As tomorrow marks the start of endometriosis awareness month, I have decided to get involved in the 1 in 10 challenge raising awareness and money for Endometriosis UK. I’ve opted for the “move it” challenge, so I have decided to do 10 walks of 10km with 10 different people during the month of March. 62% of women aged 16-24 have never even heard of endometriosis and have no idea what it is. If I could raise awareness and understanding to just 10 people during these walks that would be incredible. 

As I will be walking 100km in total, I am hoping to raise £100 for Endometriosis UK, so any donation would be greatly appreciated! 

My Story 

“Your pains are normal” 

“This is something that some women just have to live with” 

“It’s just a bad period”

“Your pains are normal for a young woman” 

“You need to just learn to live with it” 

Just few of the many answers I heard during appointment after appointment from my doctors for relentless regular pain. So after many years, I just started to accept it. I thought this is it, this is my normal now and it’s finally time to accept the harsh reality that this is life. It wasn’t until speaking to a close friend, that reminded me actually this isn’t normal and it’s not something I just need to get over and get on with. Following this came more questions to the doctors and more appointments, which of course meant more tests, more screenings but still no more answers. 

I finally had a referral to a specialist in a completely different hospital, and after one consultation with him I was put straight on the waiting list for my diagnostic op - within 4 months I had my surgery and treatment in one, with a confirmed diagnosis of endometriosis.

In that time waiting before surgery I sat and read my own file of doctors notes the nurse had left at the foot of my bed. And there I saw note after note of times I had gone to the doctors with this suffering, and time after time it had been written off, with a prescription of tablets here and pills there. 

My first appointment was in 2010 - my official diagnosis came at the end of 2019. THIS IS TOO LONG! 

Has my surgery fixed everything? No. 

Do I still experience these bouts of chronic pain? Yes. 

Does finally being diagnosed with endometriosis mean this is all finally over? No, of course not. 

But I know now that I haven’t been making up this past ten year’s of pain in my mind. That I’ve not just been weak, and unable to cope with these “normal” pains. 

I’m sharing my experience for any women out there who are going through the same thing and who aren’t being heard. Or women who are being told their pains are “normal”. Chronic pain is NOT normal. Pain that leaves you unable to work properly, unable to go out with your friends and at times unable to even sleep, is NOT normal. 

Take control of your own health ladies, it is so so important, and if you know something is not right, never just accept “the pain you’re experiencing is normal”. 💕