'i Lost My Kidney To A Silent Assassin'

A female who mislaid a kidney, her womb and parts of her pussy and bowel owed to endometriosis has urged others to conflict for a test of what she has described arsenic a "silent assassin".

Stacey, 47, from Leeds, started processing nan symptoms of nan illness 25 years ago, but it was not yet confirmed until 2010.

In 2022, she had a afloat hysterectomy to region her ovaries and womb, but nan illness returned and she underwent robotic room precocious past twelvemonth aft being told her correct kidney had failed.

Stacey, who said she was now doing well, urged different women to get thief and support if they had immoderate concerns: "Don't disregard it, perceive to your body, spell activity help."

Endometriosis is simply a information successful which cells akin to those lining nan womb turn successful different parts of nan body, usually successful nan pelvic area.

Symptoms see terrible symptom and dense periods and astir 1.5 cardinal women successful nan UK are thought to person nan condition.

Stacey said that earlier her latest room successful November, her urologist had told her she had astir apt been suffering from kidney nonaccomplishment for six months.

"But I had nary pain, nary infections, thing that suggested location was thing incorrect pinch that kidney, truthful it was silent assassin," she said.

Stacey had nan robotic room astatine Leeds General Infirmary successful November 2024, pinch a squad of doctors from 3 disciplines progressive successful nan operation.

It was carried retired utilizing a robot pinch 4 mechanical arms and it took 4 hours to complete. Stacey was discharged nan pursuing day.

James Tibbott, objective lead for gynaecology astatine Leeds Teaching Hospitals, who performed Stacey's surgery, said her information anterior to nan cognition was "the worldly of nightmares, successful nan nicest imaginable way".

"Stacey's illness was incredibly absorbing because location was a lesion connected nan bowel, afloat thickness done nan vagina, which past swept astir to nan correct to return retired nan correct kidney," he explained.

Mr Tibbot said carrying retired keyhole room connected Stacey "would person been almost impossible, aliases would person taken nan full time of operating".

Aimee Bulloch, 29, from Liversedge, besides underwent robotic room astatine Leeds Teaching Hospitals successful November past twelvemonth aft having first developed endometriosis symptoms astatine nan property of 14.

Ms Bulloch, whose mother besides had nan condition, said: "I had watched my mum going done nan aforesaid point increasing up, truthful I had a little thought of what it mightiness person been.

"It was put down to irritable bowel syndrome. I was told achy periods were normal and I would turn retired of it, but it continued to get worse nan older I got."

Ms Bulloch said she yet recovered herself "struggling pinch basal bodily functions".

"Going to nan toilet was difficult. I wasn't capable to spell retired without knowing wherever nan toilets would be. The symptom was excruciating."

Ms Bulloch's endometriosis yet affected her bowel, appendix and near ovary.

After undergoing nan robotic room astatine Leeds Teaching Hospitals, she said she was overmuch amended and she believed her fertility should beryllium unaffected.

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals spot has conscionable been awarded provisional position arsenic an accredited endometriosis curen centre by nan British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy.

Mr Tibbott said nan usage of nan robotic operating theatre was enabling much patients specified arsenic Stacey and Ms Bulloch to beryllium treated - and they were recovering much quickly.

In fact, he said, he was precocious capable to execute room connected six patients successful conscionable 1 day.

Stacey and Ms Bulloch some precocious met each different for nan first time.

They said they were doing good and though location was presently nary cure for endometriosis, they hoped theirs would beryllium good managed successful nan future.

Stacey said her privilege was now to support her remaining kidney healthy.

She said immoderate female who was worried astir endometriosis should return action arsenic soon arsenic possible.

"Don't disregard it. Listen to your body, spell activity help," she said.

"Go done your GP. If you are not happy pinch that type of consultation that you have, effort again pinch personification else.

"Keep banging nan drum. You person to advocator for yourself."