Not "Just Bad Cramps”: Jess Packman’s Endometriosis Story

In honour of Endometriosis Awareness Month, we’re joined by Jess Packman—Ottawa-based hairstylist and funny-girl —who shares her deeply personal journey with this often-misunderstood disease.From her very first painful period to years of unanswered questions, delayed diagnosis, fertility struggles, and ultimately the difficult(ish) decision to undergo a hysterectomy, Jess speaks candidly about what it’s really like to live with endometriosis. This is the side of medicine you won’t find in textbooks—the uncertainty, the grief, the resilience, and the strength it takes to keep advocating for yourself when your pain is dismissed. Raw, honest, and—true to Jess—often funny, this conversation is a powerful reminder that endometriosis is not “just bad cramps,” but a life-altering condition that deserves recognition, research, and better care.Listen in to Jess’s story—and to the reality so many women live every day.