Inspiring woman from village near Rugby wants to educate school children about endometriosis after painful misdiagnosis

A university student from a village near Rugby, who was told she was 'delusional' by doctors, has told of her relief after being misdiagnosed with period pains for seven years.
By The Newsroom
Published 30th Apr 2018, 14:52 BST
Updated 30th Apr 2018, 14:57 BST
Lucy said being told about her diagnosis made her feel as though her identity had been 'stripped away'.Lucy said being told about her diagnosis made her feel as though her identity had been 'stripped away'.
Lucy said being told about her diagnosis made her feel as though her identity had been 'stripped away'.

Lucy Grainger, 20, of Yelvertoft, has recently been diagnosed with endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) after making dozens of needless trips to A&E, over seven years, with extreme pelvic pain.

Lucy was told by medics that she was "crazy" and "delusional", which has, in turn, left her with "severe mental health issues" that got so out of hand she tried to take her own life last Christmas.

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She said: "I have been told I was 'crazy’ and 'delusional' by doctors because they couldn't figure out what was wrong.

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The University of Lincoln student, from a village near Rugby, is wanting to educate and inform girls about her condition in schools.The University of Lincoln student, from a village near Rugby, is wanting to educate and inform girls about her condition in schools.
The University of Lincoln student, from a village near Rugby, is wanting to educate and inform girls about her condition in schools.

"Nothing ever came up on scans and tests - little did I know, endometriosis is only visible when surgery is completed - so I was just discharged and left to go home.

"This happened too many times for me to count. I was also misdiagnosed with IBS. It's the most frustrating thing being told you're just being 'dramatic' or you're a 'drama queen' because you can't hack the period pains or the IBS. I know my body better than anyone else, and I knew something was really wrong a very long time ago."

Lucy, who is left unable to walk some days due to severe pain, described her the feeling as though she had been "stabbed in the pelvis with a knife, over and over again".

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She added: "It doesn't come and go, it is there every single day. Pain that affects me so much, I am almost left paralysed. The feeling in my legs go and I'm left unable to walk some days."

The University of Lincoln student, from a village near Rugby, is wanting to educate and inform girls about her condition in schools.The University of Lincoln student, from a village near Rugby, is wanting to educate and inform girls about her condition in schools.
The University of Lincoln student, from a village near Rugby, is wanting to educate and inform girls about her condition in schools.

This year Lucy was referred to see a gynaecologist, and within a few weeks she was diagnosed with endometriosis as well as PCOS - and was rushed into emergency surgery.

Now, the inspiring youngster - who was told she would struggle to conceive in the future - is calling on schools and colleges to teach girls about menstrual wellbeing.

She said: “[My doctor] said he'll do everything he possibly could, treatment and operation wise, to see if there would be that small chance.

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"Therefore I want the raise awareness of the condition to educate young girls and women before it's too late.”

The 20-year-old is also reaching out to schools in the county and hopes to start giving talks to girls in a bid to raise awareness of her condition