17 Problems Only People With Autoimmune Diseases Understand

Dedicated to the 50 million people in the United States with autoimmune diseases. #fightforimmunity

Posted on October 04, 2014, 21:31 GMT

Catherine T

Community Contributor

1. The hardest part is explaining your disease.

Because there are so many! Lupus, Crohn's, MS, arthritis, the list goes on and on.

2. And spending all that time in bed or at the hospital means you get to know yourself like, REALLY well.

3. When you first got sick, your doctors probably thought you were faking it.

4. Even though you knew that you weren't, due to the incredible amount of pain you were in.

Also known as your "Doctors are all f*cking morons" phase.

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5. When you finally got diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, you first wanted to tell all the doctors who didn't believe you.

NO, I WAS NOT FAKING IT. WHICH I TOLD YOU, REPEATEDLY.

6. The struggle to fight exhaustion is real.

OK, today I'm going to get out of bed and....oh wait. Nope. That's all I'm doing.

7. Trying to exert yourself via any form of strenuous exercise?

8. Sometimes it's hard to follow your doctor's advice on dietary restrictions.

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9. But you're not perfect, so there are cheat days.

10. Which you immediately regret.

There's a reason why you have those restrictions in the first place.

11. Flare ups can come on pretty quickly.

12. So making plans with your friends can be tough.

SO. MUCH. #FOMO.

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13. In fact, even when your disease is under control, you're always prepared for things to change.

14. Stress is particularly bad for your disease.

15. So you've learned how to pull yourself together, even in the toughest of times.

16. And even though sometimes you feel down...

17. ...in the end, your disease has made you a better and more unique person.

a.k.a #Fabulous

So haters to left, cause there are 50 million of us, and we're here to stay!

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