BOOK REVIEW: Living with Endometriosis by Samantha Bowick

Recently I've been reading a lot of books about endometriosis (more book reviews coming soon) to better inform and educate myself about the disease I live with every day. I think it is so important for us to do our own research about this disease because unfortunately there isn't a lot of information out there and we can't always trust everything our doctors say. Living with Endometriosis: The Complete Guide to Risk Factors, Symptoms, and Treatment Options by Samantha Bowick is different from any other endometriosis book I have read because Bowick isn't a doctor, she is a real woman who suffers from endometriosis, and I think that makes her more qualified to share her life with endo than any doctor. 

Reading about endometriosis from a sufferer's perspective is so different than reading a book by doctors. The books I have read written by doctors feel impersonal and like they are just stating one fact after another. Bowick makes sure her audience knows she is not a doctor and reiterates multiple times that just because a treatment worked or didn't work for her, that doesn't mean everyone will have the same experience, which I believe is something doctors lack when writing about this disease.

Bowick begins her book by telling her endometriosis story to ensure the endo sufferers reading her book do not feel like they are alone. After she tells her story, she has nine more chapters: Endometriosis Explained, Surgical Treatment Options, Non-Surgical Treatment Options, Alternative Medicine Options, How to Find the Right Doctor, Lifestyle Changes, Related Illnesses, How Endometriosis Affects Those Around Us, and Awareness. I could easily tell that each chapter was thoroughly researched and they were all extremely informative. A little touch the Bowick added that made the book so much for personal for me was sharing her experiences with everything she talked about. This is one of the aspects that makes her book more informative than a doctors book because doctors cannot contribute those real-life experiences like Bowick can. 

If you are an endometriosis sufferer or have a loved one who is, I 100% recommend this book! It is the perfect mixture of informative and personal that makes an endo sufferer, like me, feel not so alone and that there are many things I can do for myself to make my quality of life the best it can be. If you read this book, you will see that Bowick's endo journey was anything but easy and she still persevered and used her knowledge to help other women like her, so thank you, Samantha!  

SHARING YOUR ENDO STORIES: Part 2 Ellie

“Hi I'm Ellie, I'm 24. I was 12 years old when I started my period and 13 years old when I started on the pill. For me starting the pill was because my periods made me pass out in pain. So to start the pill was such a relief. Yet regardless of the pill, my story didn't end. Unfortunately, due to other health conditions, my concerns for my abdominal pain was never in the limelight. As a result, it was only at age 21 where I learned about endometriosis. Despite all my symptoms. Fast forward and I still have a journey to go down with endometriosis. Though the relief to know what it is, is amazing! I'm no longer on the pill. However, that has meant a year of bleeding - For example, I have spent the last 2 months with only 3 days where I wasn't bleeding (and heavily). I even ended up in A&E as a result. Due to everything I have been through and are going through. I find it immensely important to spread the word. Endometriosis is 1 in 10. Yet in the medical world, it still falls through the cracks. But I will fight until our voices for endometriosis are heard and the help we need is found!” -Chronic Illness Blogger 

Instagram: @lloydielife

Thank you so much for sharing your story, Chronic Illness Blogger!