Let's talk money...: The Cost of Endo

In a drop🩸 : We've spoken about the contraceptive burden (emotional, physical, and financial) being placed on women in this newsletter. However, the financial burden related to women's health goes beyond contraception.

We don't (in my humble opinion) talk enough about the financial burden of the gender health gap. 

And since this is the closing newsletter of endometriosis awareness month, we'll be focusing on the cost of endo. But this is relevant to many women's health conditions, and even women's health non-conditions, like menopause (?!). 

Okay, so let's - for a second - put aside the physical pain you go through when you have endo... And the emotional pain of trying to get diagnosed and be seen. (which is already a big ass aside)

To focus on the cost of endo: 

There are direct costs:

🩸pain killers

🩸doctor's visits 

🩸private health insurance (which is often necessary to get surgery, unfortunately...) 

🩸physical therapy

🩸fertility treatments

But there are also indirect costs: 

🩸days off work 

🩸career shifts (due to endo - see last week's  newsletter on this) 

🩸alternative treatments

🩸mental health support

and many more...

These ADD UP. Big time.

And yet, somehow, we’re expected to just suck it up and carry on.

We pay out of pocket for treatments that should be standard. We lose income because workplaces aren’t built for chronic illness. We drain our savings trying to feel like a functioning human. And when we ask for better care? We get told that not enough research exists (which is rich, considering we figured out Viagra funding in record time).

This isn’t just an endo issue. It’s a women’s health issue. From menopause to PCOS to severe period pain, the financial burden of health conditions that primarily affect women is ignored, minimized, or flat-out dismissed. And we’re the ones left footing the bill.

So where do we go from here? (now that my mini - yet very valid - rant is over)

We talk about it. We demand better. We educate ourselves and the people around us. We push for research, funding, and policies that acknowledge the real cost of these conditions. And in the meantime, we support each other—because until the system changes, we are the best resource we have.

If you’ve felt the financial burden of endo—or any other women’s health condition—hit reply and share your story.  

The more we talk, the harder we are to ignore.

It's been a pleasure to shine a spotlight on endo this month. We've received such beautiful messages and thank you's from our podcasts, social media, and guide. So THANK YOU for choosing to educate yourselves and supporting those with endo in so doing as well!