About Me

I was diagnosed with stage 4/ severe Endometriosis at age 30 but have been suffering extreme pain with periods since the age of 13. I have also been diagnosed with both Vulvodynia and Vestibudynia at age 26.




What is endometriosis? - Endometriosis is the name given to the condition where cells like the ones in the lining of the womb (uterus) are found elsewhere in the body.
Every month your body goes through hormonal changes. You naturally release hormones which cause the lining of the womb to increase in preparation for a fertilised egg. If pregnancy does not occur, this lining will break down and bleed. The blood is then released from your body as a period.


Endometriosis cells react in the same way – except that they are located outside your womb.  During your monthly cycle your hormones stimulate the endometriosis, causing it to grow, then break down and bleed. This internal bleeding, unlike a period, has no way of leaving the body. This leads to inflammation, pain, and the formation of scar tissue (adhesions).  


What is Vestibulodynia? - The pain experienced by women is hyper-sensitivity on light touch to the vestibule, such as during intercourse and the insertion of tampons. The degree of pain is variable. Some women have pain but are able to tolerate penetrative sex. For others any pressure to the vestibule area causes symptoms of soreness and tenderness including tight clothes and even light touch to the area. An excessive sensitivity of the nerve fibres and even, on occasions, overgrowth of the nerve fibres in the area is believed to be responsible for symptoms.
What is Vulvodynia? - This condition is a cause of vulval burning and soreness usually as a consequence of irritation or hypersensitivity of the nerve fibres in the vulval skin. The abnormal nerve fibre signals from the skin are felt as a sensation of pain by the woman. This type of pain can occur even when the area is not touched. Another example of nerve-type (neuropathic pain) like vulvodynia is the pain some people experience with an attack of shingles. Once the rash of shingles has disappeared the area of skin where the rash was can be intensely painful and sore despite the skin appearing normal. The condition is called post-hepatic neuralgia

Join me on my journey to highlight all of these very personal conditions and to try and find some resolution of symptoms for Endometriosis and to get rid of Vulva pain. 


Living with these invisible illnesses is difficult but it feels less isolating knowing you are not alone. I really want to get people talking about these conditions to educate people of the suffering they cause so that ladies can get diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. 


Lets not let the next generation suffer. Together lets support each other and raise awareness of Vulva and Pelvic Pain.


Lily Lou x