Growing up I have been through some hard times, but nothing could prepare me for this thing called Endometriosis. The physical pain, the mental struggle and the feelings of isolation and loneliness became all too familiar as I navigated my way through life with this debilitating condition.
I spent my 22nd birthday at Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) Emergency after experiencing a severe pain on the left side of my pelvis. The pain was so bad I could hardly walk and could not stand up straight. At the hospital, the doctors first ruled out appendicitis then they made the (mis)diagnosis of “Mesenteric Lymphadenitis”, explaining that the lymph nodes in the membrane that connects the bowel to the abdominal wall, were inflamed.
As the pain persisted, so did my confusion about what was going on with my body. As well as seeing my GP, I also began to see some specialists. A gynaecologist spent five minutes with me and suspected Endometriosis. Instantly I felt elated that finally I could put a name to the pain, but then the mention of surgery to confirm the condition quickly brought me back down. I could not believe that the only way to diagnose this condition was through surgery; a seriously invasive procedure.
I continued to work while dealing with Endometriosis but I was always needing time off. I would take five days off per month. This was really hard for me as I felt I was letting the team down. Passing out on the train on the way to work one morning, was something that still makes me shudder to remember. Eventually I had to give up a job that I enjoyed and had won awards for.
Preview above: How do you manage your chronic pain to improve your quality of life? Conquering Chronic Pain, Tuesday, April 14 at 8:30pm on
The days on my cycle were excruciating. I couldn’t leave bed for days! I could hardly eat and I would cry all the time. The pain was at a constant high and I wasn’t sure how I would get through the next 10 minutes, let alone, as doctors had told me, “the rest of my life” with this condition. Depression was a big symptom as my social life was curbed. Nobody seemed to understand what I was going through. I have an amazingly supportive family and beautiful friends and yet I had never felt so alone. Suicidal thoughts were a regular occurrence but never acted on. The constant anxiety and fear were extremely difficult to manage as my body was always in fight or flight, waiting for the pain to hit. It limited my life in all ways, socialising, working and relationships.
With an outgoing personality and many friends, having this condition made me feel like I was two different people. It was so hard smiling on the outside when on the inside I was crushed with sadness.
I have always had a natural approach to managing pain. Even though I could not get on top of my pain completely, by using natural products in conjunction with some medications I was able to reduce it a lot. I always used the natural products first and medication as needed.
I used heat pads, certain essential oil rubs for cramping, took hot magnesium baths and smelled essential oil blends to calm the panic attack symptoms. Regular meditation was my absolute must and staying calm was the secret to coping with such high levels of pain.
Since getting on top of her pain Emilia has since been able to travel and return to the gym. Source: Supplied
At 25 I had surgery. My recovery since has been a slow, and at times frustrating process. I still deal with anxiety on a daily basis and pain is still present, but to a much lesser extent. I managed to travel overseas with family, taking a kit of meds and natural products for pain management. I now feel stronger and have not taken pain medication in more than six months.
After surgery, I attended two separate pain clinics in Sydney which I found very beneficial and I highly recommend to anyone dealing with chronic pain. The Greenwich pain clinic focused on how to live with pain and remain connected to the true essence of oneself. I learned to re-connect with nature and find beauty in what is outside of myself and my pain.
RNSH’s ADAPT pain clinic taught me how I can be active again with pain through specific exercises set by a pain physiotherapist. It created a safe environment to try new things while being monitored by health professionals. This gave me the confidence to join the gym and get back into exercise which had become so unreachable.
I now go to the gym three times per week and this has really decreased my anxiety around pain and exercise. Both pain clinics allowed me to meet other people living with chronic pain and through sharing we inspired each other to keep going.
My experience with Endometriosis has opened my eyes to the lack of resources and clinical support that’s available. It has become a purposeful mission for me to now want to support other women; turning a negative experience into something positive.
In response to this need for support I have created “”. This is a beautiful package filled with hand-picked natural products that I found helpful for my pain management. Hence it is created by someone who understands, first-hand.
If you, or someone you know, needs help you can contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or Lifeline on 13 11 14
