A woman with stage four endometriosis says her painful cramps feel like “contractions” – and claims she was dismissed for five years for being “dramatic”.

Mathilde Barker, 20, first experienced back pains while dancing aged 15, a few years after starting her period.

At first, she says she was told the pain was a muscle strain but after undergoing physiotherapy over the years there was no improvement.

As well as severe muscle pain, she experienced cramps which felt like contractions, a loss of appetite, light-headedness, dizziness and nausea around her time of month.

For five years, Mathilde went back and forth to doctors but claims she was told her pain was “normal” for a woman and even sent for cognitive behaviour therapy for medical anxiety.

(Credit: SWNS)