According to the Mayo Clinic, Endometriosis (en-doe-me-tree-O-sis) is an often painful disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus — the endometrium — grows outside your uterus. It's most common symtoms are:

According to the Endometriosis Foundation of America these startling statistics all are true:

+ Most women with endometriosis suffer pain—and present symptoms—up to a full decade prior to diagnosis.

+ Approximately 176 million women and girls worldwide suffer from endometriosis; 8.5 million in North America alone.

+ Associated costs of the disease are estimated to be a staggering $22 billion annually.

+The average woman is 27 when she is first diagnosed with endometriosis.

+ Endometriosis is one of the top three causes of female infertility. While it is one of the most treatable, it remains the least treated.

+ Abdominal and bowel symptoms linked to endometriosis are commonly misdiagnosed as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

+ Endometriosis is often misdiagnosed as Pelvic Congestion or Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID).

+ Many infertile women with endometriosis experienced debilitating painful periods as teenagers but were misdiagnosed.

+ Many women suffer silently because they feel that their pain, especially pain associated with sexual intercourse, is just too personal to discuss with their gynecologist. This is more common in some cultures than others.

+Many cases of endometriosis can be successfully treated with Laparoscopic Excision Surgery. 

So do you have endo? Or do you think you might? How did you get diagnosed? How long did it take? Share your story with the Glow community please. You never know if someone is struggling who has never even heard of this terrible condition.