Lisa’s painful endometriosis battle

In order for that dream to become a reality she will have to undergo IVF treatment after her fallopian tubes were attacked by the severe gynaecological condition endometriosis.

Like thousands of women across the country she faces a monthly battle against the extreme pain the condition causes and is regularly hospitalised as a result.

Now 33, she says discovering a social media group where she could talk about her situation with like-minded women going through a similar experience has prompted her to speak out about her own experiences.

The group, Women with Endometriosis, is run by campaigner and fellow sufferer Carly Cressy.

Carla, who is from Leigh, has recently launched a charity to help those with endometriosis with the same name as the Facebook group, and is petitioning the Government to provide more education in schools so that young women recognise it early enough.

This is something Lisa, who lives in Colchester, supports wholeheartedly as it was only when she began to try for a baby in her early 20s that she was diagnosed with the condition.

"I had always had painful periods but you just think that is normal as people would often say you will get a tender tummy.

"I was a bit of a late starter, 15, and I just got on with it really.

Endometriosis occurs when bits of the tissue which line the uterus grow on other pelvic organs such as the ovaries or fallopian tubes.

Outside the uterus, endometrial tissue thickens and bleeds, just as the normal endometrium does during the menstrual cycle.

Lisa says she realised her experience of increasingly painful periods was not the norm but was told by medical professionals what she was experiencing was probably Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

But in her 20s she discovered this was not the case when she actively tried to start a family.

"I was in a relationship and we were trying to conceive but it was not happening.

"When I went to see the gynaecologist I was diagnosed as having endometriosis.

"The lining just gets thicker and thicker and you get adhesions and also cysts which have to be removed," she says.

It was during an operation to remove one of these cysts last July that doctors discovered the extent of the damage the endmetriosis had caused to Lisa.

"I went into the have the cyst removed but when they looked in they realised the fallopian tubes had been covered and were badly damaged.

"They had to remove one and wanted to remove the other one but because I had no idea they were even going to take one away they felt it would be too much to have me wake up and discover both had gone.

"I still have my ovaries but the other tube will have to be removed and I will have to have IVF if I want to have a baby," explains Lisa.

She readily admits she was devastated.

"IVF is expensive, there is not funding for is in Colchester, so having a baby seemed impossible.

"But my sister is incredibly fertile so under a scheme organised by Bourne Hall clinic, she has said she will donate her eggs to help other couples and then I will get a reduced rate," says Lisa.

The egg sharing scheme has given Lisa, who is in a new relationship with an incredibly supportive partner, fresh hope but through her own experiences she is now keener than ever to speak out about the condition and join Carla in her campaign.

Having searched for other women suffering from endometriosis Lisa came across Carla's Facebook page which she credits with supporting her through difficult times.

"It is such a serious thing yet it does not appear to be spoken about very much.

"There must be young girls who are in a lot of pain, not realising this is not normal or being told it is IBS and it can leave you infertile.

"The lining can grow around the bowel, the ovaries and the fallopian tubes and it is so painful pretty much every month.

"I get really bloated and if you are a slim girl it can be very obvious.

"And then you get people asking you if you are pregnant, because to be fair it can look like that.

"I started wearing baggy clothes on bad days, some days I feel absolutely awful and that can lead to needing time off work.

"Luckily my boss is really understanding but in a lot of workplaces you just would not be able to keep taking time off as you would soon go over the amount of sick days you get each year," she adds.

There is no cure for endometriosis but treatment can help with pain and infertility.

This treatment depends on how severe the symptoms are and whether the sufferer is hoping to fall pregnant.

Not all women with endometriosis have pain is does not always get worse over time.

Pregnancy can help improve it and also the menopause.

Lisa says she hopes more can be learned about the condition to help future sufferers.

"I really want to support Carla's campaign to get it talked about in schools because there must be a lot of young girls who have it without realising."

Find the group Women with Endometriosis on Facebook.