Mum finally diagnosed after seeing 20 doctors in 18 years about pain after sex and heavy periods

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A mum of 1 who grew up experiencing excessive fatigue, excruciating periods and pain after sex was finally diagnosed with endometriosis at age 34 after seeing round 20 doctors in the area of 18 years, and has miraculously given start to a child lady and based an organization to assist different endometriosis victims.

Dearbhail Ormond, 42, founder and CEO of Frendo, started experiencing extraordinarily painful periods from age 16, and after searching for recommendation from a spread of medical professionals she acquired no solutions.

Dearbhail, who lives in Surrey together with her associate and their three-year-old daughter Aurelie, started to query whether or not her signs have been actual, and began to isolate herself and lose shallowness.

At age 18, she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome and fibromyalgia due to her fatigue, however nonetheless felt like one thing was not proper – her periods continued to be extraordinarily heavy and painful.

After ending college one yr early due to her well being, she moved to Australia and began experiencing pain after sex, typically fainting afterwards, so determined to hunt out medical assist – at age 34, she was finally diagnosed with endometriosis and was “elated”.

Since then, Dearbhail has based an organization serving to different girls with endometriosis and given start to a child lady regardless of doctors telling her she wouldn’t be capable to conceive due to her endometriosis.

In November 2023, she determined to have a hysterectomy to ease her signs, and is now capable of higher handle her pain and take away her adenomyosis – a situation that causes endometrial tissue in the liner of the uterus to develop into the muscular wall of the uterus.

Dearbhail informed PA Real Life: “I remember the overwhelming feeling was, ‘Is this actually real? Or is it just me being lazy? Or, am I making this up in my head? Or, am I depressed?’

“I would particularly socially pull back from things because I just felt so uncomfortable in my own body, – physically, I’d go a size or two sizes up from bloating.

“If you’re being taken to doctors, and you’re saying, ‘Look, this is how I feel’, and they say, ‘Well, your tests come back clear, you’re all fine’, it really plays with your own self-esteem.

“I’d say I isolated myself, because I just didn’t know what was going on and I felt absolutely rubbish.”

Dearbhail started feeling like one thing was not fairly proper when she was 16 – she started having “excruciating abdominal pains and pelvic pains” and excessive fatigue.

From that time onwards, Dearbhail started seeing a spread of medical professionals various from gastroenterologists to immunologists and gynaecologists – however no-one might give her a concrete reply on what was responsible for her signs, or tips on how to relieve them.

At age 18, Dearbhail was diagnosed with PCOS and fibromyalgia due to her fatigue, bloating and interval pain.

But the painkillers she was prescribed in consequence didn’t assist ease her signs.

When she began college in 2000, finding out Marketing at Technological University Dublin, her periods have been extremely heavy and painful to the purpose the place she was “literally haemorrhaging for weeks”.

“I would say it affected my studies overall… I think by the time I got to university, I kept losing momentum in everything,” she stated.

“I’d say I felt a little bit detached from things back then.

“I think there’s a little bit of trauma in dealing with all of this stuff and not having answers.”

Because of this, she completed her course one yr early and didn’t graduate – as a substitute, she moved to Australia the place she would later full her diploma and work.

Throughout this era, her signs nonetheless failed to enhance.

“On a couple of occasions, I was collapsing and collapsing quite badly – one time, I cracked my chin open and broke my sternum, and that was after sex,” she defined.

This expertise urged Dearbhail to hunt medical assist once more, and a good friend launched her to a surgeon at age 34, who discovered a 32 centimetre piece of tissue in her ovaries, which later turned out to be endometriosis.

“I was absolutely elated and I’d say it changed me that day because I spent so much of my young adulthood questioning,” she stated.

“Being told that they actually found something which is pretty serious, no-one wants to hear that, but I finally felt validated.

“I realised I can manage it and can actually address this.”

Her lengthy seek for a analysis motivated Dearbhail to assist different girls and elevate consciousness about endometriosis.

She started creating Frendo, a neighborhood, social community, well being tracker and perception software for folks with endometriosis and those that suspect they’ve it.

“I think what is definitely the most valuable thing is the tracker – it’s very specific to endo, and it means patients can actually articulate their symptoms a lot easier when they’re going to a GP, so there is less chance of being dismissed,” she defined.

“It feels amazing to be helping other women going through a similar thing.”

Over the years, she was additionally informed by doctors that she wouldn’t be capable to conceive attributable to endometriosis, which Dearbhail discovered “heartbreaking” and as if doctors have been being “flippant”.

Despite this, in March 2021, at age 39, she gave start to her daughter, and determined to launch the app on the identical day.

She stated: “I didn’t believe it – I think I did about five or six pregnancy tests of my own while I was waiting for the doctor’s one to come back.

“I’d love to turn around and say it was just joyful and great but I had some health anxiety and I think sadly, up until a point of the pregnancy, I really didn’t feel like it was going to happen.

“I think I was in disbelief until she was born and she was safe.

“It was just such a huge relief when she was born and it was against all odds.”

Around six weeks after giving start, whereas at dwelling wanting after her daughter, Dearbhail collapsed attributable to an endometriosis “flare up” – she quickly determined that she couldn’t stick with it this manner, and determined to have a hysterectomy in November 2023.

“I was sick about 70% of the time, was in excruciating pain and bleeding really heavily,” she stated.

“I had tried absolutely everything else so decided to go ahead with the procedure… it was one of the hardest things I’ve done and was emotionally challenging, but my symptoms have been a lot better.

“I don’t bleed, I’m not vomiting half as much and the pain is more manageable.”

To these with endometriosis, or who assume they could have it, Dearbhail would say: “Believe yourself if you think that something doesn’t feel right.

“If you’re not getting that support, and trust from a GP or someone close to you, just keep searching for someone else, find just someone, whether it’s a nurse, whether it’s a therapist, and make sure to absolutely diarise how you are feeling.”

For extra info, go to: frendo.co.uk/frendoatwork and instagram.com/frendo_app.