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TEMOIGNAGES
Doctor (Rouen, France)

Sabine, 39 years old

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I had been taking combination birth control pills since I was 16 for acne and I continued to self-prescribe them. I didn’t have the time to see a gynecologist because I worked too much and had kids to take care of. I didn’t have any significant medical history, apart from a family history of migraines, and a few headaches. I did smoke a bit, two to five cigarettes per day. Last year, the day before summer vacation, I woke up and had trouble talking and I couldn’t move my arm. My husband called 911 and in the emergency department, an MRI confirmed I’d had a small stroke. I was really lucky because I recovered fully in a few weeks, but it could have been much worse. I learned that migraines combined with tobacco use and estrogen-progestin pills put women at risk for stroke. Tell everyone you know about this so that other women can avoid what happened to me.

 

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Mathilde, 28 years old

“I’ve had a heart problem since I was three months old. When I got pregnant last year, I knew things wouldn’t go like they do for other women. My cardiologist informed me of several things. First, my child would come early because my delivery had to be by c-section due to the condition of my [...]

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Katia, 55 years old

Lille, France

September 2019: I left my home after domestic violence. I filed a complaint with police and started divorce proceedings. My first shock. March 2020: COVID-19 arrived and I was locked down alone in my apartment and new town, Le Havre. Being furloughed for three months threw me into a state of complete [...]

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Martine, 61 years old

Primary care doctor (Colmar, France)

I’m 61 and I love outdoor sports, the mountains and nature. Even my bout with breast cancer 30 years ago couldn’t knock me out of the game. Instead, it helped me heal. In 2017, during a period of enormous chronic stress due to family and professional commitments, I suddenly felt pain in my chest [...]

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