The video, captured by her sister Shilpa Shetty, features Shamita in a hospital bed, with Shilpa commenting, “What a view… Waah, Kya hua hai.”
Shamita responds, “I have endometriosis, I didn’t even know what it was.All the women out there please google endometriosis. You need to know what this problem is all about.”
Shilpa then asks, “Why should they know?”, to which Shamita replies, “Because you probably have it and you don’t even know you have it and it is painful. It’s uncomfortable.”
Shilpa then asks her sister if she has “any last words before the surgery.”
Shamita shared that the pain in the body is for a reason and “listen to your body” and then Shilpa concluded the video by saying, “swasth raho mast raho.”
For the caption, Shamita wrote: “Did you know that almost 40 per cent of women suffer from endometriosis.. and most of us are unaware of this disease!!!”
She added: “I want to thank both my doctors, my gynac Dr Neeta Warty and my Gp Dr Sunita Banerjee for not stopping till they found out the root cause of my pain!
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a chronic condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (endometrium) grows outside the uterus, commonly on pelvic organs like ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the outer surface of the uterus. This tissue responds to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, shedding and bleeding like the uterine lining but has no exit route, causing inflammation, scarring, and pain.
Symptoms vary widely, including pelvic pain, painful periods (dysmenorrhea), pain during or after sex, infertility, fatigue, and digestive issues. Diagnosis often involves a pelvic exam, imaging tests, and sometimes laparoscopic surgery for confirmation.
The exact cause of endometriosis remains unclear, with theories ranging from genetic predisposition to retrograde menstruation (when menstrual blood flows backward into the pelvic cavity). Hormonal factors likely play a significant role.
Management focuses on symptom relief and may include pain medications, hormonal therapies to suppress menstruation, and surgery to remove endometrial tissue or adhesions. However, recurrence is common, and fertility treatments may be necessary for those trying to conceive. Endometriosis can significantly impact quality of life, requiring a multidisciplinary approach involving gynecologists, pain specialists, and mental health support.
(With inputs from IANS)