Endometriosis: The Thornaby woman who went undiagnosed for 12 years

For 12 years, Tara Doherty's endometriosis went undiagnosed.

The 26-year-old, from Thornaby, started her periods when she was 10 years old and was put on the contraceptive pill by the age of 12.

After years of fatigue, trips to A&E, a chemically-induced menopause and multiple disciplinaries from work due to poor attendance, she was finally diagnosed with endometriosis in 2019.

The chronic illness affects one in 10 women in the UK and can cause debilitating pain, heavy periods and infertility - with an average wait of eight years for a diagnosis.

In March 2021, she started an Instagram account to share her experiences with the condition in the hope of helping other young women suffering to know "there is a light at the end of the tunnel".

She shared her story as part of Endometriosis Awareness Month.

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