I got an Endometriosis diagnosis after 19 years of pain-Jahmby Koikai

02 March 2024

• Endometriosis is a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus.

Media personality Jahmby Koikai has shared her journey with endometriosis.

Faya Mama as she is fondly known says the condition made her teenagehood a nightmare.

She has made it her job to educate people on the same.

Sharing an old photo of herself six years ago, Jahmby captioned

"On this day, 6 years ago, I underwent a life-changing surgery due to this full-body disease. We had no idea that the disease had affected my heart, my back, my appendix (which was removed), my teeth, my gums, my lungs, and my diaphragm, was diagnosed with acute anemia.

It wasn't until we got to the Center for Endometriosis Care in Atlanta, that we got to know how far this disease had spread and the damage caused to my right lung and diaphragm after tens of surgeries.

My eyesight was affected and I recently had to get a new prescription. I'm saddened by the many years it takes to diagnose this disease.

Due to this delay, the disease spreads to almost every part of the body. By the time we seek specialized treatment, we now have to deal with other autoimmune diseases caused by Endometriosis and Adenomyosis."

Jahmby added that in Kenya the number of people with endometriosis is higher

"Try this count 10 women or girls you know, 1 of them has extremely painful periods which could be Endometriosis. Na huku kwetu Kenya it seems the numbers are higher. So over 200 million women worldwide are battling Endometriosis. March is World Endometriosis Month."

She went on to add that every woman's experience is different.

"There's a story of a teenage girl who has Endometriosis. The disease spread to her eyes. So every month while she's on her menses, she bleeds from her eyes. Endometriosis can also spread to your fingernails and during that time of the month, your fingers bleed.

We need a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosing this disease and treating it as soon as possible. Yes as soon as teenagers complain of excessive period pain and display all the symptoms associated with this horrific disease, then they should be treated by specialists immediately. "

In conclusion, Jahmby added she cannot describe the pain the disease put through her in words.

"This disease can also affect women after childbirth and those who are going through menopause. I got a diagnosis after 19 years of living in horrific pain. I can never describe to you what I've gone through because I truly lack words. My teenage years were brutal. My twenties- 30s have not been easy. This is a very expensive disease to treat and post-recovery requires a lot of care due to various side effects."