We all know that having a period isn’t really anyone’s idea of a great time, but for some women, the pain and discomfort can go way beyond some cramps and fatigue. According to the Endometriosis Foundation of America, about 1 in every 10 women is diagnosed with endometriosis. The disease, which has no found cure, affects the female reproductive system. It’s when tissue similar to the kind found inside the uterus is found outside that organ. This can result in painful symptoms that often make a woman’s life much more difficult, such as lesions, killer cramps, and infertility.
A lack of medical knowledge and research means it can take up to 10 years before a woman is properly diagnosed with endo. One woman who know that journey all too well is Instagram influencer Thessy Batsinilas, who has shared photos that show what life with this condition is really like.
Thessy showed her followers the impact endometriosis can have on a woman’s life by sharing a candid photo of a ruptured cyst.
“This is quite shocking to people,” Kouzoukas, creative director and co-owner of the fashion brand Sabo Skirt, wrote in the caption on Instagram. “This is me. This is endometriosis.”
On the left side is what her stomach looked like three weeks after a cyst had ruptured. The right photo is what she looked like after being put on a drug called Synarel, which stopped her hormones and caused her to enter menopause at 27 years old.
‘Endo is no joke,’ Kouzoukas says.
The drug wasn’t working how it was supposed to, causing her to undergo a last-minute operation to remove the cyst. Thankfully the surgery was successful, though her journey with endometriosis meant that she would go on to experience additional cyst ruptures and fertility challenges.
thessy.k/Instagram
She hopes her sobering side-by-side of her ruptured cyst helps make other girls with endo feel less isolated in their battle.
“I never intended to share these photos, hence why I’m naked, but my god, I can’t believe the amount of DMs I’ve received from girls who have endo too and feel alone,” she wrote.
As her journey continued, she continued to share, including vlogging her way through IVF and fertility challenges before having her two adorable kids.
She also hopes that speaking out about her life with endo will increase the awareness of the disease.
“And if you know anyone with bad period pain, please tell them to get checked for this,” she shared. “And to my girls with endo … you’re not alone.”