What does a diagnosis mean for you?

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Getting a diagnosis isn’t simple. And the more marginalised you are, the more difficult it can be. It takes on average 8 years to get a diagnoisis of endometriosis in the UK.

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For some it means finally being able to access treatment, knowing the words to find help, learning how to work with your body instead of against it, getting your work or school to provide accommodations, or accessing a community. For some, it’s validation - you weren’t making it up and now you have proof.

 

It’s important to remember that chronic menstrual pain is a valid diagnosis in itself and so even if endometriosis isn’t found, we should still take them seriously. Also, endometriosis is sometimes not the sole cause of pain and therefore if treatments that target the endometriosis don’t remove all the pain, it is worth thinking about other factors too.