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 Concern
Treatment
Pregnancy
 Experiences
Experiences
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Sam McCuish (UK)
Chapter One: Diagnosis
I began my periods when I was 16 and, from day
one, they were painful and irregular. I thought this was normal and
lived with it. By the time I had reached 18, things had got much
worse, the pain just before and during the first four days of my
period was debilitating. I also had no idea when my period was due,
and this was making life difficult for me. As young as I was at
this time, I was very concerned about my prospects of having a
child, something that was more important to me than anything else I
could ever imagine. As a biology undergraduate, I knew all too well
that it was unlikely anyone could conceive with the kind of
menstrual cycle I had. It was either too frequent or absent.
I consulted with my then G.P, who was very caring and understanding
and who immediately referred me to see a specialist gynaecologist.
My experience with the gynaecologist was not a particularly
positive one. On physical examination and clinical presentation I
was diagnosed with mild Endometriosis and treated medically in the
first instance. Things did not get better and laser surgery was my
next option. As things progressed, I had five years of laser
treatment (four in total) and hormone treatment, to control what
was then discovered to be moderate Endometriosis and Poly Cystic
Ovaries. As an 18 year old it is extremely difficult to communicate
verbally your concerns about fertility and be taken seriously by
the medical profession. However, as I was well aware that the
condition is related, as yet in an unexplained fashion, to
infertility, I was prepared for what the future may hold and,
although this has caused me great emotional stress at times, it
also allowed me to be in control of what was to happen over the
coming years.
A new consultant, whom I was referred to, as I was unhappy with my
current treatment, completed my last laser laparoscopy. The words
“when you decide you want to start a family you will have to come
back and discuss this with us” were finally uttered. By now I knew
I would need fertility treatment, so it was no great shock to me
and, in fact, it was an enormous relief that it was no longer
something which I was never completely sure about. I now felt that
I could move on.
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