S K PATHAK
There are no shortage of labels and euphemisms for it. A natural, love- hate reality bonding together half of the world’s population, for some it’s a life giving gift for other’s it can be sheer hell. For far too long, many have been sitting in silent crippling agony every month that far exceeds the boundaries of normal.
” You always have those that say oh it’s just bad cramps, oh it’s just a tummy ache. But I knew my body and I knew something was wrong,” said Canmore’s Katie Leaf. ” I feel so often we are discredited, told we are fine or it’s not much pain , ignored, passed on. It’s really frustrating I feel the anger of not being listened too,” she said.
Leaf’s pain started as a teen-ager, she never gave up advocating for herself and at 21-years-old she was diagnosed with endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome.
” I have landed in the hospital quite a few times, the pain is blinding. You can’t move, you can’t think straight, can’t see straight,” she said.
It took Laura McDonald, 23-years to get a diagnosis for her life altering period pain, also due to endometriosis.
” I’ve been told that the pain was in my head that I imagined the pain at times,” she said
“I had health anxiety and was referred to counseling I had have to do cognitive behavior therapy, I didn’t know what was wrong with me,” said McDonald.
Endometriosis impacts 1 in 10 or reproductive age. Cells normally found in the lining of the uterus spread to other parts of the body causing debilitating pain, heavy bleeding and at times infertility.
Currently the gold standard to get it diagnosed is through laparoscopic surgery, where surgeons will often then try to excise the endometriosis. But there is no guaratee of not growing back. Both Katie and Laura now in their 30’s have had surgery. Katie’s has had it multiple times.
Get weekly health news
Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.
” I remember talking to the surgeon in my post- op and he used the word, infertile and as a 21-year-old woman I always wanted to be a Mom, that was really hard to hear,” said Katie.
Both women agree the diagnosis helped validate their pain and finally opened more doors to help manage it.
” I just physically can’t get out of bed, I can’t move, so it’s stopped me in a lot of ways from just living,” said Edmonton’s Rose Plican. The 19-year-old NAIT’s students debilitating periods have forced her to hit pause on her studies many times.
” It’s a lot of men in my class and so you know you are sitting there you are dying in class-and they are, you ok what’s going on with you. How I’m supposed to explain to a bunch of dudes that like I’m on my period I just need to go home,” said Rose ” It’s embarrassing especially if you flow through,” she added.
She is on a two-year waiting list to see a gynecologist, the standard in Alberta and has been waiting months for a scan.
“It’s an 8.5 year diagnostic delay worldwide, Canada is at 5.3 years I think that’s extraordinary,” said Carolyn Plican, Rose’s Mom who is also a women’s healthcare advocate.
Carolyn discovered a new technology created in the U-S and now being used in the Middle East, UK and at one clinic in Canada. It is a non-invasive diagnostic test for endometriosis called EndoSure that promises to take 30-minutes. Plican was so passionate about it and helping her daughter, she to her certification to use the technology.
” Suddenly when you are diagnosed you know it’s not in your head, so it gives you permission to let you know you need better strategies to manage pain or you need to be on a waitlist for laparoscopy to have it excised, if it’s affecting you really badly,” said Plican.
Over the past 10-years there have been huge advancements in minimally invasive gynecological surgery, but women’s health specialists still face barriers.
” We are being empowered by our patients and we are finding our voice, but unfortunately we are playing catch up in a health care system that has always equated gynecology with obstetrics and hasn’t recognized the power of what we can offer surgically,” said Dr. Liane Belland.
The Calgary surgeon has helped lead the charge in the field of minimally invasive and complex gynecological surgery. Her clinic can have as many as 700 new patients a year.
” The way that our current surgical time allocation is, there isn’t a priority on gynecologic care, there has never been a priority on gynecologic care,” said Belland
” It’s difficult to listen to the struggles of people day in and day out, you want to help people and sometimes there are restraints, system restraints, OR waitlists. Ideally you’d love to get everyone in the operating room, of course of you want everybody to afford the medical management you want to offer them but that’s not the reality,” said Belland.
Gynecologist like Dr. Belland admits stigma still can be a barrier preventing patients from reaching out for help in the first place.
“A lot of people suffer in silence,” said Dr. Ari Sanders a Calgary based Gynecological Surgeon. ” When women are missing school because of pain, or when they are missing work because of bleeding that’s not normal, that should not be happening,” Sanders.
Specialists said social media and support groups are helping to unnormalize debilitating period pain. Laura McDonald started a support group to do just that, they meet on Monday’s around tea and often invite health experts to answer questions. But hearing each others own personal stories is proving to be therapeutic.
” Endo is very isolating, navigating the medical system is isolating so just coming together with other women who are experiencing this makes you feel less alone and pretty supported,” said Erin Ramsey a group member.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
