"I practically begged my GP for help" - Cornish woman speaks out about living with endometriosis
Kathryn Davidson wants to raise awareness about the severity of the condition as part of Endometriosis Awareness Month.
Last updated 31st Mar 2021
A Cornish woman said she was left begging for help after suffering years of agony caused by endometriosis.
As part of Endometriosis Awareness Month, Kathryn Davidson, 42 from Falmouth spoke to Pirate FM about her story.
Kathryn's symptoms started 11 years ago in 2010, when she started to experience really severe and debilitating pelvic pain, cramping during her period and bowel pain after deciding to stop taking the contraceptive pill.
After making an appointment with her GP, Kathryn claims she was told she probably had endometriosis and that there wasn't much that could be done to help her. She left believing she had an extremely painful condition that was harmless.
However, over the next few years her condition worsened:
"The pelvic pain I experienced during my period became more severe and constant.
"I suffered really extreme fatigue and I was crashing out for three or four hours a day, I was constantly suffering from infections, I was getting migraines, lower back pain, bladder pain, kidney pain, my legs were constantly aching.
"I was just really, really struggling on a day to day basis to just function and get through the day."
Kathryn Davidson, Endometriosis sufferer
After being prescribed a number of painkillers to keep it at bay, Kathryn said it took her six years to visit the GP where she broke down in tears.
"I just cried my eyes out and practically begged them the GP to refer me and told them that I literally could not go through what I've been through with my period again."
Kathryn Davidson
What is Endometriosis?
According the NHS England, Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes.
Endometriosis can affect women of any age.
It's a long-term condition that can have a significant impact on your life, but there are treatments that can help.
Symptoms of endometriosis
The symptoms of endometriosis can vary. Some women are badly affected, while others might not have any noticeable symptoms.
The main symptoms of endometriosis are:
- Pain in your lower tummy or back (pelvic pain) – usually worse during your period
- Period pain that stops you doing your normal activities
- Pain during or after sex
- Pain when peeing or pooing during your period
- Feeling sick, constipation, diarrhoea, or blood in your pee during your period
- Difficulty getting pregnant
You may also have heavy periods. You might use lots of pads or tampons, or you may bleed through your clothes.
For some women, endometriosis can have a big impact on their life and may sometimes lead to feelings of depression.
You can find more information about the condition on the NHS website here.
"Some of my organs were stuck together."
She was referred to the Endometriosis clinic at Treliske Hospital where she was diagnosed with stage four endometriosis the following year in 2017.
"I was severely and quite dangerously ill by this point and some of my organs were stuck together with adhesions.
"Endometriosis had invaded some of my organs, I had a mass inside of my bowel which is why I was really struggling to eat and couldn't go to the toilet properly.
"I was losing weight due to the amount of time that my endometriosis had been left untreated."
Kathryn Davidson
She was left needing three surgeries to try and undo all the damage it had caused to her body. Kathryn underwent a bowel resection which involved removing part of the damaged bowel and major excision surgery.
The following year she went under the knife again with surgeons having to perform a hysterectomy and remove more parts of her bowel from her womb.
She said the impact of the surgery will always have an effect on her body, physically and mentally.
"I still struggle to live with limitations in my life in terms of what I can do and what can't do, and this is why I really, really want to raise a much awareness as possible because I really want everybody to know how debilitating this condition can be and how serious it can be if left untreated."
Kathryn Davidson
Last year, as part of Endometriosis Awareness Month, Kathryn went to Parliament where she spoke to MPs about the condition and is now pushing to try and make endometriosis a priority in terms of health conditions.
She is also helping to raise money for Endometriosis UK. She took part in a sponsored walk with her local MP last year.
Kathyrn was also involved in an engagement video with Parliament in 2020 to raise awareness of the condition.
This year, she says she is trying to tell her story as much as possible and take part in a sponsored bike ride.
Kathryn is urging women in Cornwall to seek medical help if they have concerns and believe they may be suffering from the condition.
"If you're really struggling with your periods and they're affecting your life and activities, I would definitely speak to the GP about it. I would definitely raise endometriosis as something you're concerned about and if you're not happy I would definitely get a second or third opinion.
"Endometriosis UK are a really good source of valid and accurate information that you can use to look up different symptoms of endometriosis and to seek help and what sort of help you should be receiving.
"They also have a support line that is run by volunteers that you can call and speak to somebody about your concerns and where to go to next."
Kathryn Davidson