1.
Some of us took test after test, waiting so long to get a diagnosis.
2.
Before we got diagnosed, it was hard to describe how we felt, and a lot of doctors didn't think to test for autoimmune disorders.
3.
We have to have a lot of patience when explaining our condition, since tons of people never heard of our disease before.
4.
And people will still look at us as if we made it up.
5.
There are a ton of different autoimmune diseases, and they share a lot of the same symptoms.
6.
But long story short: Our bodies are in a civil war with themselves.
7.
And for a lot of us, "tired" is pretty much our main state of being.
8.
Not to mention all the other symptoms you can be faced with: chronic pain, rashes, fevers — a seemingly endless list.
9.
We can feel great one week and horrible the next.
10.
And when we do feel great, it's the best feeling in the world.
11.
We constantly play a game of "maybe this could work" when it comes to medicine.
12.
Dealing with the physical side effects that come with meds can be one of the most difficult things imaginable.
13.
As well as the mental side effects.
14.
You kind of want to punch anyone who tries to recommend something like "exercise more!" as a treatment.
15.
We miss out on a lot in life.
16.
Because for some of us, our illness is something we'll have for the rest of our lives.
17.
But hearing about other people going through the same thing can make us feel not so alone.
18.
And having people ask us questions before immediately jumping to conclusions makes us very, very happy.
For more information on autoimmune diseases, you can head to the website of the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc.
