Why Ajib Gathoni, 25, plans to undergo forced menopause
By Rajab ZawadiPopular dance TikToker Ajib Gathoni says she is considering undergoing forced menopause in her battle against adenomyosis – a condition she was diagnosed with last month.
In revealing the condition, the 25-year-old shared the traumatizing experience of the sharp, severe pain she has to go through every month during her menstrual periods.
“That random sharp pain you get in your butt hole when you’re on your period has got to be the worst thing anyone has to go through,” she shared on her social media pages, highlighting the added agony she has to deal with on top of the usual menstrual cramps.
Having already taken several medications to alleviate the condition without much success, Ms. Gathoni says she is now considering forced menopause as a permanent solution to the situation.
“I would say it’s a cousin of endometriosis, but not as severe as the latter. It only occurs when I have my period. In my situation, my uterine wall has blood clots that activate during my period. So when I’m having my regular menstruation, the blood clots also bleed, which means I get double pain,” Ajib opened up again recently while reviewing her situation.
The bubbly influencer says that on the advice of her gynecologist, apart from several prescribed medications (all of which have failed her), she has also had to adjust her lifestyle where she now has to exercise more, observe her diet and avoid certain foods during her menstruation.
“Another option the doctor has given me is to get pregnant, but that will only caution me for the nine months I will not have my period. It’s a temporary solution,” she adds.
With her next check-up scheduled for October, Ajib is already thinking about finding permanent solutions to the condition, with forced menopause also on the cards.
“I have tried all the medications for this condition, but nothing seems to work for me. A permanent solution would probably be to have my uterus removed or go through forced menopause. That’s the permanent solution, because if the problem is that I have periods, then I might as well not have periods at all. If it becomes extreme and the doctor advises it, I will do it,” adds Ms. Gathoni who is among the few Kenyans with the highest following on TikTok, with her numbers currently standing at 1.4 million people.
Forced menopause or induced menopause happens through a surgical procedure when both ovaries are removed before the natural ‘switching off’ of ovarian function.