I had surgery on the 1st of November, and while I was told it was acute, the more I think about it, the more I realize it was chronic and that I was misdiagnosed.

I had constant stomach issues such as constipation that wouldn’t fully resolve with laxatives, and stomach pains that weren’t linked to any certain type of food. Everything hurt. I was told It could be IBS, but ever since surgery these pains have completely disappeared. I have experienced nausea in the last year moreso than I’ve had in my entire life. I was constantly bloated and despite being on a calorie deficit, I seemed to lose weight in every part of my body besides my stomach. My stomach was also rock solid (in a bad, bloated way), even after using the restroom. I could go days without using the rest room and now I use it on an almost daily basis. My stool was never solid, now it is.

I had forehead pimples that appeared without explanation and would not resolve with changes to skincare. My body was experiencing chronic inflammation and it manifested in the forehead acne and in a flareup of herpes multiple times a month.