A 21-year-old woman from Sutton Coldfield has described the agonising pain she endures daily due to endometriosis and adenomyosis, conditions that have left her barely able to walk after a nine-year wait for a diagnosis.
Living in constant pain
Skye McNally, a content executive, compares the sensation to having barbed wire dragged through her womb. Her bowel and uterus have fused together because of endometrial tissue growth, requiring major surgery that could transform her life.
The condition has become so severe that she often needs a wheelchair when leaving her home. “I can’t bend, I can barely walk. I’m not able to really leave the house, and when I am having to leave, I’m using a wheelchair most of the time,” Skye said.
Delayed diagnosis
According to Endometriosis UK, the average time to diagnose endometriosis is between eight and ten years. Skye waited nine years for an official endometriosis diagnosis in 2024, and was only told she had adenomyosis earlier this year.
Adenomyosis occurs when the womb lining grows into the muscle wall of the organ, often associated with endometriosis. The NHS explains that endometriosis involves cells similar to those in the womb lining growing elsewhere in the body, causing significant impact.
Devastating symptoms
Skye experiences deep womb pain and leg pain so severe she feels her legs might snap. “I get really severe cramping. It almost feels like barbed wire is being pulled through my womb and then I get really bad shooting pain down my legs,” she said.
She also suffers from bowel issues, severe bloating, fatigue, nausea, and dizziness daily. The 21-year-old now awaits a life-changing laparoscopy to separate her organs, though the full extent of damage will only be known during surgery.
Urgent need for surgery
Skye’s mother, Nicki McNally, explained that endometrial tissue creates scar tissue that acts like glue, binding organs together. “Endometriosis strangles healthy cells and grows similar to cancer,” she said.
After being moved between hospital waiting lists in the West Midlands, Skye has been forced to seek private treatment costing £10,000. “Surgery is basically the gold standard of treatment. But even if I’m in 20 per cent less pain, that would mean the world to me,” Skye said.
Fundraising efforts
The family has launched a GoFundMe page and organised a fundraiser on June 12 at the Beggars Bush Pub in Sutton Coldfield. The event, Skye’s The Limit Fest: Endometriosis Awareness Fundraiser and Festival, features seven local bands performing for free.
“The Beggars Bush are giving us the pub for free, which is really amazing. There’s so many amazing raffle prizes that have been donated and a silent auction,” Skye said. Prizes include tickets to the Glee Club, cooking classes, and vouchers from local businesses.
