Even morphine doesn’t help my terrible period pain

“It felt like I’d been stabbed, I would get on my hands and knees in pain.”

25-year-old Emily Handstock has been suffering from period pain for 10 years and has documented her suffering on TikTok.

“I was admitted to the hospital and the morphine barely touched the edge,” he said.

She wants other women and girls to participate in serious menstrual pain research that can help shape education and health care and improve women’s lives in the future.

Emily, who lives in Rhondda Cynon Taff, Aberdare, has felt the painful effects of her period since she was 15.

“It was terrible bleeding, I would have to leave school and go home and change clothes – I would bleed through tampons and pads,” she said.

At times, she felt like she would faint due to the pain, but she felt that society had “normalized” what she was going through.

“During adolescence I was told, ‘You’re just experiencing a painful period. You’re fine. Just take some ibuprofen and suck it up,'” she said.

“The mental impact is also terrible, you feel like people won’t believe you and worry about getting well enough for school or work.”

Emily works as a sales manager and says her company has been very supportive and helpful when she struggled.

“I’m really lucky that I can work from home to help ease the pain, to make sure I’m as comfortable as I can be,” she said.

However, the impact of requiring time off from work has been a matter of concern.

“I have savings, it’s something I’ve always done with the knowledge that taking time off could impact me financially, I think that’s a real concern for a lot of people who suffer. That his sick days may be over.”

NHS Confederation Research It is reported that the economic cost of taking leave due to issues such as severe menstrual pain or ovarian cysts is estimated to be approximately £11 billion per year in England alone.

• Dysmenorrhea is the medical term for moderate to severe pain that occurs during menstruation.
• This is usually felt in the lower abdomen or pelvis and may also cause cramping.
• Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, diarrhea, headache and weakness.
• Severe menstrual pain occurs when it affects your daily habits such as sleeping or going to work.

Emily is sharing her story as MPs report to Westminster Warned women facing painful health conditionsIncluding heavy periods, they were being dismissed when they asked for help.

It says medical misogyny has been causing women suffering for years and disrupting all aspects of daily life.

Last week, the Welsh Government announced First Lady Health SchemeFollowing similar strategies in England and Scotland.

This includes a focus on menstrual health, including endometriosis – which Emily has welcomed.

Last month, after seven years of tests and scans, Emily had surgery for stage four endometriosis, but she “struggled to take it seriously”.

Emily is encouraging people who experience severe period pain to share their experiences as part of a study at Cardiff University, which she said was “a valid experience worth listening to.” ” Was.

Dr Robin Jackovich is one of the researchers running the two-year Health and Care Research Wales project.

This will produce a list of recommendations for both education and healthcare providers.

“There’s definitely a need for it, given how common it is and what an incredible impact it has on people who experience it,” he said.

Dr. Jackovich said severe menstrual pain is something that can be experienced on its own or linked to other conditions, such as endometriosis or uterine fibroids,

She said severe menstrual pain where it becomes difficult to carry out day-to-day activities is estimated to affect 29% of people who menstruate, making it difficult for people to “concentrate, walk, sleep.” Or it becomes difficult to miss school or work. ,

The study, which is almost half done, is trying to talk to more people including parents, teachers and community pharmacists because they “play a big role in young people’s access to education and health care”.