What is the Impact of a Delayed Diagnosis of Endometriosis?
November 14, 2019
Delayed diagnoses have caused lifetimes of pain and mental anguish among patients, something that is especially true when it comes to delayed Endometriosis diagnosis. A condition only affecting women, more and more people are beginning to open up about how it negatively impacts their lives.
One recurring theme during all these stories is how long it has taken patients to receive a correct diagnosis, and thus the appropriate care. Despite education over the condition growing recently, women all over the UK are still not having their needs met, and these are the effects they must deal with.
What is endometriosis?
Affecting over 1.5 million women in the UK alone, endometriosis is a debilitating condition. Sadly, it’s often subject to misinterpretation by the general public and medical professionals alike.
According to the NHS definition, it’s a condition where tissue similar to that of the womb begins to grow. Particularly in areas of the body such as the ovaries or fallopian tubes. It can begin at any point in a woman’s life, affecting women of all ages across the country.
Many women understand their body to the point that they know when something is seriously wrong. But there are some symptoms which help them arrive at this conclusion. These include (among others):
- Excessive bleeding.
- Painful periods.
- Intense fatigue.
- Pain during intercourse.
The negative impact of delayed endometriosis diagnosis
When doctors catch symptoms early on within a patient, good treatment offers significant pain relief. Many women living with Endometriosis can then go on to lead happy, healthy lives. Unfortunately, the average correct diagnoses take up to 7.5 years. Accordingly, some women must endure, spending much of their lives coping with unbearable pain. This is usually after being treated for the wrong condition, such as appendicitis or ovarian cysts.
It is not just pain that delayed diagnoses have an effect on. However, this alone can cause women to get hysterectomies to stop the pain when they haven’t been treated correctly. When symptoms persist over this amount of time, patients can become infertile.
All of this as a result of the built-up tissue in the ovaries.
This means that there is a significant amount of emotional anguish that comes with incorrect diagnoses. In short, it can heavily influence someone’s future. Women can also develop severe mental health issues that stay with them for life. This is largely due to being rebuffed time and time again by health professionals when they go to them for help.
Now, there are more calls for doctors to listen to their patients when they tell them something is wrong. Though some doctors may cite a lack of resources on Endometriosis, there are negligence cases to be made for those not respecting the voice of women in pain.
Making a claim over your diagnosis
With delayed diagnoses offering a lower quality of life to every woman who receives one, you may wish to make a claim against doctors who have recently misdiagnosed and thus incorrectly treated you. Indeed, it can go some way to helping you regain some of the money you have spent on unnecessary treatment. But more importantly, winning a claim can offer you closure necessary to move on and live a happier, healthier life.