At The Endo The Line A compassionate guide to understanding endometriosis KAILEIGH BUNTING Contributor KARLA MONTERROSA Illustrator
Painting the Picture Imagery can be a powerful tool when describing subjective experiences or intangible ideas. Doctors use specific adjectives frequently in their practice to help assess their patients more accurately, in hopes of settling on a diagnosis and treatment plan. Anything from ‘a stabbing pain’ to a ‘flaming hot fever’ can be helpful in distinguishing ‘normal’ from ‘serious issue’. Despite good intentions, the medical world isn’t perfect and the methods used by medical professionals looking for a diagnosis does not work for every case. For this reason, it is imperative that compassion, humility and front line education penetrate the medical bias in exam rooms. Endometriosis is a chronic illness affecting 1 in 10 women, in which cells similar to those that populate the inside of the uterus
begin to grow on other internal structures. These cells can migrate to different organs in the body (most commonly in the pelvic cavity) and through the production of pro-inflammatory factors, cause scarring of internal tissues, the adhesion of organs and other serious complications. Using imagery again for a moment: it is a disease gluing internal organs together with inflammatory adhesions like concrete wrapped around rebar. The result is a mix of debilitating pain, excruciating menstruation, infertility, and an increased risk of developing other chronic conditions. An entire thesaurus could be filled with words to describe endometriosis, however ‘it’s the fucking worst’ is also quite illustrative.
Invisible Despite the obvious gravity of endometriosis, a glaring lack of research on its pathology, diagnosis and treatment are prevalent today and throughout history. “My doctor refused to give me the surgery I needed,” Tabitha Britt, founder and chief editor of DO YOU ENDO magazine said when asked about the barriers women face in receiving a proper diagnosis for endometriosis. Britt has been an advocate for women with endometriosis since spending fourteen years advocating for her own life. “Seven gynecologists in, I started to doubt myself,” Britt wrote in an article for DO YOU ENDO, in which she highlights the importance of patient support. Women are more likely than men to have medical symptoms dismissed by professionals. Instead of listening and offering solutions, one doctor after the next touted: “that’s just normal period pain” as the only conclusion offered to Britt, like thousands of others. Not only is this apathy discouraging and dismissive, but it puts millions at risk for other complications the longer the disease is left untreated. 46
It takes women anywhere between seven to nine years of consistently reporting their symptoms to medical professionals before getting a diagnosis of endometriosis, according to The Endometriosis Network Canada. Dr. Sue Turgeon, a family physician located in East Vancouver, recognizes the gap in diagnosis for chronic pain. When asked about endometriosis, Dr. Turgeon expressed compassion for those facing the long road to treatment. Despite the surgery used to diagnose endometriosis being a relatively low-risk procedure, Dr. Turgeon stressed that surgery, big or small, should never be taken casually. While it is beneficial to understand that any surgery can leave patients at risk of serious side effects, it should not be an excuse for professional ignorance. Laparoscopic surgery is the only way to confirm a diagnosis, and it’s imperative that the medical bias surrounding a routine procedure not further impair the course of treatment.
