The family of a mother-of-two who took her life after waiting 15 months in excruciating pain for surgery have blasted the NHS delays as a ‘disgrace’.
Nicola Thyne,35, from Bathgate, West Lothian, suffered an agonising condition that is believed to be experienced by 1.5million women across the country – endometriosis.
She, like many others, spent years in extreme pain without diagnosis, only to then be told she had stage four endometriosis, with her organs having attached to her uterus wall.
The severity of her condition meant she even struggled with everyday tasks such as walking or bending over.
Despite the unbearable symptoms she was experiencing daily, she waited 15 months for her long-awaited surgery on the NHS.
However, she was then told the surgery had been cancelled and would be delayed for another 18 months.
Devastated, Ms Thyne, a former nurse and police officer, tragically took her life after writing letters to all of her family members.
Speaking to STV News, mother Elaine Watson said: ‘I’m totally disgusted with the NHS.
Elaine Watson spoke to STV News after she tragically lost her daughter after she suffered agonising endometriosis symptoms for years
Nicola Thyne, a mother-of-two from Bathgate, West Lothian, took her life after she was told her surgery that she had waited 15 months for had been delayed by another 18 months
The 35-year-old, who was described by family as ‘wonderful’ and ‘clever’ was suffering unbearable pain, with everyday tasks such as walking and bending over becoming difficult
‘There was no “we’ll get the operation sooner or try to push it forward.”
‘She was in absolute agony… she had horrendous periods.’
Ms Thyne, who died in January last year, has left behind two children, one 15, and the other 12.
Mrs Watson told of how her daughter had spent ‘two nights, two Christmases’ in hospital, and had just been sent away with medication.
Her family described the mum-of-two as a ‘one of a kind – a treasure’, as they told of how she always lit up any room with her smile.
Battling their pain, her family have since raised thousands of pounds to go towards endometriosis charities.
A support group named Nicola’s has been set up by the 35-year-old’s relative June Smillie.
Ms Watson was present at the opening ceremony of the support group.
Ms Thyne tragically took her life in January last year after having written letters to all her family
Ms Watson has now blasted the NHS delays as a ‘disgrace’ as she said they did not even try to push the operation forward
She said that while she has to ‘keep going’ as she has nine grandchildren, she often finds it hard and has days where she doesn’t ‘want to do anything’.
Ms Thyne’s distant relative Ms Smillie told STV News she wanted to set up ‘a legacy’ in her name, and provide a space for women to be able to come together.
The group meet at the Jim Walker Partnership Centre in Bathgate, and is run by volunteers.
Dr Tracey Gillies, Medical Director, NHS Lothian, said: ‘Our deepest condolences are with the family involved. We would wish to discuss their concerns directly but are unable to comment on individual patients without consent.’
Endometriosis is an extremely painful condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus.
While it is usually found around the womb, such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes and lining of the pelvis, it can sometimes affect organs such as the bladder and bowel, such as in Ms Thyne’s case.
The severe pain is caused when patches of the endometriosis growth breaks down and bleeds during the period but cannot leave the body.
A support group has been set up by Ms Thyne’s relative June Smillie
Charity Endometriosis UK last year estimated that women wait nearly nine years for an endometriosis diagnosis, with sufferers often experiencing that their symptoms are dismissed or minimised by health professionals.
The condition can affect the ability to carry out everyday tasks and cause difficulty getting pregnant.
In general, it is estimated around 630,000 women are waiting for gynaecology appointments.
A new support group started by Derby County Community Trust – the charity wing of the football club – recently warned that ‘valuable’ women are being lost from the workforce due to the condition.
Another endometriosis sufferer told Femail earlier this month of her 14-year wait to be diagnosed with the condition.
Rashida Animashaun, 26, was only a teenager when she began dealing with painful menstruation which was so bad, it forced her to take time out of studies.
But for 14 years doctors dismissed her agonising pain as normal period cramps.
Now more than a decade on – and three operations later – she finally has answers, and is now calling for more awareness on the topic.
‘People often think endometriosis is just “bad period pain”, but it’s so much more than that,’ she told FEMAIL.
Rashida Animashaun, 26, was only a teenager when she began dealing with painful menstruation which was so bad, it forced her to take time out of studies
Rashida has opened up her excruciating 14 year journey to being diagnosed with endometriosis – after continually being dismissed by doctors
‘It affects every aspect of life—physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and financially. Many of us experience pain not just during our periods, but while ovulating, in the days leading up to our cycle, and sometimes even outside of that.
‘The symptoms go far beyond pain: vomiting, fainting, mucus in stool, sharp belly button pain, chest pain that worsens before or during periods, nerve pain radiating from the hips to the feet, migraines, swelling, painful bowel movements, painful urination, painful intercourse, heavy bleeding, and spotting.’
Rashida had undergone three surgeries – the first at just 13 years old to remove a ruptured ovarian cyst, the second at 22 for a 5cm cyst, and most recently, a diagnostic laparoscopy in February 2024 – before it was confirmed she has endometriosis.
‘My adenomyosis diagnosis came even later, in December,’ she added.
She told of how the condition caused her so much pain she had had to rearrange her GCSEs, drop out of college while studying Level 3 Health and Social Care, and give up on university.
Despite 1 in 10 women in the UK suffering with the condition, new research has revealed that almost half (48 per cent) of women are not aware of the common symptoms of endometriosis.
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