Endometriosis, if you're unfamiliar, is when tissue similar to your uterine lining is found in other parts of your body, outside your uterus. The condition affects millions of women worldwide and can be incredibly debilitating: Many of those who have endometriosis struggle with extreme pelvic pain and heavy periods, and in some cases, they can become infertile.
But even though many people have been speaking up about the disease, especially in recent years, it still remains largely invisible, and according to Yale Medicine, it takes an average of 10 years for someone who has the symptoms to get a diagnosis.
March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, and over the years, so many celebrities have done their part to make people aware of exactly how painful this condition is (and what they've done to ease their symptoms, which can sometimes even include surgery).
Read on for celebrities who are living with endometriosis and not afraid to open up about their diagnosis.
Bindi Irwin
In March 2023, Bindi Irwin wrote a lengthy Instagram post, opening up about her life with endometriosis. She explained how after suffering from "insurmountable fatigue, pain, and nausea" from the disorder for 10 years, she decided to have surgery. Doctors found 37 lesions and a chocolate cyst, which Bindi said made her feel validated after so many medical professionals didn't believe her complaints. She shared her story to help other sufferers feel seen and to give them hope.
"There's stigma around this awful disease. I'm sharing my story for anyone who reads this and is quietly dealing with pain and no answers. Let this be your validation that your pain is real and you deserve help. Keep searching for answers," she urged.
Padma Lakshmi
Celebrity chef Padma Lakshmi has been open about her endometriosis for years; in fact, she even cofounded the Endometriosis Foundation. When she shared this particular Instagram post, she was showing exactly how the disease causes her painful migraines. "Day three of endo-induced migraine from clenching my teeth due to cramps," she said. "Even my ear hurts."
Tia Mowry
In her book Whole New You, Tia Mowry revealed how she changed her diet and her philosophy around food to help with her endo-induced symptoms. After a doctor recommended cleaning up her diet, Tia cut out processed meat, dairy, packaged snacks, and refined sugar. She found that her pain was reduced since being diagnosed in 2006.
Halsey
Halsey opened up about feeling like a "prisoner in her own body" with endometriosis, explaining how doctors said that it was just bad period cramps, and even misdiagnosed the singer with PCOS.
But Halsey didn't let any of that talk get her down. "I have managed to live a wild, incredible, and unpredictable life with endo, and I'm here for you," she told her fans.
Julianne Hough
Julianne Hough was diagnosed in 2008 and was one of the first celebrities to open up about endometriosis. "For the longest time, I thought, 'This is the way my period is,'" she told Glamour. "I didn't want to complain, so I'd just deal with it and ignore it."
Jaime King
Jaime King has been open about her struggles with fertility as a result of PCOS and endometriosis. She had five miscarriages, five rounds of in vitro fertilization, and 26 rounds of intrauterine insemination before she was able to conceive with ex-husband Kyle Newman.
Susan Sarandon
Like many who live with endometriosis, actress Susan Sarandon revealed she had a "half-a–ed diagnosis" and "half-hearted treatments" when she was first diagnosed.
"When all you know is pain, you don't know that that is not normal," she said in 2011. "It is not a woman's lot to suffer, even if we've been raised that way."
Lena Dunham
Lena Dunham has been one of the most vocal celebrities when it comes to endometriosis. In a powerful edition of her now-defunct newsletter, Lenny Letter, Lena talked about how she eventually had to have laparoscopic surgery to definitively diagnose her endometriosis. She revealed she was having monthly injections to stop her production of estrogen, which helped some.
"I am strong because of what I've dealt with," she wrote. "I am oddly fearless for a wimp with no upper-body strength. And I am no longer scared of my body. In fact, I listen to it when it speaks. I have no choice but to respect what it tells me, to respect the strength of its voice and the truth of my own."
Daisy Ridley
Star Wars star Daisy Ridley was diagnosed when she was 15, and while her pain subsided after many consultations and a laparoscopy, she felt the pain return after eight years. However, what took the biggest toll on her confidence was her skin.
“I've tried everything: products, antibiotics, more products, more antibiotics, and all that did was leave my body in a bit of a mess," she wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post, via Entertainment Weekly.
Only after cutting dairy and reducing her sugar intake did she begin to see results.
Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Union, who is now a mom to a daughter, Kaavia, with husband Dwyane Wade, has a specific type of endometriosis called adenomyosis, which is when the tissue that lines the uterine wall begins growing inside the muscular wall of the uterus.
During a BlogHer conference, she said: "Instead of diagnosing me, they were like, 'Oh you have periods that last nine or 10 days and you're bleeding through overnight pads … perhaps there's something more there.' Every doctor I saw was like, 'Let me put you on birth control.'"
Amy Schumer
Comedian Amy Schumer has always been open about her endometriosis and fertility struggles, including the surgery she had to finally bring an end to her symptoms. In 2021, she had her uterus and appendix removed due to the condition.
"The doctor found 30 spots of endometriosis that he removed. He removed my appendix because the endometriosis had attacked it," she shared at the time.
Emma Roberts
In an interview with Cosmopolitan, Emma Roberts revealed that it was a long road to find out that her "debilitating cramps and periods" were actually caused by endometriosis.
"I mentioned this to my doctor, who didn't look into it and sent me on my way because maybe I was being dramatic?" she said. "In my late 20s, I just had a feeling I needed to switch to a female doctor. It was the best decision. She ran tests, sent me to a specialist. Finally, there was validation that I wasn't being dramatic."
Chrissy Teigen
Chrissy Teigen kept fans on Instagram updated about her recovery when she underwent a surgery for endometriosis in 2021. "Usually I'm really good after [surgery]," she said at the time. "This one's a toughie. My whole belly got numbed. It's gonna be numb for like, a couple days. Couple of the next days, hopefully they'll stay that way."
Whoopi Goldberg
At the Blossom Ball in 2009 — a benefit to raise money for the charity EndoFound — Whoopi Goldberg spoke about her own experience with endometriosis.
"I had endometriosis 30 years ago," she said. "I was very, very lucky. I had an intelligent doctor who sort of knew what was going on and said, 'Here, take this stuff,' and he cleared it up. I was very lucky."
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