Endometriosis Action Month

As the month of March races away, here in the UK we’re finally seeing some sunshine and blue skies.

March is Endometriosis Action Month and this month I’m donating 15% of every sale to Endometriosis UK via Work for Good.

In this very candid blog I want to share with you some of the reasons why I chose this charity and why it’s close to my heart. This was a tough email for me to write, and it’s not strictly about beads! But I know that so many of my customers and beading friends are women, so I hope you’ll find it relatable.

With as many as 1 in 10 women and those assigned female at birth being affected by this illness, it’s likely you have friends who have it, or maybe even have it yourself. I have several close friends who have experienced endometriosis. Each of them has been impacted in different ways.

Endometriosis can cause severe pain and is commonly linked with infertility.

  • The prevalence of endometriosis in women with infertility can be as high as 30–50%.
  • Endometriosis is the second most common gynaecological condition in the UK.
  • Endometriosis affects 1.5 million women and those assigned female at birth, a similar number of those affected by diabetes.
  • On average it takes 8 years from onset of symptoms to get a diagnosis.
  • Endometriosis costs the UK economy £8.2bn a year in treatment, loss of work and healthcare costs.
  • The cause of endometriosis is unknown and there is no definite cure.

Stats from Endometriosis UK.

One of the reasons that Endometriosis Action Month is so important to me is that I have been suffering with some of the symptoms of endometriosis for many years. This has been issues such as bloating and IBS, painful periods and ovulation, brain fog and fatigue. When I say bloating, this is to the point of looking 6-7 months pregnant. A few years ago a lady in the post office asked me when the baby was due!

My periods are so painful that walking and moving about is difficult; I find it hard to do much more than lie on the sofa for the first two days. Not ideal or always possible with a small child and a business to run. And definitely no beading takes place!

These symptoms have been added to in recent years with pelvic pain and regular ovarian cysts, dysuria (finding it painful to pee!) among other fun symptoms.

Taking control

About three years ago I sought help from my GP. Despite lots of different tests, looking at different areas and organs, I have been left feeling fobbed off at times and no closer to finding out why I was in pain. I’ve made drastic changes to my diet to help; reducing refined sugar (which adds to inflammation), as well as wheat and processed foods, which are known triggers for endometriosis.

This year, after a pelvic ultrasound showed a possible adhesion between my uterus and ovary, I decided to go private to finally get some answers. I feel very fortunate that at this time I was able to explore this route – I know that it’s not possible for everyone.

Where I am now

My journey to diagnosis is still on-going so there’s not a huge amount that I can share with you right now. I don’t have a definite diagnosis, but an MRI this month has made my doctor suspicious that I do indeed have endometriosis.

The only way to diagnose endometriosis for sure and to treat some of the issues I’m experiencing is a laparoscopy. This is keyhole surgery where the surgeon can see what level of endometriosis you have (if any) and treat it by cutting away the tissue.

Fun fact: the current NHS wait time for this is 8-12 months. Right now, I’m reading up, learning a lot and balancing lots of different factors before I take the next steps.

Thank you for reading this.

Chloe x

Getting help

If you’ve suffered any of the symptoms, I’ve spoken about, then I do recommend speaking to your GP. Remember, no one knows your body or your experience of pain like you do. The Endometriosis UK website has some amazing resources for helping you prepare for a GP appointment.

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Pain Relief

If you suffer from bad period pain I cannot recommend these patches enough!

They are essentially large plasters infused with essential oils that you can stick to your lower tummy – or where you have pain or cramps. They give almost instant relief.

The best part is you can sleep with them (unlike heat patches) and they’re discrete so can easily be worn under clothing.

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Code Red

I love this book. I was recommended it a few years ago and it’s a game changer for anyone who bleeds. It’s helped me feel more in control of my periods, rather than them controlling me. Plus it helped me discover the best time of the month to deep clean the house, sort out my bead stash or when I’m likely to be at my most creative!

I'm donating 15% of every sale this March to Endometriosis UK via work for good