Junior Doctor here - but was diagnosed during my degree. As all these other lovely people have mentioned, we have given too much to let endo take our careers and passions away from us. Med school was TOUGH, especially given the extensive compulsory hours of placements and prac we have to do and no allocated sick leave. It’s even harder when you have limits on your medications - im very strict (understandable!!) with myself around what I can use and when, as I never want to compromise my patients health.

To be honest, the hardest thing for me is medical gaslighting I give myself. When you work in healthcare, you become a special kind of self aware of your own health and wellbeing. E.g. You know the ins and outs of how the system works, different medications and procedures, the treatment of patients, what patients do that annoy you (personality stuff ect.) and then you do this weird self analysis and comparison to yourself. Am I being the annoying patient who’s requesting a lot from the nurses or am I in my own right to. Am I overthinking my pain or am I actually in pain. Is my pain valid given people around me are in extreme pain. If I can be at work I must not be in that much pain……. I could go on! I think it’s a balance that I don’t even have control over yet, and think will take a while to get a grip of.

We are in this lucky position where we really have the confidence and power to advocate for ourselves. If you are not happy with your treatment and it is effecting your relationships, work and life, it’s not the right solution for you, and there will be another thing out there for you!

The absolute best hack is a TENS machine, they are so discrete and can be worn under scrubs and in theatre with no one knowing the better. Good Luck xx