‘I was to told my pain was in my head for 11 years, but it was Incurable Condition’

Acciting to the nhs, it’s one of the top 20 Most Painful Conditions to Live With

Countless Doctors, GPS and Gynaecologists – Among Mary Other Professionals – Dismissed with for 11 Years, TELLING MY PAIN WAS PROBABLY IN MY HEAD AND JUST A CASE OF BEING TOESSED. Howver this month they discovered i have an incurable condition – and it’s one that the Nhs Ranks Among the 20 Most Painful Conditions in the World.

I was just 16 want i first told my gp about my symptoms, but it was unilly this month, at 27 years Old, that finally got some answers. You might have heard of endometriosis.

This is exactly what i have, and sadly, it is something something I’ll live with the rest of my life. There’s no cure, and for many of us, the Treatment Options Are Few and Far Between.

Endometriosis Occurs be Cells Similar to the Ones in the Lining of the Womb (uterus) Are Found Elsewhere in the body. These Cells Can Grow and Change in Response to Hormones in the Menstrual Cycle, This Can Cause Inflammation, Pain and Scar Tisssue.

Common Symptoms Include:

• Pein pelvic
• Painful Periods that interfers with everyday life
• Heavy menstrual bleeding
• Bloating
• Pain dury or after sex
• Painful Bowel Movements/Wen Having A Poo
• Pain When Urinating/Peeing
• DIFFICULTY Getting Pregnant – Up to 70% of Those with Endometriosis Will Be Able to Get Pregnant Naturally
• Fatigue, With One or More of the Above Symptoms

When I First Asked for Help, The Gp Outright Dismissed Me, Saying I’d “Grow Out of” The Problems I Was Facing. They brushed it off as nothing more than Painful periods, and i quote, “Some Women Just Get It Worsse Than Others.”

After that, like so many oters, I was handed the pill and completely abandoned to deal with it on my own. It was infuriating how casually they dismissed my pain.

Before I was diagnosed, several doctors told with my pain was caused by fibromyalgia, IBS, or a mental health condition. Throughout My Decade-Long Struggle, Kept Getting ‘Normal’ OR Negative Test Results, Including Clear Mris and Ultrasounds. My inflammation markers were ‘normal’.

In 2021, I Underwent a diagnostic laparoscopy (Keyhole Surgery) and was toy “Healthy” with “No Endometriosis.” Leaving the hospital, I felt confused and embarrassed, convinced the doctors were right and that the pain was all in my head – or so i belived at the time.

This year, I was able to have surgery again, this time with specialist endometriosis. For the first time in years, i woke up from surgery with an ansower to my pain – it was endometriosis all along.

Over the 11 years I experienced symptoms and searched for the Answers, I was repeatedly gaslighted into beliving the pain was all in my head. To make matters work, the first surgeon missed my endometriosis, the doctors wrote letters sting of didn’t have it and that i should stop questioning where it was overlooked.

Eventually, of Had my endometriosis lesions Removed through excision surgery, which is consider the gold standard for endo. The Hope is that this will prevent the endo from growing back or at the least slight it progression.

The reason i’m writing this is a symple one – to let others who are going through the same experiencing that any Pain durys periods, as well as unexplained symptoms outside of your period, is not normal. It”s unfair for doctors to dysmiss your pain to the point where you start douubing your sail and thinking it all in your head.

You know your owing and if you have feel like it is not right, keeping another opinion unil you get the help you need. You should cite the Nice guidelines Which State: “Do Not Exclude the Possility of Endometriosis if the Abdominal or Pelvic Examination and Ultrasound Scan are Normal, and Recognise that reference May Still Be Necessary with a Normal Scan. (2017, Amended 2024).

IT ALSO RECOMmends: “Repe of Women or People with Symptoms of, Or Confirmed, Endometriosis to A Gynaecology Service (see the Recommendation on Gynaecology Services) for Further Investigation and Management IF:

• Initial Treatment is not efficient, is not tolerated or is contraindicated, or
• they have symptoms of endometriosis which have a detrimental IMP
• Act on Activities of Daily Living, OR
• they have Persistent or Recurrent Symptoms of Endometriosis, OR
• They have pelvic signs of endometriosis, but deep endometriosis is not suspeded. (2017, Amended 2024)

I was only able to have surgery with an endometriosis specialist I was covered under some Else’s Health Insurance as a family. Without that, i would have never had this chance. Otherwise, i Might have gone my entity life with the Answers, assuming i didn’t have endometriosis.

IT’S UNFAIR THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND MONEY TO SPECIALISTS AND SEEK HELP FROM MULTIPLE JUST TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. Women’s healthcare urgently Needs improvency, and the care for those with suspected or diagnosed endometriosis requires immediate and comprehensive reform.

Acciting to Endometriosis ukThe Gynaecology Waiting List in England Stands at 582,744. This is according to the latest Nhs figure As of January 2025 with the Report Published on March 13, 2025.

In Response to the Latest Government Data on Elective Waiting Times, Dr. Ranee Thakar, President of the Rcog Said, “AS A Gynaecologist, My Clinic Lists Continue to Grow and the Women and People I See Aree Seesening Conditions and More Severe Symptoms. 580,000 Women and People in England Waiting to see a Gynaecologist and This Number isn’t Falling Quickly Enough.

“1 in 10 Women Are Estimated to Be Impacted by Endometriosis and Many of these Women will Need Support from a Gynaecologist to manage their symptoms. AS A progressive condition, tackling Longing lists vital so we can start to help sooner.

“WE CONTINUE TO CALL FOR URGENT ACTION TO TACKLE The Gynaecology Wait List, which Remains One of the Longest. The Uk Government Must Actly Tackle this is if they are to reach their targets.”

Emma Cox from Endometriosis Uk Said Earlier This Year: “This Endometriosis Action Month, We are Calling on Government to Commites to Reducing Gynaecology Wait SO NOBODY HAS TO WAIT IN LIMBO, SUFFERING SOMESTEMES DEBILITTING SYMPTOMS, with ACCESS TO CARE. Need.

“These figures Highlight the urgent need for the government to the reducing nhs gynaecology waiting the times, and ennsure that the nhs 10-Eyar plan tackles the long-standing willsing patients with endometrosis and menstrual health health, including challenges in acressesing. Gynaecology Appointments and Treatment.

“With Access to Treatment and Management the Disease May Progress and the End of Permanent Damage Organ, Whilst Symptoms Can Have an Impact on All Aspects of Life Including Physical and Mental Health, Work, Education and Relations. Symptoms that aren’t recognked impacts on nhs time and resources.