A mum-of-one says she was labelled a “drug seeker” by medical staff despite being in “debilitating” pain because of a severe endometriosis flare-up.

Amy Simkins from Hythe was diagnosed with the condition - which affects one in 10 women - when she was 17 and had her right fallopian tube and right ovary removed in her early 20s.

She was prompted to go to the doctor after having debilitating periods, heavy bleeding and stomach swelling which would leave her curled up in the foetal position for days because of the pain. She also started her periods when she was eight years old which she says was the first warning sign.

Now aged 27, Miss Simkins says nothing has changed in the last decade to improve the service sufferers receive, prompting her to start a petition, which has been signed more than 41,000 times so far.

“There’s not enough knowledge or resources in the NHS to support women with endometriosis and so many of us feel fobbed off,” she told KentOnline.

“I’m very fortunate that the specialist I am under is an endometriosis lead but there have been times where I’ve had to go into hospital because a flare-up is severe and due to lack of knowledge, my local hospital didn’t know enough to support me.”

Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. It can affect women of any age, including teenagers.

While there are treatments to ease symptoms, it is a life-long condition which has no cure.

Miss Simkins says on one occasion she was referred to A&E by her GP - but staff at the hospital accused her of being a “drug seeker” before later acknowledging their mistake.

“I was left bleeding through my clothes, unable to keep even water down and I was being refused treatment because the professionals didn’t know enough about the condition. It was traumatic,” she said.

“It’s hard to put into words when you’re treated like that because it’s like something out of a horror film.”

The healthcare worker added on another occasion when she was struggling to “keep anything down”, she was refused IV fluids and went 12 hours without being able to pass urine because she was so dehydrated.

During another visit, she says she waited four or five hours for an A&E consultant to see her and after asking someone politely how much longer they might be, she was told they were busy “dealing with genuinely sick people”.

“There have been cases where young women with endometriosis have taken their lives because they can’t deal with the pain anymore,” she added.

“What does it take? Because a lot of these women, including myself, have had professional teams say they’re not drug seeking and this is a genuine problem - but it’s almost like a get-out-of-jail free card for hospital staff and one less person to deal with.”

Telling of how she is affected day-to-day, Miss Simkins says it is hard to tell when a flare-up could occur, but things such as stress can trigger it, which she says is ironic given the stress women go through trying to get pain relief.

Among the treatments for the condition is Zoladex, a hormone therapy that temporarily “switches off” the ovaries and stops oestrogen production, causing a reduction in endometriosis lesions.

Miss Simkins said: “I have easily had more than five surgeries. Each cycle of Zoladex, which is used to treat breast and prostate cancer, is six months long and I’ve had three – it’s not a light treatment option and the side effects are very intense.

“My specialist has told me they don’t know enough about the condition to be able to know what will happen next. It’s like our health is being played by ear.

“It’s not a case of you don't look sick so you’re not. I can have days where I’m fine, but then a flare-up can come up and be debilitating.

“I’ve known women who have had to have chest drains put in because the endometriosis has gone to their lungs. I also know a woman in America who has cerebral endometriosis so it has gone to her brain. It’s a whole-body disease.”

According to the World Health Organisation, endometriosis affects roughly 10% (190 million) of reproductive-age women and girls globally.

Miss Simkins said: “It affects one in 10 women. Diabetes statistically affects one in 10 people. So it’s the same statistically.

“But I can guarantee that if someone went into A&E because of diabetes, the doctors would know enough about that condition to provide them with the right support and treatment. But from a woman’s health perspective, they don’t know enough to provide support.

“In this day and age, it’s not acceptable.”

Sarah Hayes, Chief Nursing & Midwifery Officer at East Kent Hospitals Trust said: “We are very sorry that Ms Simkins has concerns about her care.

“We seek to provide the highest standards of care for people attending our hospitals with endometriosis symptoms and would be happy to discuss Ms Simkins’ concerns with her directly.”