Every time I start to work with a new client, I am amazed at the variety of Endometriosis symptoms they have. Not only do they differ in the types of symptoms they have, but also the severity. I’ve yet to come across two clients with the same symptom profile!

And I think it is important to explore this a bit further, because it will affect you and the treatment you may receive.

So, why is it that there is such a variety of Endometriosis symptoms and do each of you have a different symptom profile?

Well, which symptoms you experience and how severe they are depends on:

• Location of your Endometriosis. Many women (but not all!) experience symptoms where there is endometrial tissue. For example, if you have Endometriosis on your bowel, you may experience pain in your left side, or when going to the toilet. If you have Endometriosis on your uterus, you may have very painful periods. If you have Endometriosis on your diaphragm, you may experience trouble breathing.
• How widespread your Endometriosis is. The more locations your Endometriosis has spread to, the more spread your symptoms can be (but again, this is not a given). For example, if you have Endometriosis on your diaphragm and on your spine, you may have trouble breathing as well as constant back pain.
• The combination of your symptoms can also play a role. For example, if you have , endometrial tissue on your bowel and you also have constipation, going to the toilet can be excruciating.
• Severity of inflammation. The more severe your inflammation is, the more you can experience your symptoms. You can also start to get new symptoms, or symptoms in new parts of your body. And if you have digestive symptoms, these will likely get worse as your inflammation worsens.
• Your personal food intolerances. I have yet to come across a client who does not have intolerances to foods. Food intolerances cause digestive symptoms such as bloating, constipation and/or diarrhoea, and flatulence, but also fatigue, brain fog and headaches or migraines. And they increase inflammation, which can worsen any other Endometriosis symptoms as well.

All of these factors play a role in your symptom profile. Add to that the baffling possibility that you may have symptoms in areas where there is no Endometriosis, and have no symptoms where there is, and you have a recipe for confusion!

This all makes diagnosis and treatment very tricky. Especially if you have symptoms that are not traditionally associated with Endo. For example, if you have mostly gut symptoms, you’re more likely to be diagnosed with IBS than Endometriosis. Or if fatigue is your most severe symptom, your doctor might think you have chronic fatigue.

What all this means for you is that the symptoms you experience, and how severe they are, are just that: your symptoms. You’re not imagining it, it’s not ‘between the ears’. Trust what you feel, even if it is not being taken seriously.

You may have an Endometriosis diagnosis, or you’re reading this because you think you might have it. Either way, reducing inflammation will reduce the severity of most symptoms, and may even completely remove some.

You may be wondering your Endometriosis symptoms are influenced by elements in your diet that cause inflammation. I’ve created a free 3-part video series that looks at how diet affects 15 Endometriosis symptoms. You can register for it here.