In my teens, I had terrible cramps that came every month with my periods. They were so painful that I was incapacitated for one week out of every four, making my life miserable.
I went to countless doctors and specialists, who either told me to “deal with it” or prescribed medication. The drugs were so powerful that, even though they took the edge off the pain, they made it difficult to function.
After years of searching for a more sustainable solution, three separate doctors told me I should have a hysterectomy to remove my uterus. I was fifteen years old.
None of the doctors I saw did any tests or conducted any investigation into why I might be having such severe cramps. When I was finally told a hysterectomy would be my only option, no one even asked if I wanted to have children….