How overcoming endometriosis transformed one Worcester woman's life

A woman who lived with "intense" pain from endometriosis for decades has lost more than half her body weight after surgery transformed her life.

Carys Thurlby lost 10 stone (140lbs) in 18 months after having a hysterectomy, which she said finally brought lasting relief from years of pain and exhaustion.

The 43-year-old said the change had been "night and day".

"Having intense pain had become my normal," she said.

Thurlby believes she had been living with endometriosis since she started her periods as a teenager.

She remembers sitting her GCSE exams "chewing on paracetamol" as pain spread through her pelvis and legs.

"I didn't really know that being in so much pain each month was not normal," she said.

"I didn't really know that what I was experiencing wasn't what women were meant to experience."

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She was diagnosed at 19 after undergoing a laparoscopy when she was in "excruciating" pain.

"That was the first time I had ever heard of it," she admitted.

Like many women with endometriosis, Thurlby spent years living with symptoms. The condition , which can affect multiple parts of the body, can have a major impact on work, education, relationships and day-to-day life, and there is currently no cure.

Over the years, she had several operations, but the effects were only temporary.

Her ovaries were eventually removed after being damaged by endometriosis, before she later had a hysterectomy.

Thurlby, from Worcester, said chronic pain and fatigue affected every aspect of her life as she balanced raising her children with her career.

"I can't describe how different it felt and it was a real shock to me to understand this is how normal people function, and not to accommodate pain and fatigue into everyday life."

She said she often relied on sugar for a quick burst of energy just to get through the day.

"The idea that I would then go out and exercise or move, even a gentle walk to the shops, was just not on the cards," she said.

"There was no room in my life for me to look after my wellness."

As her health improved, the weight began to come off. She gained confidence, started exercising and discovered a passion for running.

Eighteen months ago, she could not run for longer than a minute.

Since then, Thurlby said she had completed the Worcester Half Marathon and is now training for next year's London Marathon.

Her experience is shared by Vicki Shattock, from Belbroughton, who has written a book about her own struggle to have health concerns taken seriously.

Shattock urged women experiencing persistent pain to trust their instincts.

"You know your body better than anyone," she said.

"If someone is telling you pain is normal and you know it isn't, don't let it go."

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