A year ago, 28-year-old Floor suddenly had so much abdominal pain that she thought she had appendicitis.
“I got a lot of abdominal pain, I turned out to have a cyst in my stomach and had to have an operation immediately. Then they told me that I have endometriosis (see gray box). I had no idea what that was,” Floor tells EditieNL.
Fertility
Floor had already had an IUD for seven years. That may have been her salvation. “I did not have my period anymore because of the IUD and that has inhibited the condition. I am also very lucky because I am probably fertile, and that is not obvious in women with endometriosis.”
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What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a chronic disease in which tissue somewhat similar to the lining of the womb (endometrium) occurs outside the uterine cavity. This can be in different places: for example on the peritoneum, but also on the organs in the abdomen, the intestinal wall or the cervix. It ‘grows’ there and causes inflammation that causes all kinds of complaints.
Women with endometriosis can therefore have complaints such as menstrual pain, intestinal and bladder problems, blood from the anus, fatigue or pain during sex.
Chronic inflammation often leads to reduced fertility, which can also be the result of the adhesions of the fallopian tubes and ovaries.
Source: Endometriosis Foundation
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But now Floor has to think about whether she wants children. Then her IUD should go out, which could have consequences for her condition. “If I have the IUD removed, I get my period again. It can be dangerous, because endometriosis can increase again and I can become infertile.”
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Diagnosis a surprise
The IUD may have inhibited the condition, but it doesn’t mean Floor has no complaints at all. “During my period I can have problems with my bowels and I can get very tired. I have a stomach ache and headache. It has a lot of influence on my mood. As I get older, the complaints also get worse.”
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Thinking about the future sometimes causes sleepless nights at Floor. “I have had a cyst on my ovary and I have not had any violent inflammation in my stomach. But the fact that I do not have it now does not mean that it will not come later,” said my gynecologist. I am especially afraid of in case I’m going to take out my IUD. “
Only
Of campaign from Libresse to break taboos and raise awareness about these kinds of disorders, is a good idea, according to Floor. “I feel quite alone in this, because I don’t know anyone who has this. There is no one who recognizes this. I had never heard of it and my friends didn’t know it either. So it’s nice to talk more about it now It is important to talk about it, “said Floor.
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