Endometriosis Is So Much Worse Than a Bad Period

Author / illustrator Lily Williams created this comic for The Lily about her 14-year journey with endometriosis, and how it is so much worse then a “bad period”. You can read more about her personal endometriosis story here. So many women are struggling with this illness. Like we discussed in the Trying to Get Diagnosed While Female post, endometriosis is not being taken seriously enough, or being dismissed as a “bad period” due to gender bias in medicine. Here is what the artist had to say:

“Living with an invisible illness like endometriosis can mean constantly doubting your symptoms. I was always wondering if I was just being overly sensitive. But I’m not sensitive; once, I broke my arm and didn’t see a doctor for a week because it didn’t hurt that badly. I wasted time doubting myself and spent years feeling very sick and spending money to treat symptoms that were clear signs of endometriosis. Thanks to the kindness of a stranger, and an online resource hub created by a former nurse, I found the information I needed to get back on my feet.

The illness is brutal, and it affects 1 in 10 women of reproductive age, according to Endometriosis UK. On average, it takes 7.5 years for women to receive an accurate diagnosis. I hope that more women gain access to the resources they need to get better.”