Living and Working with Endometriosis

Hi Harps. Do you want to introduce yourself and explain what you do at Picnic?

Sure! I joined Picnic five months ago as an Account Director; my main goal is to work with media agencies and clients to deliver best-in-class campaigns, whilst contributing to company growth. This requires me to be out in the market, meeting new people and showcasing our product as well as building and maintaining relationships, which I love…people are one of the best things about this industry! 

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In as much or as little detail as you like, what’s been your experience of endometriosis and how are you feeling these days?
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My endo (and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) journey started at 19 with a bang - quite literally. I was rushed to hospital with suspected appendicitis which led to the doctors discovering internal bleeding in the operating theatre, which was the result of a ruptured cyst. This meant my diagnosis was made quite quickly compared to most women - the average diagnosis time is around 7.5 years! 
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Since the initial discovery, I have been in and out of various surgeries, with my last one being in January 2020. Sadly, there is no cure for endo at present, so for anyone suffering it’s all about finding the right treatment to manage the condition and reduce the severity of symptoms.

Needless to say, endo and POCS came to me as quite a shock. Aged 19, I hadn’t heard of either condition and coming from an asian background - anything gynaecological always felt taboo, so the lack of information and discussion was very isolating and scary.

This has prompted me to be more open about my condition, as I feel that the more dialogue there is on these matters, the more we can do to support each other. One of the things that promoted this openness was meeting like minded sufferers (endo warriors!), as they understand the pain, the lows and just how some days can be too much - it really is a support network!

According to a report from 2020, 54% of women with endometriosis say it has reduced their income, and 1 in 6 women with the condition give up work. Can you relate to this, and have you ever felt that endometriosis was incompatible with your work situation?
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Absolutely, it has not only affected me financially but also my employment across my career, in a couple of roles. 

Between the ages of 19 and 24, I was in near-constant pain, and had to have multiple surgeries. After an unlucky complication with an NHS operation, I decided to go for a private follow up procedure. Because I had already been diagnosed with endo, I wasn’t able to get any medical healthcare cover and therefore had to cover the cost myself.

Similarly, the only way to formally diagnose endo is through laparoscopy (keyhole surgery) and some private healthcare providers don’t cover the cost of that, as it's still classified as a pre-existing condition.

With regards to managers, I have frequently come across comments like ‘it's just a painful period’ to ‘why are you always scowling’ and ‘you have a lot of appointments, what is your appointment for?’.

Of course, this is largely down to lack of awareness, but as a sufferer, this has made me hyper-aware of taking time off and not being able to operate at 100% all the time, so I often just put on a brave face and fight through the pain.

All of this stress only aggravates the issue and results in flare ups, making the situation worse and longer-lasting. Everyone's experience and symptoms are different - but stress is a really important factor. The more stress the body is under, the more cortisol increases and this in turn leads to chronic pain. Therefore it is really important to be able to manage stress, which is easier than it sounds!

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What do employers need to do to reduce the work-related stress around endometriosis? Have your own employers shown understanding in the past, and specifically, what has Picnic done to make things easier?
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1 in 10 women suffer from endo. This is a shocking stat and means you have probably worked with or managed at least one person with the condition at some point in your career. 

To help with this, first and foremost, managers have a duty of care to understand and learn about endo, to be able to better support their staff. endometriosis-uk.org have lots of helpful information and advice, and even allow companies to sign up to be recognised as an endo-friendly employer, so I encourage companies to have a look here and sign up.

In addition to learning and understanding, flexible working opportunity is a huge help. Being trusted to get all my work done - but during the hours and environment which is most comfortable for me makes a huge difference and is something I value highly. Picnic is a Flexa-verified company, which means we have been externally verified as a genuinely flexible company that meets the needs of its employees; this was a huge appeal for me.

In addition to learning, obviously any financial support through medical insurance can make a huge difference to those affected. This is something I have been campaigning for at Picnic; luckily they have been hugely receptive to my feedback and have recently added medical insurance to our 'Picnic Perks Basket’.

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What advice would you give to women struggling to reconcile working life and endometriosis
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I would definitely advise anyone suffering to check out endometriosis-uk.org as there is lots more support available now. Not only that, but talk about it. I know this is harder than it sounds but it does help you feel less isolated, less alone and also helps you realise this pain isn't normal. Unsurprisingly, many HR teams are female and therefore, it does make it easier to bring this up with them. They can then help support you in the workplace, should there be any flare ups and any post surgery care, as well as managing the dialogue internally, to take that stress and worry off you. 

What’s more, engaging in conversation may help to reveal fellow endo warriors around you, and build a supportive network. If you're currently struggling with some of the issues I’ve shared today, please don't hesitate to reach out. While I may not have all the answers, I'm more than willing to lend an ear, share experiences, and offer support.

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