Personal Stories: “I’ve Been Branded a Hypochondriac So Many Times”

In a powerful piece published by The Irish Times on July 13, 2025, writer Lisa Tierney-Keogh shares the raw truth of living with endometriosis—a disease that affects an estimated 1 in 10 women. But for Lisa, the real pain wasn’t just the physical suffering—it was the decades-long silence, disbelief, and dismissal by the healthcare system.

“With all the health problems I’ve endured since childhood, I’ve been branded a hypochondriac so many times… I was gaslit into believing that my body was fine—but that I, Lisa, was the problem.”

Lisa describes how, despite agonizing symptoms—pain that radiated to her back, legs, shoulders, and even her diaphragm—she spent nearly 30 years without a diagnosis. Even after her first surgery, she was told “there was just one spot” of endometriosis. But the pain came back worse than ever.

“I couldn’t walk more than 15 minutes. I couldn’t sleep. I was told by one doctor that I ‘think I’m in constant pain.’ That’s when I knew I was in trouble.”

Her story is not unique. For many women, that diagnosis delay comes with job loss, infertility, financial strain, and psychological trauma. This story is about Lisa's experience in Ireland, but this story is common in every country including the US. Average times for diagnosis are very similar in the US, and we still do not have excision specialists in every state. Treatment also can come with a very high price tag because often insurance does not cover the costs of surgery or treatments like Pelvic Floor PT that are shown to give some relief.

A quick summary of Lisa's story:

1. A Burden Hidden in Plain Sight

• Endometriosis affects about 1 in 10 Women individuals globally—and many suspect it’s even more common—yet in Ireland the average diagnosis delay is 8–10 years. The author, Lisa Tierney‑Keogh, waited an astonishing 28 years for confirmation

• The NHS classifies it among the top 20 most painful conditions, yet research funding and clinical resources remain deeply inadequate

2. A Life of Unbearable Pain—And Distrust

• Symptoms extend far beyond pelvic cramps: they include “leg and back pain, shoulder pain, fertility issues, painful bowel issues, headaches, brain fog, chronic fatigue, shortness of breath…”

• As a child and teen, Lisa was repeatedly dismissed:

  “With all the health problems I've endured since childhood, I've been branded a hypochondriac so many times, been gaslit into believing…my body was fine, but I, Lisa, was the problem.”

3. Diagnosis and the Broken System

• The path to diagnosis is nearly always surgical (laparoscopy), but Ireland’s system is crippled by understaffed clinics and long OR waitlists

• Even when undergoing surgery in early 2020, Lisa was told only “one spot of endometriosis” was found and ablated—but the disease returned with a vengeance

4. Pain Ignored—or Gaslit

After surgery, Lisa's pain intensified drastically. She couldn’t walk more than 15 minutes or sleep through the night, yet medical communication described her as thinking she’s in constant pain

“When I’m cc’d on a letter that includes the sentence, ‘She thinks she’s in constant pain,’ I realise I’m in trouble.”

— Lisa Tierney‑Keogh

Read Lisa's full story from the Irish Times by clicking the link below:
“Life with endometriosis: I've been branded a hypochondriac so many times” – The Irish Times