Kamini Naik, 27, suffered with endometriosis for 10 years before she was diagnosed. Here she tells us about her journey and what a new treatment would mean to her
I vividly remember passing out on the bus when I was a teenager.
One moment I was drinking Ribena with my boyfriend of the time, then the other I woke up – Ribena was in my hair and he had tears in his eyes.
When I asked what had happened, lots of friendly strangers told me I’d collapsed.
That was school – bizarre events like that, indescribable pain, anxiety, paranoia and lethargy.
It started when I was 14 from my first period.
It was very heavy, it would physically leak out of my clothes and it was so painful I would just faint. I was just told I had really bad periods.
I couldn’t hide the pain I was feeling and it would just come out – I’d cry, get upset, I’d express myself a lot more.
It affected my relationships, and eventually I just learned to numb my emotions.
It was ten years before I was diagnosed with endometriosis, by which point cells had travelled to outside my bladder and up to my kidney.
I had to stay in hospital for three months.
For me, treatment since then has been trial and error. I’ve tried so many pills, had an invasive laparoscopy and at one point I went on the patch which made me pretty much feel suicidal.
A non-hormonal, non-invasive treatment would be a complete game changer. It would mean the world to me and change so many other lives too.
When I think that other treatments could be available in the future, it gives me hope.
Find out more about endometriosis, including symptoms and diagnosis, here.
Laura spent years suffering from heavy and painful periods, which affected her life. Then she was forced to leave a job she loved because of her menstrual health. Now, Laura is speaking out, because she believes workplaces should be more open and respectful of women’s health.
From the moment Zaynah started her period, she experienced severe pain and heavy bleeding that impacted her education. It took over five years for her to get her diagnosis of endometriosis and adenomyosis. Now, Zaynah is raising awareness of the different gynaecological conditions by supporting her friends on their period journey.
Sophie, suffered for years with heavy bleeding and severe period pain, before getting diagnosed with endometriosis. Now Sophie is raising awareness through her online platform @theendospectrum.