Giving birth is a monumental event. Whether your experience is full of euphoria, exhaustion, or a bit of both, everyone talks about the baby registry — but not enough people talk about what happens to you after delivery. Despite all the prenatal checklists and baby gear must-haves, postpartum recovery is one of the most overlooked aspects of childbirth preparation. Here’s what no one prepares you for after birth, and more importantly, how to get ahead of it.

1- You Might End Up in the ER After Birth:

One of the harshest realities many new parents face is the possibility of an unexpected postpartum emergency. From hemorrhaging and blood clots to intense pelvic pain and high blood pressure, complications can arise long after you’re discharged from the hospital. It’s essential to recognize that postpartum symptoms can shift quickly from normal to urgent.

How to Get Ahead:

• Learn what red flags to look for postpartum: heavy bleeding, chest pain, extreme swelling, high fever, or vision changes.
• Keep your postpartum paperwork handy and your doctor’s number saved in your phone.
• Don’t second-guess your instincts. If something feels off, seek medical attention.

2- Postpartum Bathroom Woes Are Real:

Going to the bathroom after birth can feel like a battlefield. Whether you had a vaginal birth or a C-section, the first few bowel movements can be painful or even terrifying. Constipation, hemorrhoids, and perineal soreness are common but rarely talked about.

How to Get Ahead:

• Start taking stool softeners right after delivery (ask your provider for a safe option).
• Stock up your postpartum bathroom on a peri bottle, witch hazel pads, and a sitz bath.
• Hydrate and eat fiber-rich meals to support digestion.

3- Postpartum Gas Is No Joke:

It’s not glamorous, but gas and bloating after birth can be incredibly uncomfortable, especially in the first few days postpartum. Trapped gas is especially common after a C-section but can affect anyone, thanks to the shift in abdominal organs and the slowing of digestion.

How to Get Ahead:

• Gentle movement, like walking, can help get things moving.
• Belly massage (clockwise motion) may offer some relief.
• Herbal teas like ginger or peppermint may help ease bloating.

4- You Won’t Feel Like Cooking:

Between feeding your baby, healing your body, and trying to sleep, cooking a meal may feel like climbing Everest. But your recovery depends on nourishing, healing foods—not cereal bars and coffee (though those have their place too!).

How to Get Ahead:

• Prepare frozen meals during pregnancy that you can reheat easily.
• Consider a postpartum meal delivery service that specializes in nutrient-rich, warming foods.
• Ask friends or family to contribute to a meal train instead of baby clothes.

5- Postpartum Recovery Takes Longer Than 6 Weeks:

While your 6-week postpartum checkup may mark the official “cleared” point, your body and mind may still be healing for months. Hormones continue to shift, muscles are rebuilding, and mental health can ebb and flow. The idea that you’ll “bounce back” by six weeks is a myth.

How to Get Ahead:

• Give yourself permission to rest and recover on your own timeline.
• Seek postpartum support from a doula, therapist, pelvic floor specialist, and craniosacral therapist.
• Set boundaries to protect your rest and emotional space.

Bio: Shari Stamps is a consultant, freelancer, podcaster, and the founder of Navigating Parenthood, where she combines her expertise in postpartum, lactation, myofunctional therapy & airway, oral ties, craniosacral therapy, maternal mental health, and sleep & wellbeing to offer integrative wellness sessions, courses, and digital downloads to expecting and postpartum families. As a mom of 6, she’s always learning something new. Join the journey via social at @navigatingparenthood.

Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune disease that affects mostly women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB). PBC harms the liver and, when left untreated, can lead to serious problems, such as cirrhosis and liver failure.

The good news is that treatments are available that may help reduce symptoms and slow the progression of the disease.

We reached out to Nancy Reau, M.D., associate director of solid organ transplantation and section chief of hepatology at Rush University Medical Center, to get the facts and tips for managing PBC.

This educational resource was created with support from Gilead.

US-UNBC-2765 06/25

July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.

As told to Shannon Shelton Miller

Four years ago, my husband found me lying in a fetal position on our bedroom floor, hysterical and in tears. I was having one of the worst depressive episodes I’d experienced in years.

After struggling for more than a decade, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder almost 20 years ago, and I thought I had everything figured out. I’m in therapy, taking my medications, practicing self-care and doing all the “mental wellness” steps we hear about. Life and work were going well, and my husband, kids and I were healthy. But for two weeks before that episode, I’d been fighting and clawing my way through the day when all I wanted to do was sink into the darkest, deepest hole.

 Pamela Price’s children during family weekend at Virginia Tech, 2022.

That breakdown led to one of the first real conversations my husband and I had about what it’s like to live in my head. It also made me even more adamant about wanting people to know what it’s like on this journey and to understand that we will have moments where we just won’t be OK.

The signs of my mental illness were already there when I was 13. My grandparents were raising me because my mom was struggling with drug addiction, and I barely knew my father who continues to battle alcohol addiction today.

My grandparents were very strict, and there wasn’t space to express how I felt about my mom disappearing for months at a time. I was angry, resentful and hopeless, and our family simply didn’t have the awareness or tools to properly express love, care or concern for me and what I was dealing with at such a young age. I was convinced that I would be better off dead, so without hesitation or regret, I took half a bottle of my granddad’s muscle relaxers.

My suicide attempt didn’t work, and I woke up in the hospital a week and a half later angry and upset that I was still alive, and I felt even more hopeless. To make matters worse, no one in my family asked me why I tried to kill myself or what was wrong. Once I got out of the hospital, I saw a seemingly unconcerned therapist twice, and the incident was never spoken of again. We were all expected to simply get back to our lives.

I felt even more alone and like nobody truly cared about me. I became adept at hiding my issues and started perfecting the many masks I would go on to wear throughout my mental health struggles. My goal became just to make it to 18 so I could join the military and get out of there.

In many ways, becoming part of the military was one of the best decisions of my life, but it still didn’t lead to me receiving help. Instead, I became even better at hiding my issues. When suicidal thoughts returned when I was in my 20s, I knew something had to change — by then, I was a mother and my daughter depended on me.

I saw an older doctor who simply said I’d had a rough childhood and was depressed. He didn’t give me a diagnosis, just an antidepressant prescription and sent me on my way. He was hyperfocused on the fact I grew up poor in low-income housing. But everyone around me was poor then, so I never had any sadness or depression about that. I often wondered if poverty was his focus because I was a Black woman, and if he would have asked more about what I was feeling and experiencing if I had not been a woman of color.

I continued to struggle and saw a therapist who diagnosed me with major depressive disorder. But something felt off because depression wasn’t what I struggled with most. I was bouncing between rage and irritability and feelings of euphoria. I didn’t want to go to sleep and sometimes I had paranoia and didn’t hear the world around me the way everyone else did. Sometimes I responded by lashing out in a way that was unsafe for those around me, including my family.

Once, when I was in my late 20s, I hurt my daughter. That was my wake-up call. I confided in a good friend, and she recommended her therapist who practiced with her psychiatrist husband. They put me through a battery of tests, which led to a diagnosis of bipolar I disorder with psychotic features.

Surprisingly, I was at peace with my diagnosis. It was the turning point that gave me a path forward. I was able to get on the right medications to address the disruptive mania and other symptoms, and I stayed in therapy with that practice. My manic and depressive episodes decreased in severity and I experienced them — and the voices in my head that had plagued me for so long — less frequently. Really good therapy and the right medication helped things not escalate to the point where I needed to be hospitalized or have my husband feel like he had to call someone for help.

Even so, the breakdown on my bedroom floor a few years ago was a reminder that I might still have these episodes even with the correct treatment and medication. I’m 45 now, and my therapist told me my depressive episodes could be more intense as I get older, so we’re open to making medication adjustments and increasing therapy sessions as needed.

  Pamela with her husband.

When I talk to my husband about what it’s like to live with bipolar disorder, I ask him to consider the physical pain he feels from his time in the military and imagine feeling that pain mentally — and he does his best to understand and support me. We also try to be proactive with our kids and ask them ‘How are you feeling?’ ‘How are you doing?’ ‘Do you want to talk about anything?’ Questions like those would’ve gone a long way for 13-year-old me.

My message today is about being mentally well, period, and learning how to be resilient emotionally and not come from a place of emotional deficit. Especially as Black women, we’re always trying to push through and say everything is “fine,” but we are being strangled by the very superhero capes that we put on to save others, when we may be the ones who need saving.

Yes, I’m a Black woman and I have bipolar disorder. But I’m also still a mom, a wife and a director of a nonprofit organization. I’m all of these amazing things, and bipolar disorder is just a part of my life. It’s my condition, not my identity.

Every Sept. 10, World Suicide Prevention Day, I sit in front of my camera phone and record a message to the girl who was adamant she didn’t want to be here. I remind her of how far we’ve come and how beautiful our life is. I’ve been doing that every year since 2018, and this year I’ll tell her that my oldest daughter is now a college graduate, pursuing a career as a licensed therapist, that our family is taking amazing vacations, and that I’ve been to almost all 50 states.

I tell 13-year-old Pam life turned out all right.

Have your own Real Women, Real Stories you want to share? Let us know.

Our Real Women, Real Stories are the authentic experiences of real-life women. The views, opinions and experiences shared in these stories are not endorsed by HealthyWomen and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of HealthyWomen.

When it comes to dessert, few things are as refreshing as ice cream pies made with real fruit. But what if we told you these indulgent treats could also help support your body in the fight against cancer?

5 Fruit Ice Cream Pie Recipes: Guilt-free Indulgence

These 5 fruit ice cream pie recipes are not only delicious and easy to make but also packed with cancer-fighting nutrients like antioxidants, fiber, and phytonutrients. Plus, they’re free from refined sugar and artificial ingredients.

Mango Coconut Ice Cream Pie (Vegan, Dairy-Free)

image source: https://worldlytreat.com/

Ingredients:

Crust:
1½ cups almonds or walnuts
1 cup dates (pitted)

Filling:

• 2 cups mango chunks
• 1 can full-fat coconut milk
• Juice of ½ lime
• 1 tbsp maple syrup (optional)

Directions:

• Blend crust ingredients and press into a pie pan. Freeze.
• Blend filling ingredients until smooth.
• Pour into crust and freeze for 4–6 hours.

Cancer-Fighting Benefits:

Mangoes are rich in beta-carotene and polyphenols with anti-tumor effects. Coconut milk provides lauric acid, which may inhibit cancer cell growth.

Source: National Library of Medicine – Polyphenols in Mango and Their Role in Cancer Prevention

Nutrition (per slice):
Calories: ~295 | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 30g | Fiber: 4g | Protein: 3g

Strawberry Yogurt Ice Cream Pie

image source: https://www.todaysnest.com/

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1½ cups rolled oats
• 3 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp coconut oil

Filling:

• 2 cups frozen strawberries
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp honey

Directions:

• Mix crust ingredients and press into a pie dish. Chill.
• Blend filling and spread into crust.
• Freeze 3–4 hours. Garnish with fresh strawberries.

Cancer-Fighting Benefits:

Strawberries contain ellagic acid, which inhibits cancer cell proliferation. Greek yogurt offers probiotics, linked to improved immune response.

Source: American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) – Foods That Fight Cancer: Berries

Nutrition (per slice):
Calories: ~260 | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 29g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: 7g

Banana Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie

image: https://www.crazyforcrust.com/

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1½ cups oat biscuits
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp coconut oil

Filling:

• 3 ripe bananas (frozen)
• 3 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Directions:

• Press crust mixture into pan and freeze.
• Blend filling and spread into crust.
• Freeze for 3–4 hours.

Cancer-Fighting Benefits:

Bananas are high in dopamine and resistant starch, which support gut health. Peanuts contain resveratrol, a plant compound with anti-cancer potential.

Source: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry – Health Benefits of Peanut Phytochemicals

Nutrition (per slice):
Calories: ~330 | Fat: 17g | Carbs: 32g | Fiber: 4g | Protein: 6g

Pineapple Mint Ice Cream Pie

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 cup cashews
• 1 cup dates
• 1 tbsp chia seeds

Filling:

• 2 cups frozen pineapple
• ½ banana
• ½ cup coconut milk
• Fresh mint leaves
• Juice of ½ lemon

Directions:

• Blend crust ingredients and press into pan.
• Blend filling ingredients until creamy.
• Pour into crust and freeze for 4–5 hours.

Cancer-Fighting Benefits:

Pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme with anti-inflammatory and tumor-fighting properties. Mint offers rosmarinic acid, known for its antioxidant action.

Source: MDPI – Bromelain in the Management and Prevention of Cancer

Nutrition (per slice):
Calories: ~270 | Fat: 12g | Carbs: 31g | Fiber: 4g | Protein: 3g

Berry Chia Ice Cream Pie

image: https://www.blissfulbasil.com/

Ingredients:
Crust:

• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 cup dates
• 2 tbsp chia seeds

Filling:

• 2 cups mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries)
• ½ banana
• ½ cup Greek yogurt or coconut cream
• 1 tbsp honey

Directions:

• Press crust mixture into dish and freeze.
• Blend filling and pour into crust.
• Freeze 4–6 hours. Garnish with fresh berries.

Cancer-Fighting Benefits:
Berries are packed with anthocyanins and flavonoids, which protect cells from oxidative stress. Chia seeds provide omega-3 fatty acids and lignans, both linked to lower cancer risk.

Source: Journal of Cancer Prevention – Role of Berries in Cancer Prevention

Nutrition (per slice):
Calories: ~280 | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 29g | Fiber: 5g | Protein: 5g

These fruit ice cream pies are more than just a cool treat—they’re a smart way to sneak in cancer-fighting nutrients while satisfying your sweet tooth. Whether you’re looking to support your immune system, protect your cells, or eat cleaner, these recipes make healthy living feel indulgent.

Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

English

Tal como se relató a Erica Rimlinger

“Estoy bien. Lo que pasa es que no comí suficiente cuando desayuné”, le dije al personal médico en la sala de emergencias. Me estaba preparando para salir del hospital. Mis colegas, expliqué, estaban siendo demasiado cautelosos cuando pidieron una ambulancia para mí. Les dijeron a los paramédicos que perdí el conocimiento y que me golpeé con el escritorio cuando caí. No recordaba eso, pero el moretón que se estaba formando en un lado de mi cuerpo era evidencia de lo que decían.

A pesar de eso, me daba vergüenza todo el alboroto y quería ir a casa, así que después de insistir me dejaron salir de la sala de emergencias. Soy abogada y puedo ser muy persuasiva. Sí, estaba cansada. ¿Qué madre que trabaja no lo está? Pensé que la menopausia, mi medicamento para las migrañas y falta de sueño estaban causando la dificultad para respirar que experimenté cuando subía por las escaleras o cuando cargaba mis esquís hasta el telesquí.

Esa noche, y los días y noches siguientes, me sentí mal en general. No podía describirlo: Era un malestar. Estaba agotada pero no podía dormir. Una noche a las 2 o 3 A.M., estaba cambiando de canales ansiosamente en la cama y empecé a ver un especial de comedia de Rosie O’Donnell.

Justo en ese momento, O’Donnell describía los síntomas de enfermedades cardiacas que padecen las mujeres. Recordé que el personal médico había sugerido que un problema cardiaco podía ser una de las muchas posibles causas de mi desmayo y que recomendaron que haga seguimiento con un cardiólogo. No creía que tenía un problema cardiaco porque tenía 48 años y cuidaba mi salud razonablemente, pero programé una cita con un cardiólogo de todas formas.

En esos momentos, en la televisión, O’Donnell listaba todos los síntomas específicos que yo tenía. ¿Dolor en la parte posterior del brazo o del cuello? Sí ¿Fatiga? Sí ¿Retención de líquidos en exceso? Miré mis tobillos y estaban hinchados. Sí ¿Sensación de miedo? Desde luego.

O’Donnell dijo, “si estás experimentando estos síntomas, ve al hospital ahora”. En esos momentos me preocupé. A las 5:15 A.M. desperté a mi esposo y fuimos a la sala de emergencias.

Esta vez, me quedé para que hagan una examinación completa. Todavía no conocía al cardiólogo con quién programé la cita pero él justo estaba ahí. Me diagnosticó una insuficiencia cardiaca total. No había bloqueos en mi corazón, pero solo estaba funcionando a entre el 5 y 10% de su capacidad. Dijo, “es como si su corazón no estuviese funcionando. No sabemos cómo sigue con vida”. Tuvieron que someterme a una cirugía cardiaca de emergencia para colocar un desfibrilador y un marcapasos.

Estaba conmocionada. No podía creer que estaba tan enferma. De hecho, mi cerebro que estaba privado de oxígeno resistía tanto estas noticias que le dije a mi esposo que el doctor nos estaba diciendo que podía tomar mi medicamento e ir a casa. ¡El doctor me tuvo que explicar mi situación tres veces e incluso tuvo que hacer un dibujo!

Mis cirujanos instalaron un desfibrilador y un marcapasos para que mi corazón emita latidos apropiadamente. Tuve que tomar un mes de descanso en el trabajo y cuando regresé lo hice con jornadas reducidas. Mientras mis doctores y yo identificamos las dosis correctas de mis medicamentos, pasé meses haciendo rehabilitación cardiaca, trabajando duro para recuperar mi salud tres veces a la semana con sesiones de dos horas por la mayor cantidad de tiempo posible siempre y cuando mi seguro pague esos servicios.

En esos momentos, tenía ansias de recuperarme completamente, pero recordándolo me gustaría haber sido más paciente. Además de la carga física de mi enfermedad, empecé a sentir una tristeza incontrolable. Afortunadamente, los cirujanos me advirtieron que eso era algo común después de cirugías cardiacas, así que los arrebatos aparentemente aleatorios de llanto no me sorprendieron completamente.

Con la combinación de dispositivos y medicamentos que suplementaban mi función cardiaca, sentí una enorme diferencia en mis niveles de energía en etapas tempranas de mi recuperación. Sentía que mi cerebro iba a mil por hora. Empecé a comprender completamente cuánto me demoraba en procesar información cuando estaba enferma. Casi inmediatamente disminuí 20 libras de peso por el agua que ya no estaba reteniendo, y un mes y medio después de mi cirugía, podía caminar tres millas en las noches con mi esposo. No había podido caminar tanto durante algún tiempo.

  2025

Comparto mi historia con otras mujeres porque mi vida la salvó alguien que contó lo que le pasó. Soy una persona educada y consciente, pero no reconocí los síntomas. Recuerdo cómo sobrellevé mi vida ajetreada, sintiéndome enferma pero sin analizar esa sensación y sin detenerme para adaptarme o cuestionarlo. Ahora, presto atención a mis instintos. Si siento que algo está mal, no lo ignoro. Hago que alguien lo evalúe.

Les digo a mujeres de mi edad que no descarten automáticamente la posibilidad de una enfermedad cardiaca. Si bien no consumía alcohol ni drogas, me enteré que el corazón puede deteriorarse de otras formas. Uno de mis doctores sugirió que mi enfermedad cardiaca pudo haber sido causada por una infección y mi genética.

Recientemente, mis doctores hablaron conmigo acerca de la posibilidad de remover el marcapasos. A veces, después de funcionar bien por un tiempo, el corazón puede empezar a enviar señales eléctricas correctamente otra vez por su propia cuenta. No sé todavía lo que me depara el futuro desde el punto de vista médico. Nunca quise convertirme en un símbolo de enfermedades cardiacas, pero si tan solo una mujer lee esto y reconoce su experiencia en mi historia, mi corazón se llenará de alegría.

Este recurso educativo se preparó con el apoyo de Novartis 

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Nuestras historias son experiencias auténticas de mujeres reales. HealthyWomen no avala los puntos de vista, opiniones y experiencias expresadas en estas historias y no reflejan necesariamente las políticas o posiciones oficiales de HealthyWomen.

Victoria Louise “Vicky” Fleetwood is a rugby union player and personal trainer. She represented England at the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup and the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Vicky played the majority of her early career at Hooker, but is equally as comfortable in the back-row. Career highlights to date, include winning the Rugby World Cup in 2014, a bronze medal in the 2018 Commonwealth Games as well as multiple 6 Nations and Tyrell’s Premier 15s Championships.

A level 3 personal trainer, Vicky has worked in some of the best gyms in London. Widely regarded as one of the fittest players around, her wealth of experience as an international athlete allows her to bring the same intensity to sessions with her clients. Rugby commitments sometimes mean that F2F services can be a challenge, but Vicky also offers online sessions alongside bespoke programming for clients.

Fleetwood made her England debut in 2011. She made six appearances in the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup, which England won. In 2017 she made three appearances for England at the Women’s Rugby World Cup, including in the final which England lost to New Zealand. After the 2017 World Cup, she switched to England 7s, competing for England in the 2018 Commonwealth Games; the team took the bronze medal.

She returned to 15s in 2019 as England won the 2019 Women’s Six Nations. She was injured out of the 2019 Women’s Rugby Super Series, but was named Player of the Match in the Quilter International match versus Italy later that year. Fleetwood was again part of the England team as they won the 2020 Women’s Six Nations.

Aged 14, Fleetwood began playing for Leicester Forest. She joined Lichfield aged 17 as part of the Under 18s squad, and later graduated to the senior’s team. She continued to play for Lichfield while attending university with teammate Emily Scarratt. She joined Saracens Women in 2014, then rejoined the team in 2020. Born in Hinckley in 1990, Fleetwood has a twin brother named Andrew. She was a junior hurdler and sprinter before switching to rugby.

She attended John Cleveland College and then Leeds Metropolitan University. Alongside rugby, Fleetwood is a successful personal trainer. In 2017 she appeared on the cover of Stylist magazine as part of a feature on the England Women’s Rugby team.

Women Fitness President Ms. Namita Nayyar catches up with Vicky Fleetwood, an exceptionally talented International Rugby Player, Fitness Personality and Motivational Speaker, here she talks about her fitness regime, and her story to success.

Namita Nayyar:

You were born in Hinckley in England. You have been playing was a junior hurdler and sprinter before switching to rugby since an early age. You were a junior hurdler and sprinter before switching to rugby. Later at the age of 14 years, you began playing for Leicester Forest. You joined Lichfield at age of 17 years as part of the Under 18s squad, and later graduated to the seniors team. This later propelled your career to the height where you have been at the top of the world as a women rugby player. Tell us more about your professional journey of exceptional hard work, tenacity, and endurance?

Vicky Fleetwood:

I wasn’t a naturally fit athlete. Coming from sprinting for years, anything further than a few hundred meters was hard work, so that was something I really dialed into when reaching the senior Women’s team. I never wanted to be bad at anything, so that was my biggest driver, not necessarily to be the best, but to not be the worst!

Namita Nayyar:

It is a dream for a rugby player to play in the Women’s Rugby World Cup. You made six appearances in the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup, which England won. Tell us more about this spectacular achievement of yours?

Vicky Fleetwood:

I was so lucky to experience this, and will be forever grateful. With sport, you’re always up against other athletes, staying fit and being at the top of your game. This isn’t always the case and you end up missing out on so many things throughout your career. Winning the World Cup was truly amazing, and something I’ll always be proud of.

Namita Nayyar:

You are the world-leading International Rugby Player, Fitness Personality and Motivational Speaker. How do you manage such a remarkable multi-dimensional lifestyle?

Vicky Fleetwood:

I’m now retired from rugby, but am still in the game coaching. I try to stay fit and healthy, and am now a keen cross fitter. The motivational speaking comes from experiences that I’ve had, and things I’ve learnt along the way that I can then educate others with.

Full Interview is Continued on Next Page

This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President of womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied, or hosted in part or full anywhere without express permission.

All Written Content Copyright © 2025 Women Fitness

Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

As told to Erica Rimlinger

“I’m fine. I just didn’t eat enough breakfast,” I told the medical staff in the emergency room. I was gearing up to walk out of the hospital. My co-workers, I explained, were being overly cautious by ordering the ambulance for me. They told the EMTs I passed out, fell and hit a desk on the way down. I didn’t remember that, but the developing bruise on my side testified to the truth of their account.

Still, I was embarrassed by all the fuss and wanted to go home, so I talked my way out of the ER. As an attorney, I am pretty good at arguing. Sure, I was tired. What working mom isn’t? I blamed menopause, my migraine medication and lack of sleep for the breathlessness I was experiencing walking up the stairs or carrying my skis to the ski lift.

That night, and the following days and nights, I felt generally bad. I couldn’t describe it: It was more of a malaise. I was exhausted but couldn’t sleep. One night at 2 or 3 a.m., I was restlessly flipping channels in bed when I stopped at a Rosie O’Donnell comedy special.

At that very moment, O’Donnell happened to be describing the symptoms of heart disease in women. I remembered the medical staff had suggested a heart problem as one of the many possible causes for my fainting and recommended I follow up with a cardiologist. I didn’t believe, as a reasonably health-conscious 48-year-old, I had a heart issue, but I made the cardiologist appointment anyway.

Now, on the television, O’Donnell was listing all the specific symptoms I’d been feeling. Pain in the back of the arm or the neck? Check. Fatigue? Check. Excess water gain? I looked at my ankles, which were swollen. Check. Feeling of dread? Absolutely.

O’Donnell said, “If you’re experiencing these, go to the hospital right now.” I was now worried. At 5:15 a.m. I woke up my husband, and we went to the ER.

This time, I stayed for a full exam. The cardiologist I’d made the appointment with but hadn’t seen yet happened to be there. He diagnosed me with complete heart failure. There were no blockages in my heart, but it was functioning at only 5%-10% capacity. He said, “You have virtually no heart function. We don’t know how you’re living.” I’d have to have emergency heart surgery to place a defibrillator and pacemaker.

I was shocked. I couldn’t believe I was that sick. In fact, my oxygen-starved brain was so resistant to this news, I told my husband the doctor was telling us I could get my medication and go home. The doctor had to explain my situation to me three times and even had to draw me a picture!

My surgeons installed a defibrillator and pacemaker to keep my heart beating properly. I had to take a month off work and returned part-time after that. While my doctors and I figured out my correct medication dosages, I spent months in cardiac rehab, working hard to regain my health three times a week for two hours at a time for as long as my insurance paid for it.

At the time, I was anxious to recover fully, but in hindsight I wish I’d been more patient. In addition to the physical toll of my illness, a wave of uncontrollable sadness hit me. Fortunately, my surgeons warned me this was a common occurrence after heart surgery, so I wasn’t completely caught off guard by my seemingly random outbursts of sobbing.

With the combination of the devices and medications helping my heart function again, I felt a huge difference in my energy levels early in my recovery. My brain felt like it was on steroids. I began to fully understand just how long it had been taking me to process information when I was sick. I almost immediately lost 20 pounds of water weight, and within a month and a half of my surgery, I could take three-mile evening walks with my husband. I hadn’t been able to make it that far for a while.

  2025

I share my story with other women because my own life was saved by somebody speaking out. I’m an educated, health-aware person, but I didn’t recognize the symptoms. I think back to how I’d powered through my busy life, feeling sick but not analyzing the feeling or stopping to accommodate or question it. Today, I listen to my instincts. When something feels off, I don’t ignore it. I get it checked out.

I tell women my age to not automatically rule out the possibility of heart disease. Although I wasn’t a drinker and didn’t take drugs, I learned the heart can get sick in other ways. One of my doctors suggested my heart disease may have been caused by an infection, helped along by my genetics.

Recently, my doctors have discussed with me the possibility of removing the pacemaker. Sometimes, after it’s functioning well for a while, the heart can start sending the correct electrical signals again on its own. I don’t know yet what my medical future holds. I never wanted to be the face of heart disease, but if just one woman reads this and recognizes her experience in my story, my heart will be happy.

This educational resource was created with support from Novartis.

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July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.

As a child and young adult, Stephanie Robertson appeared to be the ideal student. She earned near-perfect grades throughout high school and attended some of the nation’s top universities. By her mid-20s, she’d graduated from law school and was beginning her career with a New York City law firm.

Internally, however, Robertson fought to keep it all together. She found it difficult to fit in with peers and classmates and struggled with managing fixed schedules and routines. She hyperfixated on specific topics before losing interest, a pattern that made it tough for her to remain focused in some classes and on the job.

While Robertson could channel the racing thoughts in her head into her schoolwork as a child, those coping strategies stopped working as an adult. She struggled to maintain jobs and pay her bills. For a period of time, she began drinking heavily to stifle the endless thoughts running through her mind and the overwhelming sense of frustration she felt about her life.

In 2009, a therapist suggested she might have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Robertson dismissed the idea because she’d never met a Black person, let alone a Black woman, with ADHD. For another 13 years, she’d see multiple doctors and experience just as many incorrect diagnoses before getting an official ADHD diagnosis in 2023.

Robertson knows if she had more examples of Black people with ADHD, she might have identified her own symptoms and sought help earlier. That’s why she joined the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) as director of mental health equity innovation to help address disparities in mental healthcare.

“When I was diagnosed with ADHD, I went through this period of feeling so excited that everything started to click and make sense,” Robertson said. “Knowing and being able to understand the reasons for these things makes a huge difference.”