Endometriosis is a condition that often goes undiagnosed for women around the world. It affects a significant number of women, with estimates suggesting that around 10% of women of reproductive age globally are affected. This equates to approximately 190 million women and girls worldwide.
Endometriosis is a medical condition where tissue similar to the lining inside the uterus, known as the endometrium, starts to grow outside the uterus. This can lead to symptoms such as:
- Severe menstrual cramps
- Chronic pain in the lower back and pelvis
- Pain during or after intercourse
- Intestinal pain
- Painful bowel movements or urination during menstrual periods
- Heavy menstrual bleeding or bleeding between periods
- Infertility
To this day, the exact cause of endometriosis is not known, and its diagnosis can often be challenging due to the variability of symptoms. At this time, there is no known cure for endometriosis.
Hera Hub member Katie Donlevie interviewed Melissa Lee about living with endometriosis, the inadequacies of our health system’s pain classifications, and how we can level up this conversation.
Link to Podcast
Apple podcasts: My Chronic Illness and Me
Spotify: My Endometriosis and Me: Melissa’s Story
Resourses
For resources on this topic – www.reviveandthrivecoach.com
To learn more about endometriosis – www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/endometriosis
Curious about men’s perspective? Watch this video where three men’s reactions to simulated female reproductive pain. Video courtesy of Stella Roslan, an exchange fellow visiting from Brunei.
About Melissa Lee
Growing up in the high desert area of southern California, Melissa Lee loves warm weather and wide open spaces. In college, she developed a deep sense of connection and belonging through community, which only expanded as she traveled abroad and taught English to people from all over the world here in San Diego. With a unique, integrative studies degree in the creative process and 10 years experience in teaching and education management, she is now an entrepreneur – learning to use business as a force for good. Beyond taking deep inspiration from the empowered entrepreneurs of the Hera Hub community, Melissa feels at home as a connector, resource, and cheerleader for the members and their business needs. When she’s not facilitating members’ strategic alliances and supporting them in growing their empires, you can find her boldly chasing her dreams or playing beach volleyball with friends she calls family. Discover how to grow your business and help your talents flourish at Hera Hub Sorrento today!
About Katie Donlevie
Katie works with individuals facing chronic illness and pain challenges to reclaim their identity and thrive beyond survival mode.
Specializing in guiding people through transformative journeys, she helps you rediscover yourself and re-engage in life outside of your condition. She is deeply dedicated to helping you redefine success, bring your chronic illness back into harmony with the rest of your life, and stop fighting against your body every day.
Through her podcast, “My Chronic Illness and Me,” she also holds space for insightful conversations with people dealing with chronic illness and pain in order to offer support and foster a sense of community amidst what is often an incredibly isolating experience.
