“I survived the worst. I got through to the other side.”

Seven years ago, during pregnancy, I developed gallstones and had to have my gallbladder removed as an emergency. At first, I thought the surgery would be the end of it. But just nine weeks later, the attacks returned. The pain was frighteningly familiar; it felt like gallbladder attacks despite no longer having a gallbladder. I found myself making repeated trips in ambulances, only to have normal blood results time and time again. Alongside the pain came extreme vomiting, leaving me unable to eat and, eventually, barely able to get out of bed. Over time, I lost six stone in weight.

My life became centred around pain, sickness and fear. I became so worried that eating would trigger another attack that I was eventually diagnosed with ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder). I became a shell of the person I used to be. I lost friends. My marriage was put under enormous strain, and I struggled to be the mum I wanted to be. This wasn’t just an illness affecting my body; it was taking over every part of my life. For 18 months, this happened every single day.

Finally getting an answer

After a six-week hospital stay, a gastroenterologist finally suggested that Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction (SOD) could be behind my symptoms. It was the first time I felt that someone might actually be looking in the right direction.  I was referred to an amazing consultant, and within three months of meeting them, I was having Botox treatment. For me, finally having a possible explanation for what I had been experiencing was a huge turning point.

Learning to live again

There hasn’t been a simple cure or an overnight transformation. Managing this condition still takes a huge amount of work, and my treatment involves a combination of medications, prescribed cannabis and Botox treatments every three months. But my life today is very different. I’m back working full-time, I’m studying for a university degree, and I’m living my life to the fullest that my body allows. Functional biliary disorder has changed my life, and not all of those changes have been for the better. I’ve had to learn my limits, make significant adjustments and accept that sometimes my body has different plans for me. But I’ve also learnt something incredibly important:

I survived the worst.

I got through to the other side.

If you’re struggling, you’re not alone

I know how frightening and lonely it can feel when you’re in pain, nobody seems to have the answers, and you don’t know how you’re going to get through another day. That’s why sharing our experiences matters. If you’re currently struggling with functional biliary disorder, I want you to know that there are people who understand. People who have been where you are. People who have had to find their own ways of coping, adapting and surviving.

I would love to support anyone who needs help navigating this condition and learning our warrior ways.

You are not alone. Keep going.