- Taurangawoman Kaydi O’Connor, 28, has suffered from endometriosis for 14 years.
- She has been paying $50 every three months for the contraceptive pill cerazette which stops her period and helps relieve her symptoms.
- Pharmachas confirmed it will fund cerazette from April 1 - a decision welcomed by O’Connor and Endometriosis New Zealand.
Kaydi O’Connor has “never” had a normal period.
After getting her period at age 14, she started experiencing severe abdominal cramping, nausea, back and sciatica pain, fatigue and heavy bleeding.
“I’d bleed for like 60 days out of 100 ... or I’d bleed for two weeks or only have two weeks in between periods.”
O’Connor’s abnormal periods were a sign of endometriosis – a condition where tissue similar to the uterus lining is found outside the uterus.
The tissue can form nodules or plaques and can cause extreme pain during periods or ovulation, tiredness, abnormal menstrual bleeding, problems with the bladder or bowel, and infertility.
There is no cure.
O’Connor started taking the contraceptive pill cerazette three or four years ago which allowed her to live a “normal-ish life”.
Pharmac announced on March 11 it will fund desogestrel (branded as cerazette) “for anyone who needs it” from April 1.
More than 43,000 New Zealanders expected to benefit from access in the first year of funding.
The decision comes in the middle ofEndometriosis Awareness Month - an initiative by Endometriosis New Zealand to raise awareness and funds for people with the condition.
Endometriosis impacts O’Connor’s fertility
O’Connor told theBay of Plenty Timesher symptoms worsened over the years, and she had seen at least four gynaecologists in Tauranga.
The marketing co-ordinator and avid sportswoman believed staying active and her mother being a massage therapist had helped with her symptoms.
Her first diagnostic laparoscopy was in 2019.
A second laparoscopy in December last year revealed a stage 2 endometriosis diagnosis.
Kaydi O’Connor enjoys tramping, playing hockey, walking the dog, and swimming. Photo / Supplied
She found out it had caused scar tissue to form on one of her fallopian tubes and blocked it.
It was still possible to conceive a child naturally as her other fallopian tube was clear, but there was less of a chance, she said.
She and her partner were exploring fertility options and “thinking about having to try sooner”.
She was still recovering from surgery but “I feel a lot better”.
’The only one that’s ever worked’
O’Connor said she had tried “a few” contraceptive pills.
“Cerazette’s the only one that’s ever worked.”
While she still had “ebbs and flows” of pain, she no longer experienced emotional mood swings or depression.
She used to do sports competitively including kayaking for New Zealand.
Tauranga woman Kaydi O’Connor was diagnosed with stage 2 endometriosis in December 2024 after suffering from symptoms for 14 years. Photo / Supplied
“It got to the point where if I cramped on the river, it was just a bit scary. But I think Cerazette’s kind of given me that confidence back to be able to do a few more things.”
She said Pharmac’s funding decision was “awesome.
“This will really help, especially those young women who are learning to manage the disease.”
Pill will alleviate ‘debilitating’ symptoms
Endometriosis New Zealand said it welcomed the funding.
Chief executive Tanya Cooke said it had repeatedly heard the lack of funding for first-line treatments - such as cerazette - had led to delays in symptom management.
But with funding, Pharmac had removed “one of the key barriers to timely, effective treatment of endometriosis and its often-debilitating symptoms”.
She also called for aNational Action Plan for Endometrios is similar to that in Australia.
Pharmac’s funding decision
On March 11, Pharmac’s clinical lead of medicines management Melissa Copland confirmed funding from April 1.
The progestogen-only contraceptive pill helped prevent pregnancy when taken within a 12-hour window each day - a wider window than other funded progestogen-only pills which was three hours, she said.
It would be funded without restrictions which meant it could be prescribed “for any relevant use.
“Many people were also happy that they will have more options for contraceptives. This was particularly important for people who couldn’t take other contraceptives because of side effects or existing health conditions.”
A Pharmac media release on February 3 said it was aware Cerazette may be used for endometriosis - a use not approved by Medsafe.
It was legal for doctors to use unapproved medicines - also known as off-label - but they must get patients' informed consent first and provide a professional and ethical standard of care.
There was no requirement to provide any information to the Ministry of Health or Medsafe in such cases.
Megan Wilsonis a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.
