Over 176 Million women around the world live with Endometriosis, and considering the fact that (on average) it takes 8 years from the onset of symptoms to get a diagnosis, we can safely assume there are many undiagnosed Endo warriors amongst us. The cause of this mind-altering condition is unknown and unfortunately, there is no defenite cure. In Endometriosis, tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places such as ovaries and fallopian tubes. Symptoms include (but are most defenitely not limited to) pelvic pain that worsens during periods, debilitating period pain (and heavy periods), pain during/after sexual intercouse, pain when going to the bathroom, feeling stomach sick, and difficulty getting pregnant.
22-year-old Emma Maxwell (better known as @endometriosisem on Instagram and Tiktok), has been a patient advocate for about 2 years after finally being diagnosed with Endometriosis.
"After 7 years of doctors convincing me that I was crazy, had a low pain tolerance, wanted the attention, etc., I finally had a name put to my pain."
Since her diagnosis, she's made it her mission to be the person that she herself needed so desperately alonge her personal health journey. She passionately shares her personal experiences to help others feel less alone, validate their experiences, create conversations about taboo topics and help people naviagate through their rollercoaster health journey. We caught up with Emma for an intimate interview about her journey - check it out!
Unlike most of our users, Emma has taken the brave step of "uncovering" her identity inside the Alike app and you can find her as an in-app Endometriosis patient advocate as well!
Join our community today and find out how you and Emma are medically Alike.