A MOTHER is fighting for routine checks for endometriosis after she "almost died" from the condition.

Sonia Shannon, from Sible Hedingham, suffered from severe pain in September 2014, which she believed to be menstrual.

It was not until a year later, when she collapsed on the way to pick her daughter up from St Andrews School in Halstead, she realised something was seriously wrong.

Mrs Shannon, 26, from Brook Meadow, was lucky to give birth to her daughter Skyla when she was 19 years old.

She said: "At 19 I fell pregnant with my little girl and I have always called her my little miracle.

"I had a very painful and long labour, lasting 6 days.

"In September 2014 I started to get extreme pains in my lower right abdomen, causing back pains and back spasms.

"In November the pain worsened and partner at the time, Ashley Shannon, drove me back and forth to Colchester A&E."

She was told continuously the pain was menstrual, but in February 2015 her life changed.

She was diagnosed with the condition where tissue that behaves like the lining of the womb is found outside the womb.

After being taken to Colchester Hospital X-Rays showed she had a grapefruit sized cyst on her right ovary.

She has since believed she is unable to have more children.

She said: "I was getting ready to go and pick Skyla up from school but when I got to the door I collapsed to the floor with chronic pain in my stomach.

"I managed to grab my phone and call my partner who was working in London and was at least three hours away.

"I started doubting myself that I was just making this a much bigger issue than it was."

That evening the ambulance had to be called and she was taken to Colchester hospital.

She said: "The next day I went for my ultrasound- the sonographer was amazed.

"I was informed the size of the cyst was so extreme they would do their best to try and save my right ovary but it would be a difficult operation.

"That afternoon the cyst had burst and was tearing my ovary apart, it was seeping into my body."

After four and a half hours she came out of surgery and was put into intensive care.

She had her right ovary removed and had to stay in hospital for a week.

She still has to have follow up appointments and said it was very unlikely she will be able to conceive again.

She said: "I was 24 when I had my surgery, two weeks before my 25th birthday.

"It's now a daily struggle. This was the most horrific thing to happen to someone of my age and I would hate for anyone to have to go through what I did."

She said she never had any counselling to get her through the emotional trauma, and wanted this to be offered.

She said: "I feel much less of a woman and that is tough.

"I would have loved some form of counselling and to have someone guide me through next steps.

"I think more checks for women with irregular or painful periods should be made to have smears or maybe more scans could be done at the same time to catch these issues before they get to the level that mine did.

"I had never heard of endometriosis until my surgery was over. It can be life threatening.

"Dr Whitlow was the endometriosis specialist who was also my surgeon.

"He informed me he was one of the only endometriosis specialists in the county."

She added: "I have my daughter who is beautiful and so clever, I am so glad I had her before all of this and she is a very happy and healthy child.

"I cherish every day with her."