One woman's fight to be diagnosed with endometriosis
Report by ITV Wales reporter Alexandra Hartley
It's thought to affect 1 in 10 women. But campaigners say in Wales there's an average wait time of more than 9 years for diagnosis and treatment of the womb disorder, endometriosis.
Grace Woolford, from Ruthin, has been fighting for her own diagnosis for many years.
She first started experiencing symptoms at the age of 19.
"The cramps are so severe", she told ITV News.
"It radiates into your legs, into your back and it feels like you're being stabbed with knives. It's just awful".
The monthly pain affects many aspects of Grace's life, from missing university to not being able to work. It's also affected her mental health.
"At times it feels like torture and you feel so alone. You can't expect other people to understand the pain you go through.
"A couple of years ago I ended up in A&E as the pain was so severe. I couldn't keep any food down. The doctor there said it could be endometriosis."
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a medical condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places, such as the ovaries or fallopian tubes.
Symptoms include pain in your lower tummy or back that gets worse during your period, pain during or after sex, and pain when going to the toilet.
There's currently no cure for the condition, although some treatments can help to ease the symptoms.
After five years of fighting, Grace is finally on the waiting list for surgery.
She hopes speaking out will lead to greater awareness, and faster treatment and diagnosis for others.
"Many women probably, especially young girls, feel embarrassed to go to their GPs to discuss this kind of thing.
"I think it's probably a lot more prevalent than 1 in 10 women because there's so many people that go without a diagnosis.
"This isn't just a bad period pain - this is life altering pain".