A young woman suffering with endometriosis and the pain that comes with it has opted to start her menopause early - despite being only 21-years-old.
Describing a "burning pelvic pain,'" Alisha Lack, from Wellingborough, has endured six years of torment thanks to the condition, that has left her bedridden, bloated and suffering from frequent water infections.
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Yet for Alisha, a stock controller, when her diagnosis came in 2018 she was also suffering with abnormal bleeding and had experienced a seizure, due to the pain her body was in.
So in May last year, she underwent a laparoscopy and a hysteroscopy in a bid to remove the excess tissue, only for the pain to have returned by September.
The pain was so extreme, Alisha had to be signed off work and visit the doctor's surgery three times a week to pick up pain relief.
By the December, the pain was becoming unmanageable, so doctors presented Alisha with two options - either become pregnant in the hope of reducing symptoms or start the menopause.
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At just 21, this was a serious decision she had to discuss with partner, Chris, 28, a windscreen repairman.
After lengthy deliberations, she chose the menopause - which should hopefully be just temporary - and is now on the way to being pain free for the first time in her life.
Alisha said: "It was a tough decision to make at 21 years old but I wasn't ready to have a baby.
"On December 31st, the menopause was induced through injection of Decapeptyl but the surge of hormones made me feel really unwell.
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"My heart rate was through the roof, and I almost ran out of the doctors.
"Initially I was devastated, thinking I had made the wrong decision.
"But now that things have settled slightly I know I didn't have any choice.
"I feel different though - I get weird head whooshes, that make me feel like I'm drunk and they last for ten minutes.
"I get hot flushes which make me sweat from head to toe, like having a bad fever for short periods, every day.
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"It's like a constant state of PMS, where I'm moody and snappy, eating loads of sweet stuff.
Despite this sudden onset of menopausal symptoms, Alisha feels it's much more manageable than the endometriosis was, so feels she made the right choice.
Alisha visits her doctor monthly to receive her injection which is supposed to be used as a temporary menopause only.
This offers Alisha hope that one day in the future, she may be able to have a family of her own, but she never envisioned having to make such big decisions at only 21.
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Alisha added: "Sometimes it can be hard, when I have to explain to my friends why I don't want to go out, or why I find it hard to keep up with them.
"After the initial doctor's appointment in December, when the menopause was first mentioned, I had to really discuss with my partner what we wanted to do.
"I never expected to be discussing children or the menopause with him at this age.
"But I truly believe it should be spoken about more, to raise awareness and so others don't have to go through the years of suffering that I did."
If you think you are suffering with symptoms of Endometriosis or want more information on the condition, visit Endometriosis UK's website.
Featured Image Credit: CatersTopics: Endometriosis, Sex and Relationships, Health