It’s not just period pain
This month I spoke to LBC for a piece on endometriosis and work. You can read the full article on LBC. I wanted to say a little more here, because the conversation matters to so many of the women I see.
Why period pain is so easy to dismiss
Period pain is something only you can describe. There is no blood test or scan that measures it. That means it relies on someone believing you, and for generations women have been told it’s “just period pain” and sent away.
Endometriosis adds to the problem because it is genuinely hard to diagnose. A normal scan doesn’t rule it out. Symptoms vary hugely from one woman to the next. Many women spend years going back and forth before anyone gives them an answer. When they finally get one, the relief is often less about the label and more about being believed.
When it’s worth getting checked
Please speak to a doctor if your periods:
- stop you working, studying or doing normal things
- aren’t helped by painkillers you can buy at the chemist
- have become more painful over time
- come with pain during or after sex, or pain opening your bowels around your period
- are very heavy, or you bleed between periods
These can have several causes, including endometriosis, adenomyosis and fibroids. None of them should be brushed off as normal. Heavy bleeding can also leave you low in iron, which can make you tired and run down, so it’s worth checking for that too.
It doesn’t have to be permanent
This is the most important message: Living with this kind of pain can shape your whole life: your work, your relationships, even where you feel able to live. But it doesn’t have to stay that way.
With the right assessment and a treatment plan that fits you, symptoms can often be much better controlled. Treatment isn’t one thing. It might mean managing pain, treating heavy bleeding, hormonal options or, for some women, referral for surgery. What matters is that someone takes the time to understand what is happening to you.
I see the women I look after as whole people, not a list of symptoms. Periods affect sleep, energy, mood and work. Getting them under control is part of looking after your health for the long term.
What to do next
If any of this sounds familiar, start with your own GP and be clear about how much your symptoms affect your life. Keeping a simple diary of your pain and bleeding for a couple of cycles can really help that conversation.
If you would like to see me, I hold clinics at One Welbeck in Marylebone, London, and at Goring Hall Hospital in Worthing. Book a consultation.
Dr Nina Wilson
This article is general information and isn’t a substitute for advice about your own health.
