Dr. Ann Saffi Biasetti, a psychotherapist and embodiment specialist from Saratoga Springs, New York, has shared her experience of being dismissed by medical professionals for months after giving birth to twins, only to be diagnosed with Graves' disease.
Biasetti, who had struggled with infertility for years before conceiving her twin sons, described experiencing alarming physical symptoms within months of their birth. These included a racing heart, severe tremors in her hands, significant weight loss despite constant eating, and breathlessness after climbing stairs. Despite these issues, she says doctors repeatedly attributed her concerns to anxiety and stress related to new motherhood.
"Everyone thought it was motherhood," Biasetti told the Daily Mail. "When enough people tell you that nothing is wrong, you start questioning your own reality."
She recalls a particular night, around her sons' first birthday, when the pounding of her own heart became undeniable. This led her to insist on further testing, which finally confirmed a diagnosis of Graves' disease, an autoimmune condition causing an overactive thyroid gland.
"It was validating because I finally knew I wasn't imagining it," she said. "But I couldn't stop thinking about how long I had spent trying to convince people something was wrong."
Due to the advanced stage of her condition, Biasetti underwent radioactive iodine treatment, which required her to isolate from her infant sons for over a week due to radioactivity. This separation, she described, was one of the most painful parts of her experience, feeling like "so much had been stolen" from her.
Biasetti also recounted a later incident where she overheard a doctor referring to her as "a crazy one" after she challenged his treatment plan. This experience, she said, further eroded her confidence, but a supportive medical resident eventually helped stabilize her condition.
Years later, Biasetti was diagnosed with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), another autoimmune condition. These experiences led her to shift her perspective, viewing her body not as an adversary but as a system trying to communicate. This philosophy forms the basis of her forthcoming book, "Your Body Never Meant You Any Harm."
Now, Biasetti works with individuals recovering from trauma and body image issues, teaching them to reconnect with their bodies. She advises women whose symptoms are being dismissed to trust their own instincts and persist in seeking answers. "No one else was going to be my body's protector but me," she stated. "If you know something isn't right, keep asking questions until someone listens."