One Woman's Post About Life With Chronic Condition Sends a Powerful Message to All

Endometriosis may be a diagnosis that's prone to being overlooked, but one woman is hoping to change that with a powerful Facebook post about the realities of life with this chronic condition.

Instagram user Thessy Kouzoukas posted a startling side-by-side comparison of her body that shows the reality of living with endometriosis, an illness wherein tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus (the endometrium) grows outside of your uterus. When this misplaced tissue continues to break down as it normally would inside the uterus, it can cause buildup that can trigger cysts and adhesions — some of which later rupture, like in Kouzoukas' case.

This is quite shocking to people. This is me. This is endometriosis. I never intended to share these photos hence why I'm naked, but my god I can't believe the amount of DM's I've received from girls who have endo too and feel alone. The left is my stomach 3 weeks after a ruptured cyst (5 weeks ago). The right is me now, on a drug called "synarel" that has stopped all my hormones and sent me into menopause at the age of 27. My upcoming trip to Greece along with this drug is in hopes to get me prepped and in the best condition both physically and mentally for an operation I'm receiving in late August. Endo is no joke. I'll be operated on for 7+ hours and hospitalised for a week. Please, spread the word about endo. And If you know anyone with bad period pain PLEASE tell them to get checked for this. And to my girls with endo.. you're not alone ❤️

A post shared by Thessy Kouzoukas (@thessy.k) on Jul 11, 2017 at 4:10pm PDT

"The left is my stomach 3 weeks after a ruptured cyst (5 weeks ago). The right is me now, on a drug called 'synarel' that has stopped all my hormones and sent me into menopause at the age of 27," she wrote in a post that has received over 10,000 likes and over 1,000 comments.

Though she was originally hesitant about sharing such an exposed view of her body with this condition, she says she was moved to do so because of the extreme outpouring of support she saw from other women suffering from the illness who "feel alone". While endometriosis is incredibly painful and affects an estimated one in ten women, it often goes undiagnosed — in large part due to cultural misogyny in the medical field and the taboos surrounding menstruation.

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Kouzoukas finished her message on a bracing (but ultimately upbeat) note: "Endo is no joke. I'll be operated on for 7+ hours and hospitalised for a week," she said. "Please, spread the word about endo. And If you know anyone with bad period pain PLEASE tell them to get checked for this. And to my girls with endo.. you're not alone."

Because many women don't have a reliable way to compare their menstrual pain with others, endo sufferers often experience extreme pain in silence, feeling that debilitating periods are just part of being a woman. In addition, many doctors dismiss complaints of extreme period pain due to unconscious sexism in the medical field — even in 2017, women's pain is still not taken at face value, even (or perhaps, especially) when it's described in the most severe terms. Many endo sufferers have stories of being told that their suffering is "normal", regardless of the intensity — which ultimately leads to delayed diagnoses and sometimes disastrous effects.

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Kouzoukas' post is important, not just because it brings the conversation about endo to the forefront, but also because she encourages others to reach out to the women in their lives who may be suffering. Even if the medical community often overlooks the severity of this condition, female friends and family members can act as valuable allies in helping endo sufferers seek help. And above all, they can provide comfort that, as Kouzoukas says, "You're not alone."