Endometriosis is a painful chronic condition that affects 1 in 10 women around the world, but is rarely discussed openly. One woman is doing what she can to change that and has opened up about the reality for a painful condition like endometriosis to encourage more women to get checked.
"This is quite shocking to people. This is me. This is endometriosis. I never intended to share these photos hence why I'm naked, but my god I can't believe the amount of DM's I've received from girls who have endo too and feel alone," Thessy Kouzoukas, a fashion designer, wrote on Instagram. "The left is my stomach 3 weeks after a ruptured cyst (5 weeks ago). The right is me now, on a drug called 'synarel' that has stopped all my hormones and sent me into menopause at the age of 27."
Endometriosis is a condition where the lining of your uterus grows outside the uterus on other parts of your body, instead of as it should inside the uterus. Symptoms often include severe pain before, during and after menstruation.
In an essay for Huffington Post, Kouzoukas said she hoped explaining the reality of her lifelong struggles would help "to educate both men and women without the disease, on the life-altering effects it has on many women around the world, even the women around you."
Her essay explains how endometriosis is often overlooked as period pain and not taken as seriously as it should be as a chronic condition that affects nearly 11% of American women, according to the Office of Women's Health.
"For girls suffering — go and see your doctor if you haven't already; especially young women who can get on top of this early," she wrote in her essay. "Don't be shy or ashamed to talk about endo. Be good to your body — eating healthy and exercising daily is SO important."
"Endo is no joke," Kouzoukas wrote on Instagram. "I'll be operated on for 7+ hours and hospitalised for a week. Please, spread the word about endo. And If you know anyone with bad period pain PLEASE tell them to get checked for this. And to my girls with endo ... you're not alone ❤️"
[h/t Scary Mommy]
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