Since it’s endometriosis awareness month, let’s chat endo!
I’ve been struggling with painful periods since I was about 18. I spent my whole adult life being dismissed by doctors until I had a really bad flare up in 2020 during lockdown and was finally diagnosed. It makes me so angry that I was treated so badly by doctors for so long when I knew that something wasn’t right.
I’ve been on the pill, it wasn’t a good fit for me and my mental health really suffered so I came off it in 2022. Since coming off the pill I’ve been learning to manage my endo holistically. This time last year I was in a lot of pain and really struggling with my endo. Thanks to herbal medicine, taking control of my diet and my general wellbeing things are a lot better. My pain is manageable (I no longer need prescription pain killers!) and I’m a lot less fatigued.
I’m still on the waitlist for NHS treatment, I’ve been waiting over a year to see a gynaecologist so I can get a referral to a specialist. I’m due to get surgery, but who knows that will happen.
Anyone with painful periods and any symptoms of endo. Please push, push, push your medical professionals. Don’t let yourself be dismissed and gaslit. You know your own body.
Photo: @inthenameoflovephotography
(I was in the middle of a flare up when we did this photoshoot!!)