Hi, I’m Yaz — I’m 22

I’ve had debilitating periods since I was 8 years old, which means I’ve been living with over a decade of pain and constant heavy bleeding. While things have always been difficult, the last three years have been the most severe, and I’ve reached a point where I simply can’t keep waiting for help.

For years, I tried to cope and asked for support, but I was often fobbed off and told it was normal. At one point, my symptoms were so serious that I was investigated under the cancer pathway for nearly a year. This was so scary and draining for me. After that, I was told it could be Crohn’s disease for a while then I was left with “it’s IBS”

It was only after I paid privately for an MRI that I finally got answers. The scan confirmed Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis, including nodules and thickening of my uterosacral ligaments, with bowel involvement. My bowel is fully attached to my uterus, which explains the level of pain I get. I will know more when I have this surgery where else it’s spread to.

Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in places it shouldn’t. This causes inflammation, servers scarring, and organs sticking together, leading to severe pain and other symptoms. It’s a progressive condition and doesn’t just affect periods — it can impact the whole body and daily life.

For me, it everyday. I live with constant pelvic and abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, extreme extreme fatigue, painful bowel and bladder problems nerve pains, ongoing issues with food, and a severe impact on my mental health.

The exhaustion is overwhelming. Some mornings I wake up feeling like I’ve been awake for three days with no sleep, like I’ve been out partying all night — even though all I’ve done is wake up. Rest doesn’t fix it, and my body always feels completely drained.

Because of my health, I haven’t been able to work for the past three years, and I’ve previously been fired from a job due to needing time off for medical appointments. My life has become centred around managing pain, flare-ups, and recovery rather than building a future. Being 22 and living like this is exhausting and isolating.

The recommended treatment for my type of endometriosis is a laparoscopy with excision, which offers the best chance of real relief. I can’t wait any longer — continuing without treatment isn’t sustainable, and my condition has already taken so much from me.

I’m also a care leaver, which means I’m dealing with all of this without family support. Managing a long-term illness alone, after years of being dismissed, has been incredibly hard.

I’m currently doing EMDR therapy to work through trauma and focus on healing my mental health, but it’s very difficult to fully engage in that process while my body is constantly in pain. Having this surgery would give me the chance to stabilise physically so I can properly focus on healing rather than just surviving.

Any support, whether donating or sharing, would mean more than I can say. Thank you for taking the time to read️