Cara Browne, 24, from York, lived with debilitating period pain for 10 years before finally being diagnosed with endometriosis. She was eventually diagnosed in June 2026 after turning to private medical care through her work, having faced a potential 54-week wait to see an NHS specialist.
A decade of dismissed symptoms
Browne said her extremely painful periods began almost as soon as they started, when she was between 14 and 15 years old. Around two years later, she went to her GP because of painful and irregular periods and was put on a contraceptive pill, which did not solve the issue.
She spent years "going back and forth to the GP" and being reassured that these symptoms were normal "for someone of a young age." She said: "I was in a lot of pain, in the first few years I was told religiously it was normal to be in that amount of pain, you know 'it's a woman thing, it is normal for periods to be painful.'"
Impact on school and daily life
Browne recalled how the pain affected her ability to focus at school and during exams. "I really struggled because I was in so much pain that I couldn't focus on actually doing work and exams and things like that, I really struggled with them," she said.
"The only way I could get comfortable would be to literally curl up in a ball, and that would be for about two minutes and then the pain would come back again. So it was stressful and agonising continuously. I never felt like I had a break."
Fertility issues lead to referral
In her early 20s, Browne knew something "wasn't right" after suffering several miscarriages and struggling to conceive, which pushed her to go to the GP again. She shared her symptoms, which included painful periods, deteriorating mood around certain times during the month and pain in her back and legs.
She told the Mirror: "Eventually I saw someone that was lovely, and she was really great. Her first thought was, 'let's get you referred to a gynaecologist and see what's going on'. And then I was told there was going to be a long wait on the NHS." That wait was between 52 and 54 weeks.
Private care and diagnosis
Faced with the long wait, Browne turned to her employer health insurance through Benenden Health and underwent surgery the same month she met a gynaecologist, in June. She had a laparoscopy, a procedure where a camera is passed through a small cut in the tummy, which is the only way to confirm the condition. The doctor also treated the condition during the procedure by removing areas of endometriosis.
Endometriosis is a chronic condition where cells similar to those in the lining of the womb grow in other parts of the body. It is not yet known what causes it, and there is currently no cure.
Browne said: "After this, it felt like a weight had lifted and I wasn't in the dark anymore. I'm now in much less pain, and while endometriosis is a chronic illness and I'll never be completely symptom free, I know how to manage it and what to ask for to help me."
She added: "This knowledge and peace of mind is important, and I'm hoping to start a family soon. My advice to others would be not to sit on things – taking action brings with it great relief and a plan to help you move forward, whatever the diagnosis."
Research by Benenden found that 32% of adults were sitting on a health concern. The study of 2,000 adults said the figure rises to 40% among 35-44-year-olds, while women are more likely than men to carry on with something unchecked. Browne shared her story as part of Benenden Health's 'It's Your Health on the Line' campaign.
Dr Cheryl Lythgoe, Nurse Consultant at Benenden Health, said: "Busy lives rarely create a perfect moment to deal with a health concern. When something doesn't feel urgent, it can be easy to put it off until we have more time, and it is human nature to self-justify the reasons why – but this research shows how quickly people can become used to living around a symptom while the worry follows them into their sleep, mood and everyday life."
