Introductions - Episode 1 Summary
Episode 1 in text form for those hearing impaired or who can’t otherwise listen to the actual episode.
I’d like to start this out on a kinder note but it wouldn’t be true to life, so here’s the thing;
I (and so many others, I’m sure) am sick to death of hearing more and more horror stories, from women who’ve dealt with being ignored by the medical system. And please don’t misunderstand me here - I love having people reach out to me to share their stories and experiences and understandings of these issues and many others. Bring it on!
What I am sick of, is the consistent undermining and belittling of women about their own bodies and lived experiences with pain and discomfort (and that’s putting it mildly) - especially related to their reproductive cycle and system. It’s my fucking uterus, my body, I know when it’s hurting. I know what pain is to my body, and I know when something doesn’t feel right - and more to the point, even if I don’t entirely know, but have a feeling, an inkling of an idea as to something potentially being off - I should be given the option of resources to investigate - not waved away with a ‘you’re probably just paranoid and hormonal and overthinking it, it’s not worth looking at. Chances are it’s nothing so it’s not worth the bother.’.
Oh? My apologies that my personal health concerns are too much of a bother for you to want to look into AS MY DOCTOR. My apologies, for taking the time to come to you - a medical professional - to get advice and treatment on something that is causing me PAIN when it SHOULDN’T. That’s right - periods aren’t ‘supposed’ to be painful. Cramps, a bit of dysmenorrhea, sure, but not like this. If you, a women’s health specialist, believe my period pain is severe enough to prescribe me ENDONE, a highly addictive opioid pain medication, the tablet form of morphine, but isn’t worth investigating any further, that just makes me think you couldn’t be bothered doing your job.
It took me totally on a whim, deciding one day ‘I wanna know what my body is doing naturally without the influence of other medications and hormone treatments, I’ll stop taking my Depo-Provera shot, start getting my period again and see where we go’ after SEVEN YEARS of the doctor being ‘not bothered’, to go to a different doctor because of irregular periods, to investigate and find out I have PCOS. PCOS. For the last MINIMUM 7 years, plenty more considering the time before my Depo shot started and I was actually experiencing those severely painful periods. It took my own random, uneducated initiative, to check in and see how things are going down there, to finally be tested and diagnosed with a CHRONIC DISEASE that could’ve made me infertile (and still could) - or worse. For fucks sake.
It is infuriating. A 17 year old girl - or any person for that matter - should be able to trust their practitioners to investigate and treat, not dismiss and belittle. I am now 24, nearly 25, and madder than ever. I’m sure most people have had their share of ridiculous doctors appointments - but man, some of mine are real doozies, and they all come back to me being a woman, and it’s disgusting, and maddening, and honestly - straight up, fucked. My favourite? Being called a ‘slut’ for having Glandular Fever - ‘the (inaccurately named) kissing disease’ - by a doctor who’s ACTUAL NAME was ADOLF. I shit. You. Not.
Since sharing a very short version a while back of this on my Facebook, I’ve had at least a handful of direct contacts reach out and tell me their similar stories. Being ignored and dismissed, misdiagnosed, mis-medicated, borderline ridiculed for their concerns. I received THANKYOU’s from women who’ve been dealing with their own diagnoses issues and their diagnosis itself, thanking me for saying something. For speaking out and sharing and trying to educate and encourage other women to do the same. To PUSH for themselves and their bodies, to PUSH their doctors who dismiss, and to make some damn noise about it.
My diagnosing doctor said it’s 1 in 10 women who’re diagnosed with PCOS - and that most women don’t even know they have it because they think painful, heavy, irregular periods are normal. Wonder why they think that? Maybe because that’s what we’re TAUGHT? By doctors, media, other women who’ve clearly also been misinformed- hell, even Sex Ed itself is pretty much useless most of the time (and no, I don’t mean the Netflix series - if anything, that probably did a better job at educating you than your high school did).
So, while I’m sure you can tell I’m hella pissed about all of this, it does lend itself to inspiration, and here we are. I’ve wanted to create something like this for a couple of years now but this was the final PUSH. I want this to serve as a resource and a platform for my fellow women and people with a uterus - and anyone else who cares to lend an ear and educate themselves to better understand those around them - to share, educate, and hell, even just have a rant about their experiences, and how to overcome and cope with these things.
There’s one hell of an introduction for you. Going forward, I’d like to first start out by discussing a little bit about the bare basics of what it is we’re dealing with here. PCOS. Endometriosis. Adenomyosis. Menhorragia. Endometrial Hyperplasia. Fibroids. Polyps. Lots of weird, somewhat scary words. Welcome to the Uterus. We’re gonna talk about it all and plenty more - social issues, family, work, relationships, life, the lot. Buckle up.