'My endometriosis was making me suicidal'

A woman has shared how chronic pain from endometriosis led to her having thoughts of suicide at one point. Saff, 26, is a PR executive from Manchester who has published extensively on social media about her experiences with the condition, which is thought to affect as many as one in ten women in the UK.

Saff posts under the name @browngirlendo on social media, where she uses her channel to draw attention to issues surrounding endometriosis and invisible disabilities. After being diagnosed with endometriosis aged 25, she now uses medical cannabis to help manage pain and anxiety around her medical appointments.

It comes as waiting lists for gynaecologist appointments have doubled, with the BBC reporting that at least 630,000 people are currently waiting for an appointment. This includes for conditions such as endometriosis.

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Endometriosis is where cells and tissues similar to those in the lining of the womb grow in other parts of the body. While associated with extremely painful period pain, it can affect any organ.

When she was 16 Saff began experiencing excruciating pain, which she described as feeling "like your abdomen is contorting and being pulled down inside your body." She told how over the years the pain has became so everyday that it's a new normal for her.

On one occasion, Saff said this meant she felt that her pain was not being acknowledged as she was not "crying out" because she was used to it. She told the Manchester Evening News: "It was the first time that I had to shout at a medical professional. I don't want to feel as though just because I wasn't crying out in pain I wasn't in