It is hard to say when my story began. From the age of 16, I started having ‘problem’ periods. My GP put it all down to my age. I was put on the Pill and sent away. People told me that my periods would become lighter, regular and much easier on the Pill. Really? Not mine.
Over the years, I’d go back to my various GPs, as pain, heavy and irregular periods would rear their ugly heads.
At the age of 22 I was told that if I ever wanted children, I’d need help.
In 2003, at 37, things got much worse. I suddenly became very ill. My periods would last much longer than normal, sometimes one would just merge into the next. I was having a constant battle with anemia. As fast I was receiving iron from the tablets, it would just drain away again. The pain was becoming unbearable and outside of my cycle (but then again what was my cycle?) Even with the Pill my periods were all over the place. It was like my body had lost control of itself. I remember watching others around me, getting on with their lives, having a period each month didn’t seem to stop them in their tracks, they didn’t need to take time off sick, so why did I? Perhaps I was just a bit pathetic and couldn’t cope like others?
