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Long term health conditions >> Women 19-23 >> Katie - Interview 23 >> At university because people are looking after themselves you hear more about others living with a medical condition. Students are mainly understandin

Katie was diagnosed with chronic eczema at the age of 11 but her eczema began to get worse in her teen years. She has had lots of different treatments for her eczema and has learned from experience what works and has improved her symptoms. She said that sleep is important as well as drinking plenty of filtered water.

Long term health conditions >> Women 16-18 >> Mica - Interview 16 >> She used to feel different when she could not join in activities because of her sickle cell. However people do tend to be kind and helpful towards her

Mica has lived with sickle cell anemia since birth. Her Mum and her brother also have the condition. Her mother has played an important role in helping Mica and her brother to develop a positive attittude towards having sickle cell anaemia. Mica says that she now feels in control of her condition.

Long term health conditions >> Women 19-23 >> Lynsey - Interview 14 >> Felt that previous boyfriends were a bit negative about her CF but her husband - who has a niece with CF - has been very accepting and supportive.

Lynsey was diagnosed with Cystic fibrosis at birth and says that her parents and now her husband are most supportive. She and her husband would love to have a child and they have discussed all the implications involved in such a decision.

Long term health conditions >> Women 24+ >> Lara - Interview 03 >> After she had a seizure while having sex with her boyfriend she talked and reassured him that seizures during sex are very uncommon.

Lara was diagnosed with myoclonic juvenile epilepsy when she was 17 years old. She became depressed and lost her confidence after diagnosis but she wasn't offered counselling. Her nurse has provided her with lots of support. Nowadays she jokes about her epilepsy giving it derogatory names and says that it is one way of coping with it. She has no problem in telling others about her epilepsy.

Publication date: October 2007 Last updated: February 2012

Review date: February 2014

Various long-term health conditions can occur in young people. We interviewed 30 young people about their experiences of different chronic illnesses. Select from the key topics below, choose from the full list of topics on the right hand side of this page, or explore all the interviews by clicking on people's stories below.

Sophie says: “I've had a good weekend despite my lungs not feeling too good. My boyfriend's training to climb Mount Kilimanjaro so we have been hiking!”
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full list of topics

Diagnosis & learning more :

Physical problems, med's & managing your condition :

Life style :

What makes a good doctor and transition issues :

Living with it :

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Advice to others :