COMEDIAN Amy Schumer has been forced to have her womb removed following her battle with endometriosis.
Around one in ten women in the UK have endometriosis with 10 per cent of women worldwide suffering from the condition – that’s 176 million cases.
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The 40-year-old posted an update to her 10.8 million followers, which included a picture of her in a hospital with the caption ‘if you have really painful periods then you might have endometriosis’.
Amy, a mom to Gene, also uploaded a video one morning after her endometriosis treatment.
She stated that her uterus was out and that the doctor had found 30 areas of endometrium which he removed.
“He removed my appendix because the endometriosis had attacked it. There was a lot of blood in my uterus, I’m sore and I have some pains.”
Many of her followers sent her well wishes, while others praised her for being honest about her situation.
But what exactly is endometriosis, and what warning signs to look out for?
What is endometriosis, exactly?
Endometriosis is a chronic condition which occurs when tissue from the lining of the womb is found outside of the organ.
This could be the outside of the bladder, or the pelvis. It can also be found anywhere else in the body, including the lungs.
The hormones in the menstrual cycle affect the tissue.
This means that the tissue responds to hormones, which can lead to scarring and inflammation.
This can lead to recurrent scarring, which is sticky. It can cause organ lining irritations that can lead to symptoms.
What are the symptoms of endometriosis?
Although it can be difficult to get an endometriosis diagnosis, there are some things you can do to improve your chances.
Dr Philippa Kaye previously explained: “Endometriosis is different for everyone but a classic symptom is painful periods.
“If you have painful periods and you aren’t sure when to see your GP the answer is when you can’t manage the pain you are experiencing then it’s time to get help.”
Although painful periods are the most common symptom, there are eleven other symptoms you should be aware of.
OTHER symptoms are:
- Pain during ovulation
- Pain felt in the pelvis
- Pelvic pain when not having sex
- Spotting
- Bad pain when you have a poo
- Bleeding from the bowel OR IBS type symptoms like diarrhoea and bloating which is worse around your period
- Pain passing urine
- Back pain
- Leg pain
- Fatigue and tiredness
- Depression
When you speak to your doctor it’s important to share as much information as possible.
Dr Philippa advised that you contact your doctor if you feel your concerns aren’t being addressed.
She explained that you can always ask your receptionist if there’s a specialist in women’s health or see a new GP.
“The only way to truly diagnose endometriosis is with key hole surgery as it often isn’t seen on scans but doctors can treat it without surgery”.
Dr Philippa says that there are many ways to treat endometriosis. Many of these options are available over-the counter.
“Hot water bottles, pain relief, hormone treatments are all options.”
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