New endometriosis support group and open event at The Royal Oldham Hospital

Claire Winters, endometriosis clinical nurse specialist

Patients diagnosed with endometriosis can now receive help and support from healthcare professionals and other sufferers thanks to a new patient support group being launched at The Royal Oldham Hospital.

Endometriosis is a common condition where the lining of the womb grows outside the womb.  It is usually diagnosed in women between the ages of 20 to 40 years and affects around 1.5 million women in the UK.  It takes an average of seven years for most women to get diagnosed, and women of any age can be affected by endometriosis, but it is rare for the condition to manifest before a girl has her first period.

The Royal Oldham Hospital is holding an open event on Wednesday 7 March 2018, from 5.30pm until 7.30pm where healthcare professionals will be on hand to talk about the symptoms and management of endometriosis, coping strategies and give a patient’s perspective of what it is like to live with the condition.  They will also launch a new patient support group in conjunction with Endometriosis UK.

There are various stages of the disease from mild to severe and women usually have painful periods, pain during sex, chronic pelvic pain, chronic fatigue, depression and infertility.  This affects a woman’s quality of life and can impact on daily activities, relationships and work.  The symptoms can often be managed with painkillers or hormone medication, and surgery to remove patches of endometriosis tissue.

Claire Winters, endometriosis clinical nurse specialist at The Royal Oldham Hospital, said: “The information event will be a fantastic opportunity for sufferers, parents, friends and partners to find out more about the disease and put questions to medical experts, as well as share their experiences and meet others who are able to identify with their situation.

”We are excited about launching a new patient support group.  We are looking for patient volunteers to run the group following appropriate training from Endometriosis UK.  I will attend the meetings to help with discussion topics and we will hopefully meet around four times a year.”

If you are interested in joining the support group and/or attending the event please call Claire on 07817022694 or email Claire.winters.endometriosis@pat.nhs.uk

The Royal Oldham Hospital is a specialist centre for the management of endometriosis.  It is accredited by the British Society of Gynaecology (BSGE).