Earth Essences.Com

''It took 15 years for me to get a diagnosis for my constant pain but I'm one of the lucky ones'

Sanchia Alasia has been suffering from excruciating pain for as long as she can remember. At first, the pain occurred when the 41-year-old was on her period but as time went on she began to experience it in between her periods. After a minor operation to find out what was wrong, doctors diagnosed her with Stage 4 endometriosis in 2010.

JayBright Media Ltd. Sanchia Alasia has been suffering with constant pain due to her endometriosis

“The pain manifested itself in different ways over the years. I experience low level daily pelvic pain which is something that I just have to manage and get on with my life. But when I get my period, the pain is severe and I’m bed-bound. If I’m lucky I can just about make it to the supermarket. But there are so many other symptoms including a loss of appetite and struggling to sleep," she said.

One in ten women suffer from the condition and there’s currently no cure, according to charity Endometriosis UK. Endometriosis is a condition where tissue that is similar to the womb lining is found outside the womb. This tissue behaves in the same way as it would inside the womb but cannot be flushed out in the same way a normal period would which leads to horrendous pain. If left untreated, endometriosis can attach itself to organs in the body and eventually cause them to shut down, leading to organ failure.

"Growing up I always knew something was wrong. It bothered me that people at school didn't have to take time off when they got their periods and I was suffering. I remember thinking 'why is this happening to me, nobody else is going through this. I just thought I was unlucky," she added.

Sanchia, from Romford, said that she had been to the doctors a few times but was told that she just had heavy periods. Despite taking 20 years to get a diagnosis, Sanchia considers herself one of the lucky ones as the doctor she eventually saw referred her to a specialist, but many other women don’t have the same experience.

“So many other women are not taken seriously when they go to their GP," she said. "They’re saying they’ve got severe pain but nothing is being done about it. They’re told it’s a psychological thing but of course, you’re going to start to feel depressed if you’re in pain and not believed.”

For Sanchia, the endometriosis has spread to her ovaries, bladder and bowel which means she has issues with urination. She stressed that there needs to be more awareness within GPs and that ignorance cannot be used as an excuse for abandoning women's health.

“I had an operation in February 2020 and some of it has grown back," she said. "It can be and is a constant battle. I’ve been offered a few treatment options but they all sounded expensive and overwhelming. The pain is intermittent now between my periods which means I have to plan around it. If I know I'm coming on my period then I know I won't be able to go out for the first couple of days.

“Over the years there has been a lot of work to raise awareness, especially when you compare it to when I was first diagnosed. It’s come a long way but there’s still a long way to go. We need to come up with a national strategy to put more funding into research to find a proper cure because it’s too common a problem.”

Reference: My London: Gabriella Clare