It still hits me I’ll never give birth after a hysterectomy at 29 – but I don’t regret a thing
GEORGETTE Beadling, 30, from Grantham, struggled with agonising period pains for 16 years, before eventually being diagnosed with endometriosis – and making the decision to have a hysterectomy at just 29.
Here, she tells her story to Lara Kilner.
"Looking at the shocking MRI images of my uterus – blotchy, bumpy and four times the size it should be – I knew I only had one choice.
"Despite keyhole surgery to treat endometriosis after finally being diagnosed in May 2019, following 16 years of pain, I was still in agony.
"It felt like my body was rotting away inside.
"I was just 28 and didn’t have children, but I knew a full hysterectomy was the only option if I wanted my life back.
"My periods began when I was 12 and were always heavy and agonising, but as my mum Denise, 62, had bad periods too, we both thought it was normal.
"I’d take painkillers and use a hot-water bottle, but it was debilitating.
"When I was 14, my GP prescribed stronger pain relief and put me on the Pill, but still I experienced shooting pains and heavy cramps.
"Every month, I was so nauseous I couldn’t eat, missed school and leaked through clothes, despite using sanitary products for super-heavy flow, which meant I was too nervous to go out with friends.
"I drifted away from them and began to feel isolated and depressed.
"When I was 16, I started dating a guy, but I didn’t really talk about my painful periods – I just put up and shut up.
"Although I saw doctors throughout my teens, endometriosis – where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places, such as the ovaries and Fallopian tubes – was never once mentioned, and I’d never heard of it.
"I was told again and again to just “try a different pain relief”.
"I also tried a number of contraceptive pills and they all gave me issues, such as irregular bleeding, while the implant made me bleed constantly for 10 months.
"I barely attended the last two years of school, as by then my mental health was really suffering, and it meant I didn’t get good exam results.
"In my 20s, I felt so different from other girls my age. I was working as a receptionist and also training to be a make-up artist, but when I had my period, I couldn’t leave the house because I was bedridden with pain.
"I had a lot of sick days and often felt fatigued and bloated.
"Although I tried to lead a normal life, often it was impossible.
"My boyfriend and I were living together by then, so he was aware of my health problems and was really supportive.
"He wanted children, but I wasn’t ready for a family, and at the back of my mind was a fear that I would struggle to conceive because of my awful periods. We split up when I was 25.
"By 2016, I was suffering from chronic fatigue.
"My body ached constantly and just taking a shower left me exhausted.
"I met my partner Kaine, 29, through mutual friends, and he was so understanding, but I had no quality of life and was in bed for days at a time, bleeding heavily.
"In January 2019, just days after my last period had finished, I woke up to find my bed sheets soaked in blood.
"Running to the bathroom, I sobbed with fear. I just knew there was something wrong with my body and I couldn’t go on like this – I’d hit rock-bottom.
"I’d researched my symptoms a little in the past, though not found any answers, but this time I came across a site about endometriosis – and it felt like a lightbulb moment.
"I went to see a new GP, armed with what I’d read, and she referred me for an ultrasound.
"When, a few weeks later, doctors told me the ultrasound was clear and I didn’t have the condition, I felt frustrated and angry.
"I knew from my research that endometriosis can’t be seen on an ultrasound and I needed an MRI scan.
"I decided I needed a second opinion so I saw a private specialist, who sent me for an MRI – which confirmed that I did have endometriosis. It was such a relief to have someone listen to me and finally get some answers.
"With help from my parents, in May 2019, I scraped together the £8,000 I needed to pay for keyhole surgery privately to remove endometriosis cells from my bowels, bladder and pelvic walls.
"The MRI images of my diseased uterus led me to be diagnosed with another condition called adenomyosis, often linked to endometriosis, which means the inner lining of the uterus breaks through the muscle wall and also causes heavy periods and painful menstrual cramps.
"I was advised that the best way forward was a full hysterectomy to remove my womb, ovaries and cervix.
";Although the thought of it was overwhelming, after two decades of agony I realised I had to get my life back – I couldn’t carry on just surviving, not living.
"But still, it was such a tough decision, as it would mean saying goodbye to any chance of having my own child and giving birth.
"But I knew that even if I could have children – and my gut instinct told me I’d struggle after years of problems with my cycle – how would I look after them when I was in so much pain and incapacitated every month?
"I couldn’t look after myself, let alone a baby. It was my decision, but my loved ones were all behind me.
";Kaine doesn’t want children, which helped make the choice easier.
"Mum knew that having the hysterectomy meant I wouldn’t be giving birth to any grandchildren, but she understood, and suggested freezing my eggs – but I couldn’t afford that after paying for the endometriosis surgery.
"Finally, at peace with the fact I’d never be a biological mum, in December 2019, aged 29, I had a hysterectomy.
"Thankfully, the procedure was covered by my health insurance through a new work contract, as it can cost up to £5,000 privately, and I wasn’t sure that the NHS would support me having one so young.
I can never get those years of my life back
Georgette Beadling
";Waking up after the op, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
"The recovery was hard and I was told I would need more surgery to remove scar tissue in my abdomen that’s causing pain and nausea, though this has been delayed because of the pandemic.
"Kaine and my mum have been amazing, caring for me.
"I’m on HRT because the hysterectomy sent me straight into menopause, which left me with hot flashes and mood swings.
"I’ve also had wobbles about going through it at such a young age, but there are positives, like being taken off the smear-test list.
"I don’t have periods any more and I feel relief when I pass the sanitary products at the supermarket, knowing that I no longer need them.
I had no quality of life and was in bed for days at a time, bleeding heavily
Georgette Beadling
"Menopause can take away your sense of womanliness, but I can be menopausal and still feel sexy and useful.
"I wish I had been listened to and diagnosed earlier. I suffered so much for years, both physically and mentally, and my body was damaged as a result.
"I can never get those years of my life back.
"I have had moments since my operation when it’s hit me that I will never have a biological child or give birth.
"It’s a lot to come to terms with, but I have no regrets.
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"If, in the future, I feel it’s right for me, I’m open to adopting – but for now I’m happy to be childless.
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"After so much pain, and life passing me by, now I have hope and positivity for my future.
"The decision I made was the right one for me, and my life is a happier one for it.
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