According to Lili’s message, the lengthy journey to getting a proper diagnosis contributed to her frustrations.
“It wasn’t until I worked with two different pelvic floor therapists,” she added, “that the word endometriosis was even mentioned to me as a possible source of my pain.”
For the actress, advocating for herself was key to getting answers.
“I pushed for an MRI on my own, which led to a diagnosis of adenomyosis,” she continued. “From there, I met with an endometriosis specialist who helped me decide that laparoscopic surgery was the next step I wanted to take—while, at the same time, another gynecologist told me I ‘probably didn’t have endo’ and should just go on the pill.”
Due to her own challenging experiences, Lili went on to encourage her readers to do as she did and speak up for themselves.
“I’m glad I trusted my body and listened to my gut and will continue advocating for others to do so,” she concluded. “Endometriosis is an extremely misunderstood disease, leaving often a 4-11 year gap between symptoms and a definitive surgical diagnosis. It’s estimated 1 in 10 people with uteruses have endo according to the World Health Organization.”
