A 23-year-old woman from Bury, Greater Manchester, says her entire body broke out in a horrific rash after doctors repeatedly dismissed her symptoms. Lily Thompstone woke up with severely swollen lips and was rushed to A&E, where she was given steroids. Within a month, a scaly rash appeared on her chest and spread to cover 80-90% of her body.
Lily had long suffered from gut issues and vomiting after meals, but doctors attributed it to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). She visited three different GP surgeries after the rash appeared, receiving diagnoses of light sensitivity and psoriasis, but she remained convinced something more serious was wrong. The stress of not being taken seriously, she believes, caused her immune system to turn on her.
After a year of pushing for answers, Lily was diagnosed with endometriosis in June 2024 following a private consultation. Surgeons found the condition 'all over' her body. She underwent two surgeries, the most recent in December 2025, and says the rash was her body's way of signalling it needed help.
Lily said: 'I had chronic physical stress from not resting, ignoring symptoms, and constantly pushing through discomfort. My nervous system and immune system were under strain.' She now urges other women to advocate for themselves and not accept dismissive answers from doctors.
