01/09/2026
I debated whether to post this with all the scams etc that happen in cyberspace. But I ended up deciding, maybe this would help someone.
There has been speculation about what surgery I had. The people who I have spoken to (who aren't my clients), have automatically assumed I had back surgery. I did not.
While my back has been temperamental since I was around 15, the last 2 years it progressively got worse. But not because of my back itself.
It got to a point where my husband had to help me get dressed, I had to see a physiotherapist to help me walk at times because I struggled to put weight on one side of my body.
I was sleeping 3-4hrs a night.
My strength training dropped.
My walking dropped.
My mental capacity to make life choices dropped.
I literally felt like I was having a functional breakdown.
I didn't want to be here.
The pain was essentially stopping me in my tracks.
I went to the GP because I needed help. Everything I had been doing wasn't working.
He gave me anti-inflammatories, nerve blockers and heavy pain meds. Some helped, some I refused to take.
I assumed some of my problems were because of peri-menopause, but there was a niggly feeling that kept saying "something isn't right". I was experiencing some huge shifts in my cycles, constant heaviness in the pelvis and what ended up being permanent period pain. Some days the pain was so bad, I felt like I should have been haemorrhaging, but I had either no blood or extremely light spotting.
The anti-inflammatories stopped some of this.
I queried the GP. He suggested the Mirena.
I did my research. I decided to give it a go even though I really didn't feel comfortable with it.
The doctor couldn't get my cervix to co-operate when inserting the Mirena. Not only was the cervix in a weird position, but it wouldn't dilate. I was diagnosed with a Stenotic Cervix.
Cue Gyno referral
That is where life changed. That is when I started to get some hope back.
The hospital Gyno, told me my problem wasn't gynecologically related. He didn't even look at my body, just the results of scans that were 12mths old.
I went to a private Gyno, who instead of reading paperwork that was sent in, he sat and listened. He listened when I broke down and told him I didn't know how much more I could take, he did his own physical investigations and only then when he reached his own conclusions, did he look at the paperwork.
A cervix needs to dilate in order for the uterine lining to release from the body. The pain and inflammation I had been experiencing was because I was essentially bleeding back into myself. My cells were reattaching themselves back onto to my uterus.
I was diagnosed with Adenomyosis, uterine fibroids and cysts on my ovaries.
I had 2 options - a uterine ablation with a mirena insert or a hysterectomy.
The ablation was a band aid for me, having had my children, I opted for the solution.
For the first couple of days post surgery, I felt hollow where my pieces were removed, but I have not looked back. I still have had the niggles of back pain, but those seem to be the days where I am not moving as much.
Wk4 post surgery was finding some light movement with gentle walks.
Wk 5 I went to Tanisha's Exercise Physiology who has been helping me since with regaining my connection to pelvic floor and programming for imbalances.
Wk 7 I found myself back at Prevail Personal Training, starting small but specific focused.
I'm now week 14 (or 15?), slowly strengthening my core connection and am currently lifting 6kgs in my squats and deadlifts (about to bump up). But progress is progress no matter the pace. BUT I am moving!
I lost people along the way because people who don't understand chronic pain just don't understand the effect it has on a person mentally, and some people aren't emotionally equipped to handle that.
I pretty much drained the balance of our savings to pay for my surgery (which hurt after having renovated the kitchen and having a 2wk Vietnam vacay).
While those things are negative side effects for what I was experiencing, friends come and go, money comes and goes, and anything that is meant to find its way back to you will.
My body, physically and emotionally are worth more.
Feel free to ask questions if you would like, I am happy to answer most things
Side note - Thanks to Prue at Body Fuel & Fitness Studio, Katie at Inflow Kingaroy & Alesha for covering me for the 2wks I was out of action.
