'I had to take a week off work every month': Miss Great Britain Zara Holland reveals her years of suffering with the painful condition endometriosis

Now Miss Holland, 21, from Hull, crowned Miss GB last year, is fronting a campaign to raise awareness of the condition, which can also cause pain during sex, as well as fertility problems. 

The 21-year-old went to the doctor but only got the right diagnosis two years later. There she was given a laparoscopy, where a tiny camera is inserted through a small incision in the abdomen, which confirmed she had endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a common condition where tissue that behaves like the lining of the womb (the endometrium) is found outside the womb. 'My GP said it was just bad periods and to try different contraceptive pills, but I knew this couldn't be "normal",' she said. 

Thankfully, doctors were able to give Miss Holland, from Hull, East Yorkshire, laser treatment, which burns away endometrial scar tissue.

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