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| Even morphine doesn't help my horrific period pain | Even morphine doesn't help my horrific period pain |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| "What I go through is not normal, but it is normalised," says Emily | "What I go through is not normal, but it is normalised," says Emily |
| "It felt like being stabbed, I'd be on my hands and knees in pain." | "It felt like being stabbed, I'd be on my hands and knees in pain." |
| Emily Handstock, 25 has struggled with period pain for 10 years and has documented the agony she has gone through on TikTok. | Emily Handstock, 25 has struggled with period pain for 10 years and has documented the agony she has gone through on TikTok. |
| "I was admitted to hospital and the morphine barely touched the sides," she said. | "I was admitted to hospital and the morphine barely touched the sides," she said. |
| She wants others to take part in severe period pain research, which could shape education and research, improving the lives of women. | She wants others to take part in severe period pain research, which could shape education and research, improving the lives of women. |
| Emily, who lives in Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf, has felt the agonising effects of her period since she was 15. | Emily, who lives in Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf, has felt the agonising effects of her period since she was 15. |
| "It was horrendous bleeding, I'd have to leave school and go home and change – I'd bleed through tampons and pads," she said. | "It was horrendous bleeding, I'd have to leave school and go home and change – I'd bleed through tampons and pads," she said. |
| At times, she thought she would pass out because of the pain, but felt society had "normalised" what she was going through. | At times, she thought she would pass out because of the pain, but felt society had "normalised" what she was going through. |
| "Throughout my teenage years I was told, 'you're just experiencing a painful period. You're fine. Just have some ibuprofen and suck it up'," she said. | "Throughout my teenage years I was told, 'you're just experiencing a painful period. You're fine. Just have some ibuprofen and suck it up'," she said. |
| "The mental toll is also awful, you feel like people won't believe you and worry about being well enough for school or work." | "The mental toll is also awful, you feel like people won't believe you and worry about being well enough for school or work." |
| Emily is a sales manager, and said her company had been very supportive when she struggled. | Emily is a sales manager, and said her company had been very supportive when she struggled. |
| "I'm really lucky that I can work from home to help accommodate the pain, to make sure I'm as comfortable as I can be," she said. | "I'm really lucky that I can work from home to help accommodate the pain, to make sure I'm as comfortable as I can be," she said. |
| However, the impact of needing time off work has been a concern. | However, the impact of needing time off work has been a concern. |
| "I have savings, it's something I've always done in the knowledge this could financially impact me by taking time off, I think that's a real worry for lots of people who suffer that they may run out of sick days," she added. | "I have savings, it's something I've always done in the knowledge this could financially impact me by taking time off, I think that's a real worry for lots of people who suffer that they may run out of sick days," she added. |
| NHS Confederation research, external reported that the economic cost of taking time off due to issues such as severe period pain or ovarian cysts is estimated to be nearly £11bn a year in England alone. | NHS Confederation research, external reported that the economic cost of taking time off due to issues such as severe period pain or ovarian cysts is estimated to be nearly £11bn a year in England alone. |
| What is severe period pain? | What is severe period pain? |
| Dysmenorrhea is the medical term for moderate to severe pain that occurs during menstruation | Dysmenorrhea is the medical term for moderate to severe pain that occurs during menstruation |
| It is usually felt in the lower abdomen or pelvis and can also cause cramping | It is usually felt in the lower abdomen or pelvis and can also cause cramping |
| Other symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, diarrhoea, headaches and weakness | Other symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, diarrhoea, headaches and weakness |
| Severe period pain is when it affects your daily habits like sleeping or going to work | Severe period pain is when it affects your daily habits like sleeping or going to work |
| Emily says it also has an impact on her husband Marcus who has had to watch her "screaming in agony" | Emily says it also has an impact on her husband Marcus who has had to watch her "screaming in agony" |
| Emily is sharing her story as a Westminster report by MPs warned women experiencing painful health conditions, including heavy periods, were being dismissed when they asked for help. | Emily is sharing her story as a Westminster report by MPs warned women experiencing painful health conditions, including heavy periods, were being dismissed when they asked for help. |
| It stated that medical misogyny was leaving women in pain for years and disrupted all aspects of daily life. | It stated that medical misogyny was leaving women in pain for years and disrupted all aspects of daily life. |
| Last week, the Welsh government announced the first women's health plan, following similar strategies in England and Scotland. | Last week, the Welsh government announced the first women's health plan, following similar strategies in England and Scotland. |
| It includes a focus on menstrual health, including endometriosis - something Emily has welcomed. | It includes a focus on menstrual health, including endometriosis - something Emily has welcomed. |
| Last month, after seven years of tests and scans, Emily had surgery for stage four endometriosis, but had to "fight to be taken seriously". | Last month, after seven years of tests and scans, Emily had surgery for stage four endometriosis, but had to "fight to be taken seriously". |
| Dr Robyn Jackowich says it is an exciting and important time in women's health research | Dr Robyn Jackowich says it is an exciting and important time in women's health research |
| Emily is encouraging those who experience severe period pain to share their experiences as part of a study based at Cardiff University, which she said was "a validating experience to be heard". | Emily is encouraging those who experience severe period pain to share their experiences as part of a study based at Cardiff University, which she said was "a validating experience to be heard". |
| Dr Robyn Jackowich is one of the researchers running the two-year Health and Care Research Wales Project. | Dr Robyn Jackowich is one of the researchers running the two-year Health and Care Research Wales Project. |
| It will create a list of recommendations to both education and healthcare providers. | It will create a list of recommendations to both education and healthcare providers. |
| "There's certainly a need for it, given both how common it is and what an incredible impact it has on the people who experience it," she said. | "There's certainly a need for it, given both how common it is and what an incredible impact it has on the people who experience it," she said. |
| Dr Jackowich said severe period pain was something that can be experienced on its own or linked to other conditions, such as endometriosis or uterine fibroids, external. | Dr Jackowich said severe period pain was something that can be experienced on its own or linked to other conditions, such as endometriosis or uterine fibroids, external. |
| She added that severe period pain, where it becomes difficult to carry out day-to-day activities, was estimated to affect up to 29% of those with periods, making it hard for women, girls and people assigned female at birth to "focus, move, sleep or miss school or work". | |
| The study, which is about halfway through, is looking to speak to more people, including parents, teachers and community pharmacists as they "play a big role in young people's education and access to healthcare". | The study, which is about halfway through, is looking to speak to more people, including parents, teachers and community pharmacists as they "play a big role in young people's education and access to healthcare". |