Six doctors. That’s what it took for someone to finally listen to me.
For five years, I was going from appointment to appointment, getting tested, trying new medications, and still getting no real answers. It was exhausting. At some point, I started to feel like maybe I was the problem, like maybe my pain wasn’t “that bad” or wasn’t being taken seriously.
Then I met my interventional radiologist, and everything changed.
From that very first appointment, I could tell it was different. He actually listened to me. Not just my symptoms, but me. And that same day, I got a diagnosis I’ll never forget: pseudotumor cerebri.
Hearing that name was scary, I’m not even going to lie. But at the same time, I felt this huge sense of relief. After years of migraines and tinnitus, I finally had an answer. I wasn’t crazy. I wasn’t exaggerating. There was a real reason for everything I had been feeling.
Before that moment, the loneliness was real. Even though my family was there, it still felt like no one truly understood what I was going through. And when doctors don’t get it either, it makes you start questioning yourself. That feeling can be just as heavy as the physical pain.
But being heard changed everything for me.
After receiving the River stent, my life looks completely different now. I don’t deal with migraines the way I used to. I’ve been able to graduate from college with my bachelor’s degree in Biology, and I can go out, have fun, and just live without constantly worrying about pain or taking medication all the time.
I finally feel like myself again, and I don’t take that for granted.
If you’re reading this and you’re still searching for answers, please don’t give up. I know it’s frustrating. I know it’s tiring. But your answers are out there.
Trust yourself. You know your body better than anyone.
Find a doctor who actually listens to you, even if it takes more than one, or six like me. And in the meantime, be kind to yourself. Rest when you need to. Do what you can.
Your relief is coming. Don’t stop now.
