Trying to support a friend

[Bellamy100]

I've just found out my close friend has endo and I don't know much about it and I want to support her. I'm trying to find out as much information as I can and I'm just wondering if there is anything I should need to know? Or is there anything I can do to help her when the pain is too much?

[LivWilliams27 Moderator Endometriosis UK]

Hi Bellamy100!

I hope you are well! It is lovely to hear that you are looking to learn about endometriosis to support your friend!

I thought I would direct to to our website for more information on endometriosis as a starting point!

endometriosis-uk.org/unders...

I hope this helps you support your friend, she is very lucky to have you!

Best wishes,

Liv xx

[Bellamy100 in reply to LivWilliams27]

Hi, LIvWilliams27

I've read so much but have been getting lost in all the information, I appreciate the help. Thank-you so much for your help and your kind words. I'm happy to see this is a true, caring, welcoming community..

Thank-you,

Bellamy100 xxx

[Avourneen]

Hi Bellamy,

That is so kind and thoughtful of you. Your friend is very lucky. I guess listening to her when she has to vent neagtive feelings would really help. Finding about about the condition as you are doing, being ahsulder to cry on, helping her get to appointments if she has any these things would really help your friend.

I think just being a great friend and caring for her in itself will be a huge help.

Thank you for taking an interest and for supporting your friend having endo and espcially being in contstnt pain can really wear people down mentallyand physically so emotional support can make a huge difference.

I guess the thing that would make a real difference to endo sufferers is more research and some sort of treatment that would reduce the pain/disease. But I'm really not sure how to help this happen. I've written to a few politicians, only one replied and she promised to raise the issue in the house of commons and did but it didn't make any difference (she is a labour MP so not in the government) no one I have written to in the government even replied.

There isn't really any very effective treatment barring excision surgery which doesn't always help and can cause lots of other problems such as adhesions.I think this is the most disheartening aspect of the illness is that when it gets very bad there is not much that can be done, certainly nothing guaranteed that works for everyone.

Some good research has been done in Edinburgh which might result in a new drug but it is not at the point where women will be able to get it soon. Personally considering this illness affects at least1 in 10 women I think the government should be supporting research into effective treatments, I think pharma companies could also stand to make a great deal of money if an effective drug treatment could be found.

I don't know how else to tackle this point but I'd be glad to hear any suggestions.

Thanks for being someone who doesnt have endo but who cares about those who do. I think that in itself must help too.

[Bellamy100 in reply to Avourneen]

Hello Avourneen,

Thank-you so much for your help.

It's heartbreaking to know that 1 in 10 women have endo and it's not that known. As I've been reading up on it, I've seen that even professionals don't really know much about it and that's just crazy.

More time, money and energy should be put into endo because nobody should be living in unbearable pain every day and all the affects it has.

It's horrible to know that you've reached out to that kind of power and no actions or anything have been taken. Unfortunately they don't care unless it affects them.

More awareness should be out there, this illness is absolutely ruthless and I agree, more should be done to shed light on to it.

Everyone with endo is absolutely astonishing. People with endo have superpowers they are unbelievably strong and brave. I can't stress enough that you're all beautiful and no less of a woman.

I want to thankyou for replying, and Thank-you for trying your damn hardest to get awareness for endo out there. Xxx

[Periodical]

Brilliant post above & I agree just being a good friend & allowing her to talk about it is fantastic. If she’s up to it - a big if - you could also offer to do something like walk with her in the walk for endo challenge this July? Sometimes it helps to do something positive. Just a thought!