14 years ago, I was in my 20s.
It started with bloating and stomach pain that would wake me from sleep. Smelly gas. Undigested food in my stool. I felt cold; I needed two coats in the middle of summer. My hair was falling out like an animal shedding. We went to the doctor.
Ran some tests.
He found H. pylori and gave me antibiotics and antidepressants
I remember crying, saying:
“What if I have cancer? My sister died at 17 from it. My whole family had cancer.”
My husband tried to convince me to take the meds… But I couldn’t. I was breastfeeding, and I knew it would harm both my baby and me.
But my symptoms didn’t stop there.
I was breastfeeding my baby… and it felt like the milk was pulling minerals straight out from my bones.
My teeth started to hurt. My joints couldn’t hold me, and I weighed only 54kg. I’d count sheep all night, and still only sleep 30 minutes.
I was snapping at my oldest child… Then I cried right after because I didn’t mean it. I was just too tired.
We traveled to Dubai to seek more help.
But the doctors there just said: “You’re young.” “You’re fine.” “It’s just stress. You gave birth alone, that’s why.”