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By Lucy Richardson
Endometriosis is a condition which is not widely spoken about but i bet more people you know are affected by the condition than you may think. It is important to remember that you are not alone through your journey of endometriosis. My name is Lucy and I have been suffering from the condition for almost five years, but because it's not a condition that many people (especially men) are aware of, it has been a harder process for me to get a diagnosis and begin treatment. However, due to my experience with this debilitating condition, I want to spread awareness and some methods I use to help maintain my day to day life and limit the suffering caused by my condition.
What is endometriosis? Endometriosis is a condition where the tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. It can cause excruciating pain and discomfort. For example; pain in the lower tummy or back (this is sometimes a lot worse during periods), pain during or after sex and heavy periods. Endometriosis can also be linked to infertility issues in women. It is very difficult to diagnose endometriosis and can often take years for doctors to fully listen to your symptoms and struggles. However, it's more common than you may think. In fact 10% of women worldwide have been diagnosed with endo. So why is there no treatment? And why is it not more widely known and talked about in society and the media? Well, as far as professionals are aware, there is no confirmed cause for endometriosis, one of the many theories behind the condition is thought to be due to something called retrograde menstruation. This is when menstruation blood containing endometrial cells flow back through the fallopian tubes into the pelvic cavity.
Of course, there are ways to maintain this condition. Professionals say to select from the following treatment options: hormonal and pain medication, surgery, and medical procedures. Well, that would make life a lot easier if these were widely accessible. I’ve tried a lot of pain medication and even had a surgery but this is a long journey that could take months and even years to gain access to these. So how do you maintain the pain when you're trying to go about your daily activities? Well, for me painkillers are the only thing that work. Painkillers like Codeine which you can get over the counter could be your best bet. The biggest life saver for me is a wonderful hot water bottle for soothing the pain on your lower abdomen! The good news for us endo girls is that with the new rise of technology, and the more awareness created about endometriosis there are more portable heating treatments which have been made much more accessible. For example, you may have seen the ad on your phone by MyOovie, this is something that can really help you to carry on with your day to day activities and help ease the pain! My oovie is a small, wireless machine that you stick on your skin below the belly button. It is drug free and works instantly which is perfect for when the pain is affecting your social life, and mood. Some more good news is that other companies are beginning to develop something similar to technology like this too. For example, you can also find a similar product to the MyOovie in boots which is a lot cheaper, and serves the same purpose, to relieve pain.
Menstruation issues are still often regarded as taboo, and there is not enough media representation of these issues. Whilst films have been made to document issues regarding periods, such as ‘Turning Red’ by Disney, there is almost no exposure of issues which can come alongside menstruation, such as endometriosis. However, there are many documentaries including ‘Below The Belt’ (2023) and ‘Endo What?’ (2016) that are helping to spread awareness for a condition that so many women suffer through in silence.
So, to finish I just wanted to note that to the ‘endo-warriors’ out there, you are not alone. I know it can be a long and exhausting journey but we can get through this. By finding yourself a good support system and understanding friends to aid your endometriosis journey, it can really help you too! There are a lot of websites, online communities and other blogs which can help make you and others more aware about the condition (I will tag these below).
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