A woman visited A&E more than 200 times, underwent two operations and lost two jobs after her crippling endometriosis was dismissed as period pain.
Sinead Smythe, 20, from Brighton, was finally diagnosed with the agonising condition in January 2016 after battling stomach cramps since she was 11 years old.
Despite having surgery, the pain was back just three months later, with doctors telling Ms Smythe, a receptionist at a gym, the only cure is a hysterectomy. Yet the hopeful mother refuses to eliminate her chances of one day having a family.
To raise awareness of the condition, Ms Smythe has set up a blog, the first post of which was shared more than 200,000 times.
She said: ‘If we all stand together against this awful condition then we will help others understand and hopefully no other women will feel alone in this fight.
‘Living with a long-term invisible illness is hard but you cannot let endometriosis take over’.
Endometriosis occurs when cells in the womb are found elsewhere in the body. It affects around 1.5 million women in the UK.
Sinead Smythe visited A&E more than 200 times, underwent two operations and lost two jobs when her crippling endometriosis was dismissed as period pain
She was finally diagnosed in January 2016 after battling symptoms since she was 11 years old
After having surgery, her pain returned just three months later (pictured after the procedure)
‘Anyone who does not understand calls it “a bad period”‘
Ms Smythe said: ‘The pain can be so crippling that I cannot move from the same position, I can be rolled up in a ball for hours on end.
‘I lost two jobs in 2015 and 2016 as a receptionist due to endometriosis as I became unreliable due to the daily pain.
‘My employer’s didn’t understand, they looked at me as if I was lying because I didn’t physically look unwell, anyone who does not understand calls it “a bad period.”
‘Throughout the years I have visited both the doctors and A&E hundreds of times without any help at all.
‘I even decided to take myself to a sexual health clinic as a last resort of trying to find out what was wrong.’
‘I had no idea it was a reoccurring illness’
Ms Smythe was initially diagnosed with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, which is an infection of the female upper genital tract, and put on antibiotics, which did nothing to ease her discomfort.
Yet, early last year, she was finally told she had endometriosis.
Ms Smythe said: ‘I underwent a surgery called laparoscopy so doctors could see what was going on inside my stomach.
‘It was then that they realised I had the condition and they removed as much of the endometriosis as possible.
‘However I had no idea it was a reoccurring illness and the pain was back just three months later.’
She refuses to have a hysterectomy to cure the condition as one day hopes to be a mother
To raise awareness of endometriosis, Ms Smythe has set up a blog describing her experience
‘A hysterectomy isn’t an option’
Ms Smythe has been told by doctors the only possible cure for her endometriosis is to have a hysterectomy.
She said: ‘I want to have a family one day so having a hysterectomy isn’t an option for me right now and I don’t think it ever will be.
‘My condition can cause infertility, which causes me huge amounts of anxiety; its absolutely terrifying.
‘Endometriosis doesn’t just cause you tromendous amounts of pain, but it is mentally draining and can cause women depression and anxiety.
‘Another doctor told me to have a baby now if I want to ease my endometriosis; I was only 18 years old at the time.
‘But I’m single and being told that as a teenager hit me like a rock as it showed there’s little real hope for anyone diagnosed.’
Ms Smythe has lost two jobs as her agony meant she was an unreliable employee with others doubting her illness when she looks well (pictured: her cannula after surgery)
Being told to have a hysterectomy hit Ms Smythe ‘like a rock’ as she was only 18 at the time
Her first blog post was shared more than 200,000 times, inspiring women worldwide
‘You cannot let endometriosis win this battle’
Ms Smythe decided to write a blog that describes how endometriosis affects her life.
She said: ‘If we all stand together against this awful condition then we will help others understand and hopefully no other women will feel alone in this fight.
‘One evening before bed I thought “that’s it, I’m going to make an awareness post on social media about endometriosis and how I suffer with it.”
‘The following morning, I had hundreds of messages from women all over the globe thanking me.
‘I was in complete and utter shock. I was speechless, it wasn’t just me who was suffering from this horrendous illness.
‘It made me so emotional knowing there was so many women out there who feel exactly how I’m feeling.’
Ms Smythe is also sharing her tips for living with the condition.
She said: ‘I now try and look at my situation with positivity.
‘Living with a long-term invisible illness is hard but you cannot let endometriosis take over your life.
‘You cannot let endometriosis win this battle because it has the power to destroy you and stop your dreams!
‘You’ve got to find something in each day to reach, even if that’s getting out of bed in the mornings when you’re feeling drained and no emotion towards anything.
‘One small positive thought in the morning can honestly change your whole day! A negative mind will never give you a positive life.’