"The pain blew childbirth out of the water"

Tuesday 12 March 2019

A group for people living with endometriosis - which its founder said could be more painful than childbirth - is encouraging women who think they may have the debilitating condition to share their experiences.

A local woman started the group after it took 10 years from noticing typical symptoms before she was diagnosed, when she started trying to conceive a child.

Kenieta Domaille, 34, had been misdiagnosed with both IBS and ME as a result of the chronic fatigue and debilitating pain she endured during those ten years of living with endometriosis. 

As founder of the Facebook group which aims to connect sufferers and those who are concerned they may have the condition, Ms Domaille first began to experience symptoms when she was 14-years-old. 

"There are four stages of the condition and sometimes those in the earlier stages can experience greater symptoms than some in the later stages.The first symptom I remember was getting the most crippling cramps, I ended up crawling up the road to work, I was put straight on the contraceptive pill but the symptoms worsened over the years," she said. 

Pictured: The private group for people with or with suspected cases of endometriosis.

Endometriosis is characterised by growths which normally build up inside the womb appearing elsewhere in the body. It causes a range of symptoms that are commonly confused with other conditions, including excessive menstrual bleeding, abdominal and back pain, fatigue and infertility. 

"It was only when I went to get pregnant that I realised I had endometriosis. I was treated with ablation surgery and fell pregnant soon afterwards.

"Now I've had twins I can say the pain I experienced with endometriosis blew childbirth pain out of the water," she said

Ablation surgery involves burning away the painful growths. There is no cure for endometriosis but there are certain treatments and methods of pain relief available.

"I really think we live in a society where we don't talk about these things. If you have a broken arm or leg you would feel you could discuss it but not so much something like this. I started the group so people could feel less alone and discuss their symptoms.

Pictured: Endometriosis group founder Kenieta Domaille. 

"If people know that what they're going through doesn't have to be put up with they might feel more confident going to their doctor to discuss their options," she said.

The group's hoping to raise awareness by speaking publicly about the condition.

"We want women to be able to talk in a safe environment where they can also arm themselves with vocabulary in order to articulate their symptoms. This can often be very difficult when sat in front of a GP and together with the varying symptoms that can  effect woman to varying degrees, I believe it is one if the reasons why diagnosis can take such a long time".