How to Advocate for Yourself!

     As many of us know all too well, being a woman seeking medical help is not easy. Years of stereotypes and sexism toward woman makes it extremely difficult for women to feel heard and believed when talking about pain, especially if it has to do with reproductive organs. I saw a post going around recently that said "Imagine if there was a chronic disease that caused men so much pain that they willingly underwent major surgery to remove their reproductive organs, based on a wild theory that it might 'cure' them. Just imagine." If endometriosis was a disease that affects people assigned male at birth, we would 10000000% have a cure right now, but we don't which is why it is so important to advocate for yourself. Since March is Endometriosis Awareness Month along with Women's History Month, I thought this would be a good post because it is something all women have experienced at one point or another. 

    When I was first trying to find a diagnosis for the mystery chronic pain I was having, my mom had to advocate so much for me because no doctor certainly was (even the female ones). As I've gotten older and now that I'm an adult, I think I am pretty good at advocating for myself because I know my body better than anyone. Now living with endometriosis for officially over five years, I can tell what's normal for my body and what's not, which is why I spoke up when I started noticing bladder problems in the fall. Unfortunately, many people with chronic illness, in general, have lost trust in the medical system because they have been told they are lying, being dramatic, or straight up ignored countless times (I haven't read a single endo book that doesn't talk about this). However, I've learned that if I go to my appointment confident with my questions and concerns written down, I'll actually make some progress. 

    Since I just bragged about being so good at advocating for myself, I want to give you my tips because I think this is so important. 

1. Write down all of your concerns (what pain you're having, triggers for it, when it started, etc.)
2. Write down every single question you can think of (you don't want to leave the appointment and realize you forgot to ask something)
3. Do some research on your own and come up with suggestions about what could be causing your pain (you could come up with something your doctor didn't originally think about, it's happened to me)
4. Be confident in your pain and know it is not in your head (unfortunately doctors may tell you this, but you know it's real)
5. Be firm with your requests and concerns, and schedule follow up appointments to make sure you aren't forgotten (doctors see so many people a day, you want to stay clear in their minds)

I know all of these tips are easier said than done, but if you keep practicing, I promise you can do it. Nothing bad has ever come from me speaking up for myself and every time I do, I am so happy with my decision. Good luck and feel free to message me @endoisnottheendblog on Instagram if you want to talk!