This January, I'm taking part in the Winter Walk for Endo to ensure that everyone with endometriosis gets on the right pathway to care.

Endometriosis is a chronic pain condition that affects 1 in 10 women and those assigned female at birth. Those suffering with condition, including myself, are often faced with making challenging and difficult decisions during diagnosis, treatment and management of endometriosis.

Key stages of my own Endometriosis journey:

💛 Jan 2000 (Age 11) - Periods started

💛 Mar - Jun 2017 (Age 28) - Pain started impacting me daily not just whilst menstruating and heard the word "Endometriosis" for the first time

💛 Oct 2017 (Age 29) - Diagnostic laparoscopy confirming severe (grade IV) Endometriosis and entered into chemical menopause

In the 8 years since I received my diagnosis, I have tried the following hormonal treatments:

- December 2017: Combined pill

- December 2017 - June 2018: Zoladex - a GnRH - to induce a medical menopause

- June 2018 - June 2025: Mini pill

I have also had two surgeries:

💛 October 2022: Laparoscopic extensive adhesiolysis, excision of rectovaginal Endometriosis, fulguration of bilateral Endometriomas. Following this, I was advised I would likely need fertility treatment due to the damage caused by Endometriosis

💛 June 2025: As part of the REGAL clinical trial, I had laparoscopic excision of Grade IV Endometriosis with rectosigmoid shaving, extensive adhesiolysis

All too often, people think Endometriosis is "just a bad period" and that's if they've heard of it to begin with... Sadly there is no cure and no one treatment that works for us all. It's also important to remember that no two people experience Endo in exactly the same way.

You perhaps know someone who has Endo, someone who is good at putting their brave face on, hiding their pain behind closed doors. How about reaching out and checking in on them every once in a while? I'm sure they'll appreciate you doing so.

If you've made it this far, thank you for reading 💛

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