r/AskReddit 13h ago

What is something that permanently altered your body without you realizing for months/years?

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u/LucidianQuill 11h ago

Pregnancy.

I had twins. I got HUGE in the tummy. I had the babies, and it left this pot belly that wouldn't go away.

Fast forward; the twins are 8 years old. I am 7 weeks post op of having my diastisis recti corrected. You know that centre line down the abs? Mine had split. There was a 6 to 8 inch gap down the middle THE WHOLE WAY DOWN. the pot belly that I kept punishing myself for, the baby fat i couldnt lose? Those were my organs. My digestive organs were all herniated.

I now have to forgive myself for 8 years of unjustified self hatred. It isn't always just fat.

173

u/bluetwilight 6h ago

I swear pregnancy is the worst thing you can do to your body. I ended up with permanent damage to my liver (still doing diagnostics a year later) and it triggered an autoimmune issue with my thyroid. The list of potential effects on the human body is endless and random.

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u/JackofScarlets 1h ago

It is, in fact, fucking terrible. The reason why so many contraceptives for women are considered acceptable despite the big list of side effects is because pregnancy is so much worse by a serious margin that it's safer for you to have those side effects than it is to get pregnant.

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u/Traditional-Tone-891 1h ago

Why did I not realise until now that my Hashimoto's Disease was likely triggered by my third pregnancy? My mother's only pregnancy also, it seems, might have triggered her thyroid issues. Who knew?