Canadian endometriosis patients face ‘substandard’ quality of care: experts

Canadian women with endometriosis wait years to be diagnosed and face 'substandard' treatment compared to elsewhere in the world, experts say.

Denise Nadalini said she suffered excruciating period pains for more than two decades.

“I had extremely painful periods to the point where I was on the couch in the fetal position, sweating and still, after going to the doctor numerous times, I was told to deal with it with over-the-counter medications, which really didn’t do much,” the 50-year-old said.

She had pain in her bladder and other symptoms that got worse over time, she said. “I had difficulty conceiving, difficult pregnancies. I had miscarriages.”

She even had to quit her teaching job because of the pain, she said.

But even though she sought help, doctor after doctor brushed off her concerns.

“I felt so dismissed most of the time,” she said. “They were male doctors and they just didn’t listen to me, and it’s not normal to have this kind of pain and for them to be OK with me not being able to do my job as a result of all this pain, it was awful.”

After about 25 years of suffering, Nadalini was finally diagnosed with endometriosis: a condition where cells that are normally found in the lining of the uterus grow outside of it, elsewhere in the abdomen. This can cause pelvic pain and cramping, especially during menstruation, and pain during intercourse, as well as heavy menstrual bleeding.

It’s also connected to other conditions, like infertility, and is even associated with stroke, according to a recent prospective study.