How do you tell people you have endo?

[honeyandsunshine]

[jojo777]

You mean at work or to your friends and family?

For me it was very easy to family and close friends, I just explained what it is and what I'm experiencing in detail.

At work is the tricky part as I work in a men's industry (oil & gas engineering), so I just said to my manager is gynaecological that causes extreme pain. HR knows (more ladies there!) exactly whats going on. x

[honeyandsunshine in reply to jojo777]

I've told my boss and my colleagues finally (as I had to take time off for the lap and explain why) and yes, I said 'it's a women's thing and i need an op for it'.

My family doesn't know. Nor most of my friends. I live alone and I had the lap last week and I've managed ok. But I'm thinking maybe I should tell people, especially now I've discovered this community of people and that the pain is real. I first started trying to follow up the pain 2 yrs ago, but it started before then.

I guess that if people know, you'd at least not have to make up silly excuses to cancel things when pain is crazy, or whatever...

For me, endo is tied up with other things that happened long ago, and I thought it was just in my head. It's hard to separate endo from that

[jojo777]

I know what you mean, but telling your friends and family could feel a bit as "closure", now that you know whats wrong.

If they understand whats happening they will be able to support you and understand you better. I'm updating my family almost everyday about it and they know more than some doctors now! lol x

[honeyandsunshine]

Ha ha! Thanks for the suggestion!

[Cloudyrain]

I tell everyone! we call it "the b*tch" so all I have to say to friends when I make last minute cancellations is "the B is back!". You have nothing to be ashamed of and I'm sure you wouldn't think twice if it was diabetes or spondylitis of asthma, and endo is no different. I just describe it as chewing gum stuck to my internal organs causing me hell - I don't even mention "ladies things" or periods because people tend to say "i used to have bad period pain, have you tried feminax"

Take care and tell what you want to who you want x

[honeyandsunshine in reply to Cloudyrain]

OMG Cloudyrain, that made me Laugh Out Loud! - both the chewing gum image and the 'have you tried feminax?'! hah!

I like your sentiment 'tell what you want to who you want'... i think that's a good principle...

[honeyandsunshine]

OMG Cloudyrain, that made me Laugh Out Loud! - both the chewing gum image and the 'have you tried feminax?'! hah!

I like your sentiment 'tell what you want to who you want'... i think that's a good principle...

[weealex]

Hi, I'm pretty comfortable telling people at work now (same oil & gas). To male colleagues I tend to say "it's a gynaecological disease but it affecting a few of my other organs"...men seem more comfortable when they can talk about the bits that they have too : ) don't be afraid to tell people, and don't do it all on your own. Invite people in and let them help you xx

[honeyandsunshine]

weealex (another person in oil and gas?! sounds like the beginnings of a joke... ), thanks for your post. and for your way to say it... that's helpful... you're right, of course... about letting people help you being a good idea...