Endometriosis Action Month 2024
Endometriosis Action Month runs throughout March, with the aim of raising global awareness about endometriosis.
Endometriosis impacts 1 in 10 women and those assigned female at birth in the UK, yet so many people are unaware of the condition and how it impacts on a person’s life.
It is important to raise awareness of endometriosis to help women receive a diagnosis sooner, be able to identify the symptoms, and know what treatments are available.
Research into the efforts of endometriosis help improve the quality of life for those living with the condition.
Improving general public awareness and understanding of the condition ensures that those experiencing symptoms, their friends and family and healthcare team know to ask, ‘could this be endometriosis?’ which will lead to more prompt diagnosis and access to the right care.
Sarah’s Story about living with endometriosis.
Sarah has lived with endometriosis since she was a teenager, and it took 14 years for the condition to be diagnosed. What Sarah learnt was the importance of building good relationships with healthcare professionals, to ensure that her voice was heard.
Sarah told us that, living with endometriosis is challenging and developing a good relationship with your GP is vital. If my GP had not been so supportive the journey would have been more challenging. In fact, it was my GP who suggested I make contact with Endometriosis UK.
By building good relationships with healthcare professionals, puts you – the patient -in the driving seat with regards to the options, effect, and the choices you have.
Sarah shared that she was sent for a scan and a large cyst was found. Her husband hadn’t been able to attend this appointment due to work, and felt he had let her down, which of course was not the case. Both Sarah and her husband attended a follow up meeting with her GP to discuss the findings. This meant that her GP was able to answer both Sarah and her husband’s questions.
When Sarah’s pain became really extreme – due to a frozen pelvis from endometriosis adhesions- her GP supported by discussing medication and treatment options.
After another operation Sarah was off work for 6 months and found that she had become isolated. At first work colleagues were supportive but as time went on, the gap increased - work colleagues had moved on and she had not. My family live a long way away and did not think I needed any support because I never asked.
She began to lose the willpower to communicate effectively but found that if she wrote down the main points she wanted to discuss and prioritised them, she used her time with the GP well and got her needs heard.
Endometriosis information
These information pages have been written by Endometriosis UK for women who may have endometriosis and their families and friends. Health professionals may also find them useful as a supportive tool to help to explain treatment options for endometriosis.
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