Painkillers and anti-inflammatory pills help Khanyisa Stengile get out of bed every day.
Around the time of her menstruation she takes six a day.
Stengile has endometriosis, a disease that leads to the abnormal growth of tissue found in the uterus on other organs in the body - primarily reproductive and pelvic.
"Most of the month you are in pain if you have endometriosis. It gets worse during your period but the pain is always there," said Stengile, an IT project manager at the Department of Justice.
After three laser laparoscopy surgeries to remove the endometrial growth in her body, Stengile is hopeful surgery this week will remove endometriosis from her life.
"I'll be shattered if this operation doesn't work. I had three previous surgeries that used a laser to kill the endometrial tissue but the endometriosis just came back even worse," she said.
She said that exposure to Endo Warriors, a local support group for people with endometriosis, helped her in taking the decision to go under the knife one more time, in an effort to cure her endometriosis.
"When the gynaecologist diagnosed me with endometriosis after a laparoscopy, which is the only way to confirm a diagnosis, I felt so alone. He basically said 'Do your own research'. Google was my only source of information," she said.
She found Endo Warriors in 2013 and the Whatsapp group where Endo Warriors keep in contact has now grown to 256 members.
Stengile said due to the lack of information many women go undiagnosed and myths about the disease, such as only women who had abortions have it, end up re-stigmatising people with the disease.
Family support was unreliable for Stengile. "Close friends and family failed to grasp the realness of it."
Stengile's and other sufferers' careers also take a dive because of the disease. "Some days I just can't get out of bed, which is limiting to my career. You don't want to take a high, demanding position because you know you won't be able to give your all," she said.
Endometriosis specialist Dr Izak van der Wat shares Stengile's view about awareness. "Endometriosis is under-diagnosed and lack of information and awareness contributes to this. It is often eight years before the disease is diagnosed after symptoms appear."
Stengile was only diagnosed in 2008, after years of pain.
"I've had painful periods since I was a teenager. I suffered but people just said I'm over-dramatic and I should take pain pills," she said.
GLOBALLY, March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, and Sowetan spoke to the founder of Endo Warriors, an endometriosis support group.
Rechelle Heldsinger started Endo Warriors after hours from her public relations job.
"I started Endo Warriors in 2014 after living with this disease for so long and alone. "I realised that we had no support for endometriosis in South Africa, and also no awareness.
"I have made it my mission to raise awareness and also offer support to all the women in SA living with this terrible disease.
Endo Warriors offers strong support
"Endometriosis is not taken seriously enough in society. Women's health will always carry a stigma, especially when it comes to period pains. People still think it's a gross subject, but yet it's one of the most natural occurrences a women will experience," she said.
Endo Warriors is a safe space for people to share their stories, get tips for dealing with endometriosis and find support.
Facebook page is Endo Warriors SA or www.endpain.co.za
appasamyy@sowetan.co.za
Endless suffering with period pains
Painkillers and anti-inflammatory pills help Khanyisa Stengile get out of bed every day.
Around the time of her menstruation she takes six a day.
Stengile has endometriosis, a disease that leads to the abnormal growth of tissue found in the uterus on other organs in the body - primarily reproductive and pelvic.
"Most of the month you are in pain if you have endometriosis. It gets worse during your period but the pain is always there," said Stengile, an IT project manager at the Department of Justice.
After three laser laparoscopy surgeries to remove the endometrial growth in her body, Stengile is hopeful surgery this week will remove endometriosis from her life.
"I'll be shattered if this operation doesn't work. I had three previous surgeries that used a laser to kill the endometrial tissue but the endometriosis just came back even worse," she said.
She said that exposure to Endo Warriors, a local support group for people with endometriosis, helped her in taking the decision to go under the knife one more time, in an effort to cure her endometriosis.
"When the gynaecologist diagnosed me with endometriosis after a laparoscopy, which is the only way to confirm a diagnosis, I felt so alone. He basically said 'Do your own research'. Google was my only source of information," she said.
She found Endo Warriors in 2013 and the Whatsapp group where Endo Warriors keep in contact has now grown to 256 members.
Stengile said due to the lack of information many women go undiagnosed and myths about the disease, such as only women who had abortions have it, end up re-stigmatising people with the disease.
Family support was unreliable for Stengile. "Close friends and family failed to grasp the realness of it."
Stengile's and other sufferers' careers also take a dive because of the disease. "Some days I just can't get out of bed, which is limiting to my career. You don't want to take a high, demanding position because you know you won't be able to give your all," she said.
Endometriosis specialist Dr Izak van der Wat shares Stengile's view about awareness. "Endometriosis is under-diagnosed and lack of information and awareness contributes to this. It is often eight years before the disease is diagnosed after symptoms appear."
Stengile was only diagnosed in 2008, after years of pain.
"I've had painful periods since I was a teenager. I suffered but people just said I'm over-dramatic and I should take pain pills," she said.
GLOBALLY, March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, and Sowetan spoke to the founder of Endo Warriors, an endometriosis support group.
Rechelle Heldsinger started Endo Warriors after hours from her public relations job.
"I started Endo Warriors in 2014 after living with this disease for so long and alone. "I realised that we had no support for endometriosis in South Africa, and also no awareness.
"I have made it my mission to raise awareness and also offer support to all the women in SA living with this terrible disease.
Endo Warriors offers strong support
"Endometriosis is not taken seriously enough in society. Women's health will always carry a stigma, especially when it comes to period pains. People still think it's a gross subject, but yet it's one of the most natural occurrences a women will experience," she said.
Endo Warriors is a safe space for people to share their stories, get tips for dealing with endometriosis and find support.
Facebook page is Endo Warriors SA or www.endpain.co.za
appasamyy@sowetan.co.za
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