We spoke to Madeleine, Pippa, and Ellie about what navigating endometriosis looks like in their friendships.
Madeleine and her best friend Amanda have known each other since childhood, ‘my best friend has always seen my struggle, but she's also always seen ME,’ Madeline said. Through her recent adenomyosis diagnosis, ‘[Amanda] has never made me feel like it's "all in my head" and that's what you need with this condition. Someone who doesn't judge you for cancelling last minute due to a flare up or doesn't judge you for carrying a hot water bottle in the summer. Amanda has been a rock throughout my life, and I am beyond lucky to have her. She has never let me down. And I love her so dearly.’
Pippa and Lex met as work colleagues, and now are close friends, ‘We have known each other for over three years, but it feels like she’s always been here,’ Pippa said. She didn't understand her symptoms until she saw her doctor for abdominal pain. Her friend Lex has supported her through appointments and bad days - Pippa shared, ‘she's never judged me for needing to cancel any plans or going silent for days on end because the illness is too much for me to handle.’
Ellie said that her and Viv "have been joined at the hip for the last five years. We both have fast-paced jobs in music and fashion that have taken us on lots of adventures", but when Ellie’s world shrank to pain, hospital visits, and her bedroom during a six-month flare while she waited for surgery. Viv kept inviting her to everything anyway, expecting a no, just so Ellie knew "life outside my bedroom and the hospital wasn't going anywhere." Their hangouts became Viv turning up with snacks, letting her rant, then making her laugh. As Ellie says: "The grief that comes from being an ambitious, fast-moving person in a body that can’t support you can be very overwhelming. Learning to just focus on yourself sometimes is key. And when pain gets in the way of that, a friend who helps you hold on to yourself can make all the difference."
If you have a friend who's supported you through endometriosis, or want to share your own story, we'd love to hear from you.
If you're struggling with your endometriosis symptoms, support is available. Visit endometriosis-uk.org/get-support for information, our helpline, and local support groups.
