Australian Idol host opens up on painful health battle
Australian Idol host and singer Ricki-Lee Coulter has revealed that she has been battling endometriosis for over a decade.
The 38-year-old took to Instagram to share the process that led her diagnosis, straight from the hospital bed, following her laparoscopy and excision surgery.
"For over a decade I’ve been dealing with chronic pain that has progressively gotten worse,” she began the post.
“Anyone with endometriosis knows it takes a long time to get to the point where you have surgery and can get any kind of diagnosis — and that you have to advocate for yourself and keep pushing for answers.
“Over the years I have seen so many doctors and specialists, and have been down so many different paths to try to figure out what was going on — and for so long I thought the pain was just something I had to deal with.
“But the past couple of years, it has become almost unbearable and is something I’ve been dealing with every single day.
“I met with a new GP at the start of the year, who referred me to a new specialist, and we went through all the measures that have been taken to try to get to the bottom of this pain — and the only option left was surgery.
“So this week I had a laparoscopy and excision surgery — and they removed all the endometriosis they found, and I can only hope that is the end of the pain.
“I’m now at home recovering and feeling good. Rich is taking very good care of me xxx," she ended the post.
She also shared a few photos after her surgery, and of her recovering at home.
One in nine women suffer from endometriosis, a condition where the tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the womb, which sometimes moves to other areas of the body.
Friends and followers shared their support in the comments, with reality TV star and fellow endo-warrior Angie Kent saying: “Sending you lots of love! You’re not alone in this — it’s a marathon not a sprint, unfortunately.
“But there’s an amazing chronic invisible illness sista-hood out here! I hope you have a good support system with the recovery including an amazing women’s health practitioner.”
“Sending lots of love,” Sunrise host Natalie Barr added.
“Sending you so much love. Been where you are now and it gets so much better honey,” wrote Jackie O.
Images: Instagram