Latest news with #CeriBruinsma
Business Mayor
30-04-2025
- Health
- Business Mayor
Mum diagnosed with rare health condition after horror bleeding from belly button
Ceri Bruinsma suffered incredible pain for five years before finally receiving a diagnosis A mum from Liverpool has been diagnosed with a rare medical condition after experiencing bleeding from her belly button – a symptom that puzzled doctors for years. Ceri Bruinsma's symptoms began five years ago after she had her contraceptive implant removed. Alongside the bleeding, she experienced intense fatigue and severe pain that sometimes left her unable to get out of bed. Ceri, a mother of two, said she had always experienced extremely painful periods, but didn't realise how abnormal the pain was because she had grown used to it. After removing her contraceptive implant, she began noticing discharge from her navel, unexplained weight gain and, eventually, blood clots. Her initial visit to the doctor didn't raise alarm, and a CT scan came back clear. But after persistent symptoms, she was referred to a gynaecologist. Further investigation, including an MRI scan and a camera inserted into her womb, finally led to the correct diagnosis. 'At one point I had to wear dressings over my belly button because it was like being on my period,' she explained. 'The doctors acted like it wasn't anything to worry about, even though I was having clots and kept being prescribed antibiotics.' READ MORE: 'Red flag' symptom that could be a sign of stroke or meningitis Ceri's pain was 'worse than labour' Now 43, she was eventually told that her horrifying symptoms were caused by umbilical endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus begins to grow in the navel. Doctors later discovered that endometriosis tissue had formed within a hernia sack behind her belly button, which was the cause of the unusual bleeding. Despite the diagnosis, Ceri is still awaiting surgery at Liverpool Women's Hospital to remove both the endometriosis and the hernia. The operation requires two surgeons, and the delay has prolonged her suffering. 'When I'm having an endometriosis flare-up, it's like someone has stabbed me in the back – I can't walk,' she said. 'When I had cramps and blood coming out of my belly button, it felt worse than labour. I couldn't even walk, it was awful.' She's currently able to manage the pain while she awaits surgery While waiting for surgery, Ceri was prescribed hormone replacement therapy injections that induced early menopause to manage her symptoms. Though they stopped the bleeding, the side effects were difficult to handle. 'I couldn't leave the house, I was sweating that much,' she said. Ceri, a holistic therapist and founder of 'Healing Hands,' says alternative therapies such as reflexology and gentle release therapy have helped her manage the pain. She is currently the only practitioner offering the latter in Liverpool, which is based on Chinese meridian therapy. She has also launched an Instagram page, @Endopreneurs_, to support other business owners living with endometriosis. 'When you're self-employed, there's no sick pay – you just have to find ways to manage,' she said. 'I hope to connect with others in the community and raise awareness.' Liverpool Women's Hospital has been contacted for comment. READ MORE: Shoppers spot little-known way to get £30 Ninja travel bottle for £9 this weekend
Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Mum diagnosed with rare health condition after horror bleeding from belly button
Ceri Bruinsma suffered from bleeding from her belly button for years before was eventually diagnosed with a terrifying rare condition and she's now waiting to have surgery A mum from Liverpool has been diagnosed with a rare medical condition after experiencing bleeding from her belly button - a symptom that puzzled doctors for years. Ceri Bruinsma's symptom s began five years ago after she had her contraceptive implant removed. Alongside the bleeding, she experienced intense fatigue and severe pain that sometimes left her unable to get out of bed. Ceri, a mother of two, said she had always experienced extremely painful periods, but didn't realise how abnormal the pain was because she had grown used to it. After removing her contraceptive implant, she began noticing discharge from her navel, unexplained weight gain and, eventually, blood clots. Her initial visit to the doctor didn't raise alarm, and a CT scan came back clear. But after persistent symptoms, she was referred to a gynaecologist. Further investigation, including an MRI scan and a camera inserted into her womb, finally led to the correct diagnosis. 'At one point I had to wear dressings over my belly button because it was like being on my period,' she explained. 'The doctors acted like it wasn't anything to worry about, even though I was having clots and kept being prescribed antibiotics.' Now 43, she was eventually told that her horrifying symptoms were caused by umbilical endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus begins to grow in the navel. Doctors later discovered that endometriosis tissue had formed within a hernia sack behind her belly button, which was the cause of the unusual bleeding. Despite the diagnosis, Ceri is still awaiting surgery at Liverpool Women's Hospital to remove both the endometriosis and the hernia. The operation requires two surgeons, and the delay has prolonged her suffering. 'When I'm having an endometriosis flare-up, it's like someone has stabbed me in the back - I can't walk,' she said. 'When I had cramps and blood coming out of my belly button, it felt worse than labour. I couldn't even walk, it was awful.' While waiting for surgery, Ceri was prescribed hormone replacement therapy injections that induced early menopause to manage her symptoms. Though they stopped the bleeding, the side effects were difficult to handle. 'I couldn't leave the house, I was sweating that much,' she said. Ceri, a holistic therapist and founder of 'Healing Hands,' says alternative therapies such as reflexology and gentle release therapy have helped her manage the pain. She is currently the only practitioner offering the latter in Liverpool, which is based on Chinese meridian therapy. She has also launched an Instagram page, @Endopreneurs_, to support other business owners living with endometriosis. 'When you're self-employed, there's no sick pay - you just have to find ways to manage,' she said. 'I hope to connect with others in the community and raise awareness.'
Daily Mirror
24-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'Blood started seeping out of my belly button – then I got chilling diagnosis'
Ceri Bruinsma, 43, was diagnosed with umbilical endometriosis - a disease where tissue from the lining of the uterus grows in the navel - and the pain left her unable to get out of bed A mum has been diagnosed with an extremely rare health condition after she started to bleed from her belly button. Ceri Bruinsma, 43, was diagnosed with umbilical endometriosis - a disease where tissue from the lining of the uterus grows in the navel. She first started experiencing the bleeding five years ago after coming off the contraceptive implant and also suffered from extreme fatigue and pain that left her unable to get out of bed. Ceri was later told by doctors that endometriosis tissue had formed in a hernia 'sack' behind her belly button - which was causing the bleeding. But five years after her symptoms first started, Ceri is still waiting to have surgery at Liverpool's Women's Hospital - where surgeons will remove both the endometriosis and the hernia. The mum-of-two said: "I need a double operation - I need the endometriosis removed and I need the hernia removed. "I need two surgeons to do the surgery. When I 'm having an endometriosis flare up, it's like someone has stabbed me in the back - I can't walk. But I've always struggled with really bad period pain, when I was in labour with my first baby, I didn't realise because I was so used to the pain. When I had cramps and blood coming out of my belly button, it felt worse than labour. I couldn't even walk, it was awful." Ceri says she always suffered from extremely painful periods, but didn't realise how much pain she was in, as she was so used to it. After having the contraceptive implant taken out of her arm, she started noticing a clear discharge was coming out of her belly button and that she had gained a lot of weight. Blood clots then started coming out of Ceri's belly button so she went to her doctors, who didn't seem that concerned, but eventually referred her for a CT scan. But because nothing was found on the scan, she was given the all-clear, despite still suffering from the bleeding. Ceri, of Liverpool, Merseyside, then managed to get a referral to a gynaecologist - where she was finally diagnosed by having a MRI scan and a camera in her womb. She said: "I had to wear dressings over my belly button because it was like being on my period. "When I would go to the doctors, they acted like it wasn't anything to worry about which I thought was weird. I would have clots coming out and the doctors keep giving me antibiotics." As she is waiting for the operation, Ceri was given hormone replacement therapy injections to place her into an early menopause, to stop her symptoms. She says this left her unable to leave the house, because she was sweating that much, but luckily it stopped the bleeding from her belly button. She now has an appointment next month, to discuss the surgery. Ceri said: "They put me on the injections - which stop your hormones. But I couldn't go out of the house, I was sweating that much, but it stopped the bleeding. It was really hard to manage with all the sweating but luckily the bleeding hasn't come back since then." Ceri is a holistic therapist and runs a business called 'Healing Hands', and says that reflexology - an alternative therapy that applies pressure to specific reflex points - has helped her with the pain. She is also says that gentle release therapy - a technique that uses traditional Chinese meridians - has helped her and she is currently the only person in Liverpool to offer this. Ceri has now set up an Instagram page called @Endopreneurs_ - which helps to support other business owners who have endometriosis. She said: "I manage the pain by doing certain things like reflexology as that can be really good to manage symptoms. "I speak to people in the endometriosis community, my hope is to connect with other people who have the condition. I know charities are trying to help employers support people with endometriosis but when you are self-employed, you don't have sick pay or anything - you have to manage." Liverpool Women's Hospital have been contacted for a comment.
Dublin Live
22-04-2025
- Health
- Dublin Live
'I bled from belly button then passed out - it took 5 years to find out why'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A woman has opened up about her horror health ordeal after she started to unexpectedly bleed from her belly button. Ceri Bruinsma, a 43-year-old mum-of-two, was diagnosed with a rare form of endometriosis after she began to bleed from her belly button. The Liverpool mum was finally referred to the gynaecology department at Liverpool Women's Hospital after years of battling for an explanation for her severe symptoms. The trouble started when Ceri had her contraceptive implant taken out in 2020, and she noticed bleeding from her belly button, which worsened during her periods, eventually leading to blood clots. Her ordeal included symptoms like a swollen stomach, weight gain, extreme tiredness, and intense pain, reports the Liverpool Echo. Ceri said: "I've always had erratic and extremely painful periods, not being able to get out of bed. That was just a normal period for me." "When I got a flare up before my periods, I'd be lying on the bathroom floor with pain. I couldn't walk for a few days after." Before getting the correct diagnosis, Ceri faced resistance from doctors who doubted endometriosis was behind her issues, prescribing antibiotics and arranging a CT scan instead. But an MRI in 2022 revealed the truth: umbilical endometriosis, a condition so rare it affects only 0.5-1% of women with endometriosis. Endometriosis tissue had formed in a hernia 'sack' behind her belly button, with the cause of the hernia unknown. The 43 year old is set to have an appointment in May to discuss the surgical treatment needed to remove the endometriosis tissue and fix the hernia, five years after she first saw her GP. Endometriosis is a condition where tissue akin to the lining of the womb starts growing in other parts of the body. Advanced stages can lead to 'frozen pelvis,' where scar tissue from the endometriosis causes pelvic organs to stick together, immobilising them. The condition can take years to be properly diagnosed. After enduring the long wait for surgery, the mum was prescribed hormone replacement therapy to induce an early menopause, hoping to alleviate some symptoms. Ceri has a message for others suffering: "Don't let them convince you that these things are normal. A lot of people have been told that periods are meant to be painful. That's not true. You've got to become like a lawyer, with your case and the evidence, and show you've done the research." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mum's rare diagnosis after she started bleeding from her belly button
A mum-of-two was diagnosed with a rare form of endometriosis after she started bleeding from her belly button. Ceri Bruinsma, 43 was referred to the gynaecology department at Liverpool Women's Hospital after years of fighting for answers to understand the cause of her debilitating symptoms. After having the contraceptive implant removed in 2020, the mum-of-two started bleeding from her belly button, with the bleeding getting heavier during each menstrual period, until she began to pass blood clots. She also experienced symptoms such as swelling to her stomach, weight gain, extreme fatigue and pain. READ MORE: Full list of 55 traders at Southport Food and Drink Festival 2025 READ MORE: Liverpool families are missing out on over £750,000 - find out if you are eligible She said: 'I've always had erratic and extremely painful periods, not being able to get out of bed. That was just a normal period for me. 'When I got a flare up before my periods, I'd be lying on the bathroom floor with pain. I couldn't walk for a few days after.' Prior to being referred to Liverpool's Women's Hospital, Bruinsma claims she experienced push back from doctors who told her that endometriosis is too rare to be the cause of her problems. She was instead, prescribed antibiotics and sent for a CT scan to understand her symptoms. However, an MRI in 2022, showed umbilical endometriosis, a rare form of the disease affecting only 0.5-1% of women with the condition. Endometriosis tissue had formed in a hernia 'sack' behind her belly button, with the cause of the hernia unknown. The 43-year-old has an appointment in May to discuss the surgical treatment required to remove the endometriosis tissue and repair the hernia, five years on from her initial GP appointment. Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows elsewhere in the body. Later stages of the condition can cause 'frozen pelvis, a condition where endometrial scar tissue joins pelvic organs together, causing them to lock in place. Endometriosis affects one in ten women in the UK, with an average diagnosis of the condition taking over eight years from initial GP appointments for symptoms. The mum was offered hormone replacement therapy to place her into an early menopause in an attempt to manage her symptoms while waiting for surgical treatment. Ceri said: 'Don't let them convince you that these things are normal. A lot of people have been told that periods are meant to be painful. That's not true. You've got to become like a lawyer, with your case and the evidence, and show you've done the research.'
