Ebony Dowdell, 19, began visiting doctors when she was just 12, due to the fact she was ‘ill all the time’
A young woman who endures periods lasting up to four months was finally diagnosed with endometriosis after seven years of being dismissed and told it was “all in [her] head”. Ebony Dowdell, 19, first sought medical help at the age of 12 due to feeling “ill all the time” and experiencing “really painful, heavy periods”, which led to her being put on contraceptive pills.
After grappling with mental health issues linked to various contraceptive pills, she was even referred for a psychological assessment following claims that “it’s all in my head”. It took seven long years of enduring symptoms before she was referred to a gynaecologist and diagnosed with endometriosis through a laparoscopy procedure.
Now, she is attempting to raise £5,000 towards a private £12,500 surgery to remove more of her endometriosis as she continues to suffer from pain – after being denied further treatment on the NHS on the grounds of being “too young”. Ebony, a one-to-one learning support assistant hailing from Southampton, Hampshire, said: “I’ve also always had pain, especially in my stomach at the beginning. The pain is awful. I get shivers all over my body. My body goes into shock and my blood pressure drops.
“They just said it was bad periods. Everybody goes through it. You’re fine. They brushed me away.
“I had really heavy painful periods. I didn’t stop bleeding for four months. They said they can’t do anything because I was young.”
Ebony, who was put on the pill at just 12 years old, faced a harrowing journey with her health that led to detrimental effects on her mental well-being. She recounted her ordeal: “They said I’m not allowed to be seen by anybody until I’ve been on every single pill and every form of contraceptive.”
After rejecting further pills, she was referred for a psychological assessment as doctors suggested “it’s all in my head”.
Describing her symptoms, Ebony said: “I was constantly bleeding. I used to get really bad bouts of vomiting. I still have days where I can’t walk on my legs. Pain radiates all over lower stomach to legs – it’s a shooting pain.”
Her pleas for help were persistent, as she wrote to her doctor’s surgery: “I need to be seen. Something is not right. I cannot live like this.”
Finally, after seven years, a gynaecologist diagnosed her with endometriosis via a laparoscopy in July 2024. Reflecting on the diagnosis, she expressed mixed feelings: “I was delighted that I had it right and I had finally been diagnosed and knew what it was. But I also have a chronic illness and it’s not going to get better. Unless you’ve had it or you’ve witnessed someone with it you don’t really understand the toll that it takes.”
Ebony, after enduring months of deteriorating health post-surgery, revealed her ordeal of repeated A&E visits since September 2024, including a 15-hour wait, only to be sent home with a dismissive “deal with it”. Frustrated by the lack of specialist care for her condition through the NHS due to her age, Ebony expressed: “The effect that it has on my life is insane. I’m 19 years old and I can’t live. I haven’t once been seen by a specialist through the NHS, I’ve always been brushed away.”
It wasn’t until November 2024 that Ebony sought help from a private endometriosis specialist who confirmed the presence of the disease behind her uterus and other complications.
Overwhelmed by finally feeling heard, she said: “After the first appointment I said ‘you’re going to be the one to treat me because you’re listening to me’. I’m just so happy to finally be listened to. This isn’t something that people should just have to live with. It ruins people’s lives.”
Now faced with the high cost of necessary excision surgery, Ebony is battling to raise £12,500, partly through GoFundMe and personal savings, despite the treatment’s availability on the NHS in nearby hospitals which refuse to treat her. She disclosed her heartbreak: “It is heartbreaking that the hospitals near me offer it under the NHS, but they won’t treat me for it. I know that’s the case for a lot of people, especially if you’re young.
“I’m just hoping not to be in as much pain every day. I’m hoping to get my life back and not have to be looked after. The people around me are so supportive, I couldn’t ask for anything better, but I feel like such a burden to people all the time. I’m excited to live a normal young person’s life without having to worry about being ill all the time.”
