Kelly O'Shea says she has woken from more than one operation to be told adequate resources were not available to do the procedure she needed.
The 32-year-old, who lives with chronic pain, felt there was no alternative but to pay £20,000 for the endometriosis treatment she needed, out of frustration and desperation.
It comes as gynaecologists warn specialist centres in Wales dealing with complex cases of endometriosis are in jeopardy and a national service must be commissioned.
The deputy minister for women's health in Wales said the current set up was "not sustainable" and is discussing options for a regional or national service to be established.
Changes are being introduced by national accreditation body British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (BSGE) highlighting the resource challenges faced by hospitals in Wales.
Clinical staff say it has been made worse because of the funding differences between England and Wales.
They say unless more resources are found to increase capacity and dedicate teams to endometriosis care, BSGE-accreditation requirements will not be met, which would lead to a downgrading of services, a potential skills exodus and large numbers of patients being sent to England for care.
At a recent cross-party Senedd group on women's health, gynaecologists said Wales either needed a nationally commissioned service or an overhaul of the funding model to better reflect the true cost of the specialist care.
Source: BBC News, 12 October 2026
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