I'm only 20 years old, and I've met a lot of doctors. I've gone through many treatments and procedures, and I've had a lot of things done due to my complex medical history.
Ever since I can remember, probably when I first turned 13 or 14 and started menstruation, I’ve experienced a lot of symptoms and irregularities. And a lot of pain. I was severely anemic from menstruating; I’d get dizzy to the point of passing out. I think my body was deficient in every vitamin and nutrient it needed.
Yet the consistent response from the providers I had seen was, “This is normal.”
Already, at a very young age, I felt dismissed by the medical field.
I was 17 when I first saw Dr. Timmers. Because I experienced some trauma as a young adult, I was very uncomfortable with the whole process, getting an exam done and everything. My first impression of her? Amazing. We went over my symptoms, everything that was happening, and we just went from there.
I finally felt heard.
I immediately could tell how much Dr. Timmers cares for her patients. It’s just the way she is. Her empathy is so genuine, so obvious. I mean, that’s what I wanted to feel with every provider I saw. I wanted that to be the standard of care, to know that your provider was really trying to help you, really looking out for you.
I want to say it took from the beginning of the time I started seeing her to half a year down the road when we ended up scheduling laparoscopic surgery to find out if I had endometriosis. Endometriosis can be extremely difficult to diagnose because it cannot be seen on imaging. And, quite frankly, a lot of providers don't like doing the surgery. And they push other options. For me, it was birth control.
It was supposed to make me feel better, but then I was dealing with side effects like anxiety, depression, hormonal changes. You give up pieces of yourself to be on this medication. So I was upfront with Dr. Timmers, letting her know this was a path I did not want to go down again.
We decided on doing the surgery, which confirmed the presence of endometriosis. I was also dealing with other issues, including pelvic floor dysfunction and polycystic ovary syndrome. But following the surgery I was much better.
Unfortunately, over the past few months, I noticed my symptoms returning. That’s why I recently traveled to see Dr. Timmers in Appleton (I used to see her in Marshfield)—which is no big deal for me—because I don't trust anyone else with my care.
Look, I'm young and certainly haven't been through it all, but I've seen quite a lot in many years of trying to seek solutions for my health conditions. I know when I'm in front of Dr. Timmers that I can tell her absolutely everything and that we're going to address every single concern, every single time.
I know that we’ll find solutions together.
In the past, I felt I was dismissed for things that I know are true about my body, but I know what's happening in my body better than anyone else. And I'm done having someone try and dismiss me for the things I experience on a daily basis, because that's not fair to me.
Dr. Timmers has never done that. And if it wasn’t for her, I have no idea what my life would look like today.
I just want young women like myself to understand that you are not too young to have complex medical problems. And if you’re still suffering and haven’t gotten the answers you’re looking for, don’t be disheartened in your search for a resolution. There are options and answers for you.
You just need to make sure you are being heard.
