It’s endometriosis awareness month, so let’s talk about the gut vs gynaecology loop that so many of us find ourselves stuck in. When you live with chronic pain in the pelvic or abdominal area, getting a clear diagnosis can feel like a game of ping-pong between specialists. I have spoken to so many people who were told it was just a bad period, only for it to be inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). I have also know plenty who were told they had ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn’s disease, when the root cause was actually endometriosis. Then there’s the fact that a diagnosis of one increases the chances of you being diagnosed with the other…🤯

I was diagnosed with UC in 2007, but my journey through the healthcare system taught me very quickly that pain does not always stay in its lane. The diagnostic overlap between these conditions is huge, yet we often find ourselves caught in the space between departments while our symptoms are dismissed.

The reality of the diagnostic crossover

We need to bridge the gap between gastroenterology and gynaecology (and all the other departments, actually) so that patients are not left falling through the cracks or being told it’s all in their head. Medical gaslighting thrives in this space. We need a lot more joined-up thinking and far fewer dismissive IBS labels when there is something deeper going on.

The link between these two conditions is not just anecdotal; it’s backed by significant research. A nationwide Danish cohort study found that women with endometriosis have an approximately 50% increased risk of developing IBD compared to the general population. For those whose endometriosis has been surgically verified, that risk increases to 80%.

Furthermore, while endometriosis is often thought of as a purely reproductive issue, it frequently involves the digestive system. It is estimated that between 5% and 12% of cases involve the bowel. Perhaps even more telling is that roughly 90% of people living with endometriosis suffer from some form of gastrointestinal symptom. When these symptoms coexist, the diagnostic challenge becomes even greater, as one condition can easily masquerade as the other.

Beyond the clinical symptoms

The mental toll of being stuck in a diagnostic loop is exhausting. When you are repeatedly told that your pain is “functional” or “just part of being a woman,” you start to lose trust in your own body. This constant state of uncertainty keeps your nervous system in a permanent fight-or-flight state. Staying in this high-alert state has a physical cost. It makes it much harder for your body to regulate its immune response and keep inflammation in check. When your system is preoccupied with a perceived threat, it simply doesn’t have the resources to heal effectively.

It is not just about finding the right medication or surgery; it’s about being heard. When specialists work in isolation rather than together, the patient is the one who carries the mental toll of coordinating their own care while feeling physically unwell.

Finding a way forward

We need a healthcare model that looks at the whole person, not just an individual organ. Whether you’re living with IBD, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, arthritis, or any other chronic condition, you deserve a team that talks to each other.

If you have found yourself caught between departments, please know that you are not alone. You are the expert on your own body, even when the system makes you feel otherwise.

Have you ever struggled to get a clear answer on where your pain was actually coming from?