A woman suffering from horrendous pain from a condition won't be able to get surgery on the NHS for another two years, she has claimed.
Stephanie Leech, 26 and originally from Cardiff in Wales, started having painful periods when she was 15.
She went to the GP on several occasions but claims all medicine was ineffective and they all failed to refer her to a specialist.
Stephanie was put on different pills from the age of 15 and 24 "because that's all they could think of doing", the WalesOnline reports.
It was only when she went for a private consultation in 2019 that she was found to have the second-most severe stage of the endometriosis.
It's a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows elsewhere inside the body, most commonly in the pelvic region.
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"You can't expect GPs and health professionals to know everything about everything but you do expect them to listen to you and take you seriously", she said.
"I think part of the issue with menstrual wellbeing – or possibly women's health in general – is that it's not necessarily considered. We are brought up to assume that we will generally incur pain – whether that be on a monthly basis or through having babies."
Stephanie, who lives in Merthyr Tydfil, recollected what pushed her to go private saying: "It got to the point where I was in work and would feel faint with the pain. It was affecting my day-to-day life far more than it ever had previously," she said.
The 26-year-old underwent an invasive surgery known as a laparoscopy, during which she was found to have stage three of the condition, the second-most severe.
"For me [the diagnosis] brought relief. It made me realise that I wasn't losing my mind and I wasn't making it up. There was a genuine reason for me suffering all of these symptoms," she admitted.
Unfortunately the true scope of what Stephanie had wasn't known till July 2020.
By this time the coronavirus pandemic had hit, all non-urgent surgeries were stopped and Stephanie was told she'd have to wait two years for surgery.
"The longer I leave it the more damage it will be doing internally and the greater the consequences," she said.
"The damage could lead to complications with my bladder and bowel as well as cause infertility. I just feel, at the age of 26, I should be able to do more and have a far better quality of life. The fatigue I experience is now probably my biggest issue."
Stephanie has now set up a GoFundMe page in the hope of raising enough money to have the operation carried out privately at Spire Hospital in Cardiff next month. To donate please go here.
Latest figures from the Welsh Government show that 221,849 patients were waiting more than nine months (36 weeks) to start hospital treatment in January 2021. This compares to just 27,314 patients in January 2020.
In response to the figures a Welsh Government spokesman said: "NHS performance and waiting times continue to be severely affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
"Despite this unprecedented pressure – combined with the normal winter pressures experienced at this time of year – our hardworking health and care staff continue to deliver high-quality care for the public.
"We have made an extra £30m available this year to support urgent and emergency care services and increase resilience over the remainder of this financial year.
"Next week the health minister will set out how the NHS will meet the challenge of recovering from the pandemic.
"We continue to ask for everyone's help to control the spread of this awful virus – please stay local and follow all the basic steps to keep you and your family safe as we take the first steps out of lockdown.
"If you need medical help in an emergency please do not put it off – call 999. If you have a health problem contact your GP practice for advice."
The Mirror has contacted the Welsh Government for further comment.
