Welcome back! We have another instalment into The Endo Project and today’s feature is with Julia.

Here is what she had to say about her journey with Endometriosis:

“I went from a model employee to someone who doesn’t get raises and being told I’ve lost my spark for work. I worry that I will lose my job by becoming unreliable from all the sick time I’ve had to take from flares.

I’ve lost friends over being the friend who always bails on things. An ex blamed my inability to have sex as part of the reasons we didn’t work out.

I want to take next steps in my life, moving to Montreal, getting a new job, travelling, but I’m scared that the plans I make I won’t be able to enjoy. I’m in an endless wait for referrals with no relief in sight.

I wish more people knew that I don’t want to cancel plans or bail on things last minute. I don’t want to be stuck in bed in pain.

When people compliment that I’ve lost weight, they don’t know that sometimes it’s because I can’t stand and make food so I’m missing meals. Don’t tell me I look good just because I’m skinnier, I’ve never felt worse.

I had so many years of being told it was in my head or just a period that I started believing it.

I didn’t go to the doctor or make an appointment when I passed out from pain in my late 20s in the bathroom of a restaurant because I had been gaslit that all of the pain I had was totally normal.

I was having a lot of pain with sex and I thought I was having a problem with my IUD. My doctor at the time didn’t want to deal with it so he sent me to a nurse practitioner. She was the first person to take me seriously and got me the tests that diagnosed me with andenomyosis which then sent me to someone who diagnosed me with endometriosis. I cannot thank her enough.

From my initial symptoms when I was 13 or 14 that were dealt with by putting me on birth control, I was not diagnosed until the age of 32. Nearly 20 years of letting it get worse and I was told by an obgyn essentially in the middle of a sentence with no time to react. He was more thankful I didn’t want kids to make his job easier than he was concerned with diagnosing me with a chronic pain illness.

Get a second opinion. All it takes is one medical professional to take your pain seriously but it may take years.

Research is your best friend – research your doctors and specialists to find the best care you can. Going to the wrong doctor or specialist can just land you with medical trauma and incorrect treatment.”

Thanks Julia!

Special shoutout to Jennifer Bellamy for hair + makeup for this project photoshoot.

If you want to share your experience with Endo, please visit THE ENDO PROJECT page or CONTACT to get started.