Alice Giddings recalls the moment she finally received her endometriosis diagnosis: 'Please tell me if I have it,' she begged, still groggy from general anaesthetic. Lying in a hospital bed, a nurse confirmed she had the condition. 'The surgeon said he was surprised you were able to walk.' Despite the pain, Alice felt relief and vindication. She had undergone a four-hour laparoscopic surgery—the only definitive way to diagnose endometriosis, a condition where uterine-like tissue grows outside the womb, causing debilitating pain. Without that diagnosis, she feared her suffering would have been dismissed.
The Need for a Less Invasive Diagnostic Method
Alice argues that there should be a less traumatic way to diagnose endometriosis, which affects 1.5 million women in the UK. Currently, the average diagnosis time is nine years and four months, rising to 11 years for ethnic minority women. But a new non-invasive scan offers hope. The experimental technique uses a radiotracer that binds to tissue creating new blood vessels—a key feature of endometriosis—making the condition 'light up' on a scan. Early trials on 19 women have shown promising results.
Alice's Journey to Diagnosis
Alice's symptoms began in 2018 when she was 19, after switching from hormonal birth control to a copper coil. She experienced excruciating shooting pains that caused her to fall. Doctors dismissed it as pelvic inflammatory disease and sent her home with antibiotics. Ultrasounds found nothing, and she began to question her sanity. In 2019, a nurse removing her coil recognized her symptoms and suggested endometriosis. A specialist recommended a laparoscopy but downplayed the need. By then, Alice was often bedbound. After a particularly painful episode following sex, she opted for surgery in 2020. The diagnosis confirmed her condition, but she wishes she could have had the new scan instead.
The Impact of Misdiagnosis and Medical Gaslighting
Even after diagnosis, Alice faced skepticism. A consultant attributed her returning pain to PTSD from a past sexual assault rather than endometriosis regrowth. She underwent a second surgery in 2023, which confirmed the regrowth. Another specialist suggested she 'try getting pregnant' to stop the pain—advice also given to girls as young as 14. Such experiences highlight the urgent need for a reliable, non-invasive diagnostic tool.
Women's Health: A Long-Overdue Priority
Alice notes that women's health has never been a priority. While the UK government's Women's Health Strategy aims to tackle medical misogyny, it receives 60% less funding than the Men's Health Strategy. The new scan, though still in trials, represents the biggest glimmer of hope she has seen. If rolled out, it could spare countless women the trauma she endured. 'When my endometriosis inevitably regrows,' she says, 'maybe next time I won't need an operation to prove it.'
