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My name is Leah, I am 23 years old and I'm eager to share my story with others in hope you can understand what it is like living with endometriosis and why I am aiming to raise money for this worthy cause. 

I started with endometriosis at the age of 15, was just told it was normal the pain I was receiving, tried all different tablets etc, backwards and forwards to the doctors, primary 24 and the hospital I literally lived there! Everytime the same thing happened, I was undiagnosed i was given pain releif for a week straight and sent home. 

Doesn't sound so bad right? Each time I went into hospital I was doubled over in pain, throwing up from the high pain releif I was given to help even touch the sides to try and make me relax. Constant blood tests, drips, medication and scans. Nothing ever came up and i felt like i would never know what was wrong with me, felt I was never going to get help or understand why I am like I am.

Eventually after what could only be the 15th time I was in, I was taken down for a emergency laparoscopy. In which finally I had some answers (so I thought) i was diagnosed with endometriosis, an incurable illness. To be honest I was relieved to finally be told something, until it came to getting to know the problem. 

Endometriosis is that common it affects 1 in 10 women every day. Never heard of if before? It's not spoken about enough!! 

I've gone on to have 2 operations, 7 different pills, 3 different prevention tablets, the injection, coil. You name if I've tried it.

Recently I have been in hospital quite a lot again, this time it's affected me the worst I've had it yet, admitted to hospital again for around 2 weeks, not knowing whats going on with the amount of pain releif I've had to have. I have a son who is 9 months old (miracle as endometriosis can cause infertility) and I would rather go through child birth again than have this illness. I can't stress how much it controls your life, not knowing whether today's going to be a day where you can hit it head on or it's going to be a day you dont/can't move from the pain, the bleeding that comes with it all. Just remember through all of this it's incurable for most. 

I am now having 3 weekly injections in which I am being forced to go through 'the change' i am 23 years old I start my hormone replacement tablets next week and I have to be on this treatment for the 2 years maximum you can have it. Which means at the age of 25 I will be having a histerectamy. Being told that by my specialist has got to be one of the most shocking and scariest things. It's not as easy as having this operation, it affects my whole future, more children is out of the question, I will be on medication till minimum my mid 40s. 

To top all of that a Hysterectomy is NOT guaranteed to cure this illness. 

The purpose of this story is not to have people feel sorry for me, but to raise awareness and hopefully raise £500 to donate to Endometriosis UK. 

This is an illness you can't see, but I can very much guarantee you an illness that affects atleast 1 person you know, please sponsor Myself and Damon on climbing Snowdon on Saturday 28th October 2017. 

Thank you for all your support and donations. 

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