A Co Antrim woman has opened up on her five-year wait for a polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) diagnosis.
Sophie Duff-McKenzie from Carrickfergus has suffered 'horrendous' pain from her periods since she was 18.
The 24-year-old student, makeup artist and youth worker told Be how she didn't receive a diagnosis until July 2021.
Read more: NI woman on endometriosis battle and being in induced menopause at 24
PCOS is a condition which affects how ovaries work. The the main features of PCOS are irregular periods, excess androgen – high levels of "male" hormones in your body, and polycystic ovaries, according to the NHS.
This means ovaries become enlarged and contain many fluid-filled sacs follicles that surround the eggs.
If you have at least two of these symptoms, the health service say you may be diagnosed with PCOS.
Describing her suffering, Sophie said: "The biggest symptom would be pain. Pain has been the biggest factor. There are days I can't go to work, I can't go to college, I physically can't stand because I am in so much pain.
"They wont give me effective pain relief really because they don't know how it is affecting me.
"I started to notice symptoms with things like irregular periods. Really irregular, I'd either not get a period for months and months or I would have a period for weeks.
"There were times I was on my period for like six to eight weeks at a time.
"The pain I feel on my monthly period as of late has became unbearable."
The Co Antrim woman described the pain as "horrendous" and added: "They'd be really heavy too and it was costing me money because I was obviously having to pay for sanitary products on top of that which is also a massive factor.
"Now it is mostly pain which has developed into chronic migraines where I can't even be in a room with a light. I have to sit with a pillow over my face.
"Doctors have said it's because of my hormones. Normally after I have my time of month, one week after I would be prone to migraines. They started in August 2022 and they are really bad."
Sophie said she went private for her diagnosis after 'a long time of asking the GP for help'.
The 24-year-old explained: "I was being kind of patronised and shoved off a wee bit. I had to go to A&E a couple of months in a row and they had asked me if I had been referred to gynae.
"I was under the impression that the GP had referred me, [but] they looked at my medical history and found that they actually hadn't referred me at all.
"I was just like 'this is ridiculous'. My family actually made the decision for me to go private and paid for it.
"Within an hour of being with the private consultant, I had got a couple of scans done, blood tests done and got a diagnosis."
Sophie said there was a sense of relief - but she felt "really let down" as she had been seeking answers since the age of 18.
The makeup artist is now planning to go private to have surgery for further answers.
"I am going to have to go private because the NHS waiting lists are so long. The referral was put through last year and there has been nothing.
"Nothing has been said about it but now due to my job I can get private healthcare," the Carrickfergus woman added.
"Lots of doctors and medical professionals were saying really patronising things like, 'it could just be a bad period', 'have you tried a hot water bottle?', 'have you had a bath?', 'Are you drinking enough water?'
"Things like that. A period isn't supposed to be this painful. I am not supposed to be physically crippled and not able to walk from this."
The student says she feels "neglected".
She explained: "No one is taking it seriously. I think there needs to be awareness for medical professionals - like I understand the NHS is incredibly pressured at the minute - but there still has to be empathy for women who are going through this and just someone who is going to listen, take it seriously and progress.
"I want to spread awareness to as many people as possible about this illness and how women are neglected in trying to get a diagnosis. Because that's how I feel. Neglected by the people who are meant to help."
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