My Health Journey

When I was little more than sixteen years old, I felt confident that there was an ease with which others experienced their lives that I did not. I seemed to be missing the most crucial last step in how to get through life. As I grew up, I hope that this would fall into place when I would attend University. It did not take long for my hope to fade.

From the ages of seventeen to twenty-three, I experience a continuous bout of ill-health. Fatigue, migraines, low blood pressure, and widespread joint pain – my college career felt far from what dreams were made of.

Initially, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTs). It was with these two diagnoses that I finished college, unsure if I would ever be ‘whole’. It was not until I had struggled through an entire year of working full-time that a consultant noted how my joints moved, sent me for further testing, and diagnosed me with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) Hypermobility Type. I felt tremendously relieved with this, as I knew in my heart that fibromyalgia did not feel quite ‘right’ for me, whilst my POTs symptoms were undeniable.

Currently, I work full-time along with studying for my second master’s degree. I manage my EDS through a relatively strict fitness/physiotherapy programme. Through a predominantly whole-foods, plant-based diet my POTs symptoms have all but disappeared, flaring occasionally due to hormones. This past year, I was also diagnosed with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) for which I occasionally use a steroid inhaler.

All in all, my health is an ongoing consideration for me, but no longer a constant, minute-by-minute concern. My days no longer feel filled with the urge to get myself out of bed, until to feel as though the entirety of earth’s gravity is perched onto my joints. I live well, I get tired, I laugh with friends, I work toward my goals, all within the context of my health. Just like anyone else, my life is multi-faceted.

For archived posts regarding my mental health journey, check out my blog. For further discussion on my health, I recommend checking out my YouTube channel, where I speak more about all things EDS and POTs.

Written: August 2021