Painful periods: Living with Endometriosis - BBC London

Endometriosis affects one in 10 women and can cause debilitating pain, extremely heavy periods and sometimes infertility.

On average, it takes seven and a half years to diagnose in the UK. Why? According to one of the UK's leading specialists, one reason is the "gender pain gap", wherein women in pain aren't taken as seriously as men.

Video by Anita Jones and Suhail Patel.

[mysty]

Am i the only one, when i get my period, i cry for atleast 4 hours straight, couldn't walk, couldn't do anything but cry in pain, couldnt focus in class, leave class halfway, vomit, sit in the toilet and cry, couldn't eat the whole day, tried many natural ways to heal but nothing works, sometimes i feel like why not menopause in the age of 22 instead of 50 ??? I'm one of the unlucky girls out there. End of the day, ill get super tired and fall asleep. If you experienced something like that, then i feel you 🥺.

[haleighc]

Honestly my period pains are the exact pain I felt while in labor having contractions. I don’t eat anything and barely drink water, I can’t even get comfortable laying down to fall asleep. This pain usually last only for the first starting day of my period, but I could cry.

[zv]

24 years old. No qualifications. No job. No achievements. No social life. No good quality of living. I hate being dismissed. The symptoms I endure are very unbearable. I pray that each victim finds a cure swiftly.

[beanbob]

The suicidal thoughts really hit home for me. I’ve definitely thought about that many times when being in pain.

[kalima]

After 15 years i was finally diagnosed this week. I lost 15 years of my life due to endometriosis & interstitial cystitis. There is A HUGE flaw in women’s health care since NO ONE is talking about this

[zv]

Currently typing through unbearable agony. No diagnosis. Suffering in silence for nothing. GPs not taking me seriously. I wish to end this curse now!

[Lovelyleyy]

I don’t know if I have it because my cramps are bad sometimes. I fainted, sweat, shivered, diarrhea, vomit, and loss of appetite, and my bleeding is normal. I usually take 3-4 ibuprofen before cramp and I take 2 more before bed. Once the cramp starts it doesn’t stop until I fall asleep or vomit. I really hate it.

[susanh]

I’m literally in bed rn day 1 of my cycle im crippling in pain

[lillyrose]

Girls I know what’s ur going through. I got my period when I was 11 and than when I was 13 I had a operation on my ovaries as I have cysts and they burst every month. I’m now 14 and it still happens. I feel so sorry for any female who has to go through it as well because I know how much pain it can cause.

[icedcoffee]

Once I had bad pains and my job was like get over it and get to work . How can I work when I could barely get out the bed in pain. Jobs don’t care

[aGumball]

"we need to believe women when they say they're in pain" amen

[Tamales.frios_]

Today i woke up with the most painful cramps ive ever experienced, i was literally SCREAMING in bed pleading it to stop, i threw up multiple times and almost fainted... I wouldnt wish this on anyone, not even my worst enemy.

[shesdarlyb]

I deal with this every month. Nausea, vomiting, headache, back pain, can’t walk, diarrhea, no appetite, painful, faint, & cramps is are intolerable.

[overthebridge]

If this experience has taught me anything, it's that the human body is incredibly fascinating. The pain I've been in is beyond terrible. I never want to overspeak for anyone, but it's so comforting hearing I'm not alone. I'm slightly irregular, but I know when I start my cycle, it will be awful. The first day is dreadful. It involves me tossing and turning in my bed just trying to get comfortable, squeezing blankets and not eating or drinking until my pain killers begin to work. I stumble to the bathroom and throw up the little food I ate and immediately feel like I could fall. My menstrual cramps have caused me severe weakness, nausea, and pain I didn't even know was possible from my cycle. I've went to the hospital at least twice where I've been given medication for nausea and time to rest in an empty bed. As my days progress, it does become slightly better but I was just never taught the possibilities of what is either normal or abnormal. As I get older, it only seems to get worse, and my biggest fear of this is it getting to the point where it's completely unbearable. If there are individuals out there in some pain today or any day, which I'm sure there are, all I hope is that you find some form of relief today and can spend this time getting some rest. Thank you for letting me share my story❤️

[tsheringdema]

My heart goes out for all the women who experiences painful period. I'm in my early thirties and whenever I get my period it's extremely painful, I have to take painkillers. It has affected my mental health so much. I always need someone with me during this time of the month, can't get off the bed. Why do we have to go through such pain every month, as if life itself is not difficult. I pray for every women to have pain free periods.

[Freetoughts]

Dear ladies, I went through the same experience since I was 12. What really helped me was reducing my (red) meat intake, sugar intake and eating more iron rich green veggies. Work out, drinking rasberryleaf tea, ginger and rosemary tea

[stefanie]

When I get the pain i just feel like I m gonna pass out and i loose movement over my hands and legs . The pain is just unbearable. I m thankful my family is there for me .

[briannagrace]

Woke up at 6am this morning because of my period cramps, I stood up and I nearly puked and could not stand up straight. Went into the kitchen and took some Panadol and cried in bed for about an hour before the medicine finally kicked in. This is horrible

[aroravera]

I think I might have this, every time I start my period I get extremely bad period cramps and vomit constantly for like 6 hours. It can completely ruin my day and my plans. Especially if I'm in school. I just can't deal with this.

[Leah-Owens]

I've only experienced extreme menstrual cramps twice in my teen years. All I could do was lay on the kitchen floor and cry, I begged my mom to take me to the er but we had no insurance. I wanted to die. Thank God it was only twice this bad. I still cramp but its 2 days and bearable. I couldn't imagine living like that all the time. Hats off