Doctors dismissed my pain for years and I now focus on menstrual health

Sophie Richards says doctors dismissed her severe menstrual symptoms for years; after an endometriosis diagnosis and further study she now promotes an anti-inflammatory approach and shares resources for menstrual health.

Sophie Richards experienced chronic bloating, severe menstrual pain and long‑running fatigue from her late teens, and says many doctors minimized or misattributed her symptoms. A later exploratory laparoscopy confirmed endometriosis, and she found that surgeries and standard treatments did not fully resolve her symptoms. Richards studied menstrual health, adopted an anti‑inflammatory lifestyle, wrote a book and shares information publicly to help others communicate about symptoms. She also calls for earlier education about periods for all children to reduce stigma. Key facts: - Richards says she was encouraged to try the contraceptive pill early on and was sometimes told her symptoms were normal. - At university some clinicians suspected a sexually transmitted infection; tests were negative, according to the account. - A GP later suspected endometriosis and an exploratory laparoscopy confirmed the diagnosis. - Endometriosis is estimated to affect about 10–15% of women of reproductive age in the U.S., and around one in 10 in the U.K., and diagnosis in the U.S. commonly takes seven to 10 years. - Richards authored The Anti-Inflammatory 30-Day Reset, follows an anti‑inflammatory lifestyle, and shares free resources on Instagram at @sophie.richards. Summary: Her experience underlines concerns about delayed recognition of menstrual conditions and the personal impact of persistent symptoms. Undetermined at this time.