A woman from Kenilworth is advocating for more awareness on endometriosis after she says she had to fight to be diagnosed.<\/p>\n
Alexandra Morris said there is a pattern of women living with the condition not believed and being dismissed at GP’s and hospital appointments.<\/p>\n
Morris first began experiencing symptoms when she was 16-years-old, suffering from heavy bleeding, vomiting and fainting spells.<\/p>\n
After three major surgeries across her bowel, bladder and reproductive system, she now hosts a podcast, called Its Not Just a Period, interviewing women who have had similar experiences.<\/p>\n
“I thought it was normal as my mum really suffered [with period pains] too”, she told the BBC.<\/p>\n
But during her first year of university, the symptoms started happening every day, even when she was not bleeding.<\/p>\n
She said: “It was happening every single day and I was on the maximum painkillers. I thought I was a freak and I didn’t speak to anyone about it.<\/p>\n
“My gyno dismissed me and gave me the wrong information, so I had to do my own research.<\/p>\n
“He said ‘if you push for the surgery, you will be wasting my time, your time and everybody’s time”.<\/p>\n
But after Morris pushed for the surgery, her doctor said it the worst case of endometriosis he had ever seen in his whole career.<\/p>\n
According to Endometriosis UK, one in 10 people have the condition but because of waiting times, it’s more likely one in 7 – if not more – for people who do not realise they have it.<\/p>\n
Morris began her podcast in March last year, speaking to experts influencers and celebrities about their experiences with endometriosis.<\/p>\n
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