I have been dealing with unexplained knee pains since 2021 and it worsen eventually till the point that I had to be on crutches. In a span of a couple of weeks, my wrists and fingers started to hurt a lot as well to the point where opening doors, lifting a cup, or squeezing toothpaste became a daily challenge.

I had visited several doctors between 2021 and 2022 – An orthopaedic, neurologist, and a rheumatologist – but after running MRI scans and various blood works, they couldn’t explain why I was suffering from these pains. The rheumatologist prescribed me a drug to treat nerve pain, but unbeknownst to me, that drug was also used to treat depression by raising serotonin levels in the body. As I was not suffering medically from depression, my serotonin levels were not low and I started experiencing serotonin syndrome, where my serotonin levels spiked and I started throwing up, experiencing rapid heartbeats, and was in an altered state of anxiety. Midway to the A&E, I felt my extremities going numb, one after another, and minutes from reaching the hospital, I couldn’t breathe! I thought I was going to pass out and I prayed to God to save me.

During this period, I look to God and experienced a lot of comfort. I prayed, confessed my sins and sought his healing. With the right physiotherapist and my psychologist friend, I got better. Today, I am no longer using a wheelchair and only need a compression knee guard to help me walk easier. The pain in my wrists is gone and when I recall my experience, I feel mentally stronger to have gone through it. All praise and glory to our God, our Healer and Deliverer!

Melissa Chow

“Look, God is my deliverer! I will trust in him and not fear. For the LORD gives me strength and protects me; he has become my deliverer.” (Isaiah 12:2)