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A mom has undergone a hysterectomy in her thirties to beat the excruciating pain caused by endometriosis.
Sophie Passmore (32), from Bedfordshire, England, is relieved to have her life back after opting to start early menopause following her 16-year battle with chronic pain caused by endometriosis and PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder), a debilitating form of severe PMS.
She was put on antidepressant Prozac from the age of 13 to combat her severe PMS.
“I’d feel really emotional, teary and wouldn’t be able to concentrate. It affected my school work most definitely.
“I remember feeling distant, distracted and sensitive to any noise in the classroom, which only seemed to make it so much worse.
The 32-year-old’s period pains were so severe that she required an ambulance numerous times and was left unable to work.
Doctors prescribed antidepressants and contraception to curb the endometriosis and PMDD but without any success.
Two months ago, Sophie underwent the procedure which has ended her suffering and helped her to lead a normal life for the first time since her teenage years.
“I did feel quite emotional about it and went through a deliberating process to clarify my thoughts,” says Sophie.
“But after reading my diary about my experiences and how many times I put my life at risk, I knew having a hysterectomy was a necessity.
“Menopause won’t make me risk my life or feel suicidal and think about ending it all, every single month for years.
“I felt relieved when I came around from surgery, I had a mental clarity like I’d never had before. It was as if something was lifted and I was able to process my thoughts.
“I’m so relieved to have my life back. The endometriosis caused so much pain and blood loss over the years, which severely limited me.”
The project controller and florist is now an ambassador for charity Wellbeing for Women, who are funding research into endometriosis.
Sohie is now raising awareness in the hopes of making more young women aware of the disorder and to persist in getting better treatment and diagnosis rates.
“Because I had diaries I could prove there was a pattern. I was sent to my gynaecologist who felt sad for me and this time said ‘I’m turning your ovaries off,’” she says.
“While it has been hard being menopausal, the symptoms are nothing compared to what I went through before.’’
Sources: Magazine Features
