“I haven’t had a relationship since I was diagnosed four years ago at the age of 36.

I think my biggest fear is that I simply don’t have the capacity to invest in a relationship! I work part time and that along with family and church is the most I can consistently manage.

I don’t have enough of a social life to meet somebody and even online dating needs a lot of investment of time and energy. 

I also worry about who or what I would even attract with my limitations, including not being able to have children.

I have a sense that the lifestyle I am able to live means I won’t ever be attractive or a good match for the kind of person I would want to be with. 

I think they would be signing up for a boring lifestyle more suited to a retired couple – including sex life – when, as a female just hitting 40s, the expectation would be something far more interesting! 

I don’t know if it’s just the PH, or weight gain due to change of lifestyle, but I definitely don’t feel confident in how I look, or how fun I am to be around. I feel unattractive both physically and in terms of my lifestyle.”

Claire’s name has been changed to protect anonymity