Michelle Ang opens up about her battle with a debilitating and painful disease

When Kiwi actress Michelle Ang began suffering from chronic backache, dark moods, food allergies and unshakeable lethargy, she knew she was sick. But finding the cause of her problems proved to be the most painful part of her ordeal. The ex-Neighbours and Outrageous Fortune star was working in New York, where she now lives, when she began to realise all was not well.

“I noticed that my body was playing up in weird ways. It felt very different to just being run down. All sorts of foods, even rice and vegetables, would give me awful bloating. I got a urinary tract infection but, because I was so busy, I couldn’t get to the doctor for a couple of weeks. My back was aching too, so I fi gured I had a kidney infection.”

One late-night trip to a New York City emergency department and three courses of antibiotics later, Michelle was still in excruciating pain. By this time, the 25-year-old had begun to feel as if her whole body was rebelling against her. “I had terrible lethargy. It was like my bones were heavy. Once I lay down, I couldn’t get up. The tiredness was all-consuming.”

Michelle’s boyfriend, Kiwi photographer Sam Nixon, who is also New York-based, became increasingly concerned about his girlfriend’s ill health. They decided Michelle should fl y home to Wellington to have her ailments investigated by her family doctor. Unfortunately, her self-confidence was to be the next casualty. “I went to my GP the day I arrived in Wellington and he disregarded everything I told him. I sat in the chair and felt like he was writing me off as a whining woman.

He told me my symptoms were just the effects of getting older.” Demoralised, but determined not to be fobbed off, Michelle also saw a kidney specialist and a urologist, but both visits were futile. Her tests came back clear and no-one offered further help. “The kidney specialist just told me to drink more water!  I ended up crying in her consulting room. I felt like a hypochondriac.”

Three weeks later, and still feeling miserable, Michelle was preparing to return to New York without a diagnosis when a chance meeting with an old school pal proved to be the most fortuitous appointment of all. Michelle’s friend recognised her symptoms and suggested she see a gynaecologist.

Right away, the gynaecologist identified that Michelle was likely to be suffering from endometriosis – a medical condition in women in which endometrial cells are deposited in areas outside the uterus. “The gynaecologist explained that it’s not very well-understood and symptoms can vary so GPs often overlook it.

“I found out that depression can be associated with the condition and that women who have endometriosis often live in semi-chronic pain,” continues Michelle. “I thought back to my mood swings and realised that in the past two years I had become a markedly different person.” Michelle once again left a doctor’s room crying – but this time with tears of relief.

The actress postponed her flights back to New York and, two weeks later, she was wheeled into an operating theatre to have ‘I felt like my GP was writing me of as a whining woman’ a laparoscopy – a procedure in which the abdomen is pumped with gas and then a camera is used to view the internal organs.

It was discovered that Michelle had a severe case of endometriosis, but luckily, the surgeon was able to burn off the offending cells during the operation. At the same time, the doctors checked Michelle’s fertility, which can be affected by the condition, and found no permanent damage. “I was so relieved because I’m already getting a little clucky!” she laughs.

“There’s no guarantee that the endometriosis won’t come back, but at least now I’m aware of it. The gynaecologist warned me stress can worsen things. I’m used to going at full speed, but now Sam reminds me to slow down and chill out.

“I feel really validated because I had begun to feel like I was being hysterical. If women sense something is wrong with their bodies, they shouldn’t be made to feel like they’re just complaining. Now I know I was right to trust my instincts and keep on looking for answers.”

Nicky Dewe

All about endometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition detected in one in 10 New Zealand women, although many more cases go undiagnosed. It occurs when the tissue that lines the uterus, known as the endometrium, occurs in places outside the uterus where it shouldn’t be. The tissue can form lesions, mostly found in the pelvic region, ovaries and bowel. Symptoms include painful periods, uncomfortable intercourse, infertility, and bowel problems such as constipation, diarrhoea and bloating. Endometriosis can sometimes be managed through lifestyle changes, although more severe cases often require surgery. For info, visit www.nzendo.co.nz or phone the Endometriosis New Zealand support line 0800 733 277.