End-Oh-Me-Tree-Oh-Sis: The Basics.

(Not my original image)

Endometriosis, the second most common gynaecological condition in the UK, affects 1 in 10 women worldwide, making it as common as diabetes (there are 1.5 million sufferers in the United Kingdom alone, if all endo sufferers around the globe formed together, we could create the eighth largest country in the world) yet it is still a disease surrounded in so much mystery.

A quick search on Google will tell you that endo is 'a common condition' where tissue that behaves like the lining of the womb (this tissue is called endometrium) is found in other parts of the body. It can appear in many different parts of the body, with the most common including the ovaries, fallopian tubes, inside the tummy, and in or around the bladder or bowel, & list the most common symptoms as:

• Painful, heavy & prolonged periods.

• Cramping which may begin before your period and extend several days into your period.

• Pain with sexual intercourse.

• Pain with bowel movements or urination.

• Excessive vaginal bleeding between periods.

• Depression/anxiety (usually related to or stemming from pain).

• Infertility (it's generally believed that 30-40% of endo sufferers are infertile or have difficulties conceiving.)

The reality is that this is a life-altering disease with varying symptoms, and many women (my personal experience on forums leads me to believe the majority of women) fight the symptoms on a day to day basis rather than just during their time of menstruation as the NHS website might have you believe.

On average, a woman will wait seven & a half years from the moment she starts experiencing symptoms to the moment she gets diagnosed with endometriosis. This is largely due to the misconception that endo 'is just a bad period'; meaning girls & young women are often overlooked and have their pain dismissed as a part of life, but debilitating pain is NOT a part of life and needs to be taken much more seriously. Another factor is GPs who don't know enough about endometriosis, and too quickly misdiagnose/suggest other conditions which share similar symptoms such as IBS / bowel conditions, ovarian cysts, STIs, chronic fatigue syndrome, etc.

Unfortunately, scans and ultrasounds cannot detect endo. Blood tests and internal examinations are also inconclusive ways to diagnose endometriosis, as a normal scan, blood test and internal examination does not mean that you do not have endometriosis.

The only way to positively diagnose endometriosis is by a laparoscopy. This is an operation where a camera (a laparoscope) is inserted into the pelvis through a tiny cut near the bellybutton, The surgeon uses the camera to see the pelvic organs & to look for any signs of endo. If any is found, the surgeon usually removes and treats as much as possible, sending a sample away for further examination to determine exactly which stage of endometriosis you have. Just like a person could battle cancer at stage one or stage four, endo also has four stages which signify intensity but do not correlate to the pain experienced.

There is currently NO CURE for endometriosis.

Many women over time find a beneficial treatment plan that allows them to carry out their day to day lives, usually resulting from a combination of both surgery and medication, but sadly no elimination for the disease has been found.

Treatments include:

• Pain medication / non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

• Hormone medicines and contraceptives – including the combined-pill, the contraceptive-patch, an intrauterine system (IUS/Mirena Coil), & medicines called gonadotrophin-releasing hormones (GnRH)

• Surgery to cut away patches of endometriosis

• An operation to remove part or all of the organs affected by endometriosis – such as surgery to remove the womb (a hysterectomy is always a last resort as there is no proof that this will help your symptoms)

If you believe that you or someone you care about is suffering from endometriosis, please do some more of your own research while waiting on a doctor's appointment. It will be helpful for you to keep a pain diary; note down whether the pain is cyclical (does it only hurt when you're on your period, just before and during, or all month long?), how bad it gets, if anything in particular makes it worse and whether or not you have any family history of related issues.

As always, I'm more than happy to answer any questions you may have! You can send me an email, drop me a Tweet or leave a comment below & I'll do my best to get back to you as soon as I can!