told me they had no idea why I was there because I had no symptoms of appendicitis. I

was back at the doctors and they referred me for a ultrasound. It came back clear. They told me there was nothing wrong with me. This is when they started to put pressure on asking how my mental health was. They did not believe my pain. They referred me back to urology to have a renography ( a scan that monitors how well your kidneys can produce urine). There was no concerns from this scan.

After further fighting they sent me to emergency gynaecology at the hospital. I was so relieved. The care I recieved changed me, made me lose trust in the professionals. I was left in a room all day with no one to check up on me, the room was freezing. My relatives were told I would not be in there long as I was waiting to have an ultrasound. I went and asked the nurses if there was any update and they said I would be called in soon to have an ultrasound. They then told me I needed to drink more fluid and I was already in a lot of pain due to having to hold in my urine. So I kept drinking, sat in this freezing room alone. It was an hour later and I told the nurses I couldn't do anymore. They told me that the nurse doing the ultrasound had now finished for the day. My relative had then been allowed in and about 2 hours later a doctor came in to take my bloods. He told me I have difficult veins and how cold I was. He had to take blood from my wrist and as he turned to grab a vial he hit the needle in my arm. At this point I just wanted to go home. I asked for a blanket and pain medication and was told he would get them. Another hour went past and nothing. I went to ask the nurses for an update and they rolled their eyes and was told I needed a chest x-ray as they were worried about a blood clot on my lungs. I was also told I needed to wait for a CT.

I was seen by x-ray and was told the results would be back before I would make it back to the ward. 3 hours passed and I still had no pain medication, I asked the nurses if there was any update and they rolled their eyes at me. I asked how long it would be for a CT scan and they told me "there is a lot more important patients than you to be seen so we don't know". I then had my results for my x-ray which had come back clear. I said I wanted to go home and discharge myself as I could not deal with the care and they said I would need to stay in the have my ultrasound. I refused this as I could not endure a night of this care, They then booked me in for an ultrasound the next day and I discharged home. They had said to me "well if you die outside of the hospital, it will not be our fault".

I returned the next day for my ultrasound and they said "oh, it's you. We didn't expect you to come back". After my ultrasound they asked me if I was being forced to be here and if I had mental health issues. As my scans had come back clear they said that I might need some help for my mental health.

I went private, I had no choice. I was having antibiotics thrown at me for 2 years and all sorts of medication and pills that would not help. Contraceptive pills overlapping and with all of the side effects I had to put an end to it.

Last year I went to a private hospital and saw what was made out to be 'the best specialist for endometriosis'. He suspected endometriosis on the first appointment and trialed me on medication that helped for a while. He explained to me I would need a laparoscopy but had me in for several appointments. This was all self funded. I told him that due to the amount of appointments and the CT scan I would be unable to go through with the cost of the operation at the time'. The CT scan came back clear and cost £550. He told me it would be beneficial to have the mirena coil.

I was booked in for the coil and was told if I needed to stop during the process I could. I was in a lot of pain and told them I needed to stop and breath, they continued. The pain was worse than anything. I could not walk for days. I cried for days. After follow up appointments I was told my coil had been put in incorrectly and I needed to have it removed. It was all for nothing and the trauma almost had me refusing removal.

I then saw about a new test "endo sure" and went for it. It was £350 and the results came back that I had severe endometriosis.

I felt hopeless. After changing doctors and still continuing to fight and the pain becoming increasingly worse. I made a follow-up appointment with the specialist. He then told me he no longer thought I had endometriosis due to my body not reacting to medication but he would do an explorative surgery. I said I did not want the coil again and he said he would do it because I was asleep so I wouldn't need to worry about the pain.

I had recommendations from a new specialist. She has listened, did scans on the same day as my first assessment and told me I needed to have a laparoscopy. She ruled out me having overian cysts and listened to me. Someone had finally heard me and believed me.

The only problem is the surgery is more expensive than the original due to it being a full surgery. The cost is £6000.

To be able to continue working in mental health, helping people and being able to live a less painful life. This surgery is neccessary.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, any and all support is appreciated. My operation date is June 29th. Thank you again, for hearing my story.