Page 33 - Demo

L ife as an ‘ENDO WARRIOR’ While being aware of the statistics and theory often gives us some insight into chronic health conditions such as endometriosis, it’s often not until we personally experience a condition like this that we understand what it takes to live with it day to day. BWy Margaret Mielczarek. ith endometriosis affecting one in 10 women, we speak with Katie*, one of the many ‘endo warriors’ who live daily with the often crippling condition. Tell us your endometriosis story. What were the signs and symptoms you experienced to indicate something was off? When were you diagnosed and how long have you had the condition? I was diagnosed relatively young, at 18. I’m almost 36 now. I got my first period when I was nine or 10 (I was super young, still at primary school) and by the time I was about 14 I realised the pain I had wasn’t normal. I’d be vomiting due to the pain at least one day a month and using a lot of analgesia/pain relief meds to try to dull the pain, not only during menstruation but during ovulation as well. I was ‘lucky’ to get a diagnosis so young, but I think this was because I have a cousin \[with the condition\], and one of our aunts \[has\] it too. What are the symptoms that you experience associated with the condition? \[My symptoms include:\] hip, pelvis and lower back pain leading up to and during menstruation; abdominal swelling and cramping leading up to and during menstruation, often with cramping on ovulation too; vaginal and abdominal pain during and after intercourse; fluctuating between constipation/loose bowel motions at times, with bloating and indigestion more frequently; irregular menstrual cycle despite being on one of the strongest contraceptive pills on the market; sometimes very heavy, sometimes very light \[periods\], and spotting at random times throughout the month; fatigue and poor sleep; emotional instability, especially premenstrually. Basically, it’s a giant bundle of fun (sarcasm clearly). How is endometriosis managed in your case? Regular exercise (absolutely key), contraceptive pill, analgesia as required. I try and eat healthily but I pretty much suck at that, but I also try to be kind to myself. I used to really struggle to allow myself to have an off day. I really beat myself up about it, but now I try to remind myself it gets better and, as clichéd as it sounds, tomorrow’s a new day. But I still regularly cry with the pain, especially if I’m emotionally stressed or challenged by a stressful or confronting situation at the same time. I’d hoped I’d grow out of that, but 18 years on, I think it’s just me now. Has endometriosis affected your ability to do daily activities at all? If so, how? I have to be cautious of fatigue and over- committing myself. Exercise is mandatory for symptom management and I know that when I don’t do it, I’m significantly worse. So, I have to time manage to prioritise that, sometimes at the expense of other more fun things to do. What is the role of a retail pharmacy assistant in making recommendations to customers who might come into the pharmacy seeking management? I haven’t really had much to do with any retail pharmacy assistants with regard to my symptom management, but I imagine that having knowledge of symptoms and how they interact with any medication, etc, would be useful – as well as options for symptom management, too. Even just being aware of the condition and common symptoms is a step up from a lot of healthcare providers, although, thankfully, that seems to be changing now. What would you like health professionals to know when they’re recommending different products/ treatment/management options for the condition? I’d love them to be a bit more clued in to current evidence-based practice. When I was first diagnosed, I was told the best management was pregnancy or hysterectomy, and neither of those were appealing options to an 18-year- old. It gets a bit tiring when you know more about the condition than your doctor does. *Full name withheld for privacy purposes. CASE STUDY: ENDOMETRIOSIS 31 “I try to remind myself it gets better and, as clichéd as it sounds, tomorrow’s a new day. “ RETAIL PHARMACY ASSISTANTS • MAY 2020