At 21, Liam Kotecha’s life looked settled. He was studying dentistry in Madrid, training for a career he had worked towards since his teenage years. He had moved countries, built routines, and imagined a future that felt clear.

Then Covid arrived and nothing went back to normal.

After recovering from the virus, Liam expected his body to bounce back. Instead, it began to fail him in ways no scan or blood test could explain. “The fatigue was crushing. Pain spread throughout my body. My balance faltered, and my hands weakened. Simple things like walking, carrying groceries, and opening a water bottle became difficult for me,” said Liam.

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Liam felt that everything was fine and he would be over this condition soon, but inside, everything was breaking down in his life.

What started as exhaustion soon became a daily struggle for Liam. He slept for hours but woke up unrefreshed. His legs went numb, and brain fog made it hard to think clearly.

The moment he realised something was truly wrong didn’t come in a hospital. It came on the floor of his apartment when his body simply refused to do what it always had. “I remember thinking, I am only 20. Why does my body feel 80?”

Over the next 18 months, Liam saw 17 specialists across Madrid and Dubai. Most tests came back normal. Some doctors suggested stress. Others called it 'long Covid' and told him to wait it out. One neurologist dismissed his symptoms within minutes. 

“It felt like I was invisible. Like my pain didn’t count because it couldn’t be seen,” said Liam.

Eventually, he received a diagnosis, and it was fibromyalgia — a chronic condition marked by widespread pain, fatigue, and neurological symptoms. For many patients, especially young adults, it is often misunderstood or brushed aside. 

The diagnosis brought mixed emotions. “I was relieved, finally, after knowing the name of the disease, and was in constant fear when I was told the condition was incurable.”

By 22, Liam faced a heartbreaking reality. His symptoms made it impossible to continue dental training. He struggled to hold instruments, stand for long hours, and keep up with lab work. Four years into his degree, with just two years left, he walked away.

“It felt like grieving a life I had already planned,” he said.

“The loss wasn’t just academic, it was personal for me,” said Liam, adding that he was cancelling plans, leaving gatherings early, and worrying about being seen as lazy or dramatic.

But stepping away from dentistry slowly became a turning point. Searching for answers beyond short appointments and prescriptions, Liam turned to nutrition and naturopathic medicine.

He learned that healing wasn’t fast. It took months of changing how he ate, moved, rested, and lived. He removed foods that inflamed his gut. He stopped pushing his body past its limits. Yoga, reformer Pilates, stress reduction, and consistent sleep became part of his routine. “I didn’t wake up cured. But I started getting my life back,” said Liam. 

Today, at the age of 26, he is in his final year studying nutritional therapy and naturopathy. He uses his social media platforms to speak about chronic illness, post-viral fatigue, gut health, and mental wellbeing. Through wellness talks, community events, and online education, he connects with thousands of young adults who tell him the same thing that they are tired, unwell, and not being taken seriously.

Since Covid, he believes more young people are quietly struggling, pushing through symptoms, doubting themselves, and feeling dismissed.

And for all of them, his message is simple. “Healing doesn’t always mean being symptom-free. Sometimes, it means learning how to live well again with patience, support, and the right care,” said Liam.

“I couldn’t become the dentist I once planned to be,” said Liam. “But I found a different way to help people. And that makes the journey mean something.”

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