Being in medication for your entire life is a difficult situation. Janet Mbugua has revealed that just like Njambi Koikai, she also fights endometriosis. Endometriosis is an often painful disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus, the endometrium, grows outside your uterus. Endometriosis most commonly involves your ovaries, Fallopian tubes and the tissue lining your pelvis. Rarely, endometrial tissue may spread beyond pelvic organs.
Standing by Njambi Endometriosis awareness which has been given the name ‘3 days of yellow’ Janet shared her struggle. Through her Instagram page, she wrote; “This was me in 2015. Ten years earlier, in 2005, I had just undergone a laparoscopy for deep ovarian endometriosis, also known as endometriomas or ovarian cysts. It causes the formation of cavities within the ovary that fill with blood.
It had been years, literally since high school, of painful, prolonged periods that sometimes rendered me unable to go to class or to the office, especially during the first few days of my cycle. Finally getting a diagnosis was such a breakthrough and I was put on birth control thereafter and have had to continue using this, except for the times we were trying for a baby.
Until today, if I don’t take my medication, I’ll struggle during my period. Endometriosis affects an estimated 1 in 10 women during their reproductive years (i.e. usually between the ages of 15 to 49), which is approximately 176 million women in the world. So, let’s wear yellow and stand with endo warriors like Elsie Odhiambo, Njambi Koikai and many others. Let’s talk periods and most importantly, let’s talk period pain. Because ladies (and gents), a very painful, prolonged period is NOT normal.”