In depth: My experiences with a long term condition
"I'd like to see much more joined-up care for complex conditions, particularly people with multiple chronic conditions. Because my suspicion is I've only got one condition. And all the others are just symptoms of it."
"I've also been a carer while suffering from endometriosis, which was an interesting experience. I couldn't feel more like at the bottom of a run if I tried: trying to look after someone else while also being in a lot of pain."
"When you suffer with a rare condition, and a chronic condition, you do become an expert... there does seem to be a lack of wanting to accept that amongst the medical profession here in Wales."
"I started suffering with depression because my quality of life was so low. I saw multiple GPs over several months that year. None of them took my pain seriously. "
"I had an MRI in August last year that found a cyst. I realised it's an obstruction and that there will be a major issue. So I was placed as a priority at that time. When they officially told me in October, it took them from August to October to tell me...read more
"With endometriosis, you know that so many women suffer from it. And the amount of work hours that people miss, you know, being in hospital on a monthly basis is by no means fun. And you don't want to be there. But it's the only way that you can physically...read more
"I knew when I ovulated because it felt like my actual stomach had exploded. But they still made out that it was all in my head. After a year of doing this, they got me onto antidepressants. They convinced me that I was depressed when actually I was in chronic pain and trying to...read more
"I stepped away from accessing support because that particular consultant was so hard with me. He told me if I carried on going the way I was going, I'd end up with bladder parts removed... just stepped away because I was young, I was seen as anxious. I was seen as a bother, you...read more
"The doctors and the “experts”, you know, you go into a doctor's surgery and you say 'I need help with something' and they just kind of shove you off in a completely different direction. I've spent years and years and years trying to get diagnosed with this disease. And it took...read more
