"But you don't look sick" (The truth about autoimmune disease)

Autoimmune diseases are the most misunderstood diseases around. This is because most of the time people battling such illness look perfectly fine on the outside. Some of the most common types of autoimmune diseases are: rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, celiac disease, Type 1 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. 

According to www.healthline.com, the reason people look perfectly fine on the outside is because autoimmune disease is a disease in which the body's immune system attacks healthy cells. Now clearly the body is confused because it's job is to fight for you against foreign cells, but "in autoimmune disease, the immune system mistakes part of your body, like your joints or skin as foreign". Your body releases autoantibodies and they attack your healthy cells.

People suffering from autoimmune disease are often misunderstood and looked at funny. This is because those around them don't take the time to learn more about them and what they are dealing with. They figure, you look fine to them and so they believe you are fine. Futhermore; people think if you're sick then you can't enjoy life. You can't feel good today and be totally out of commission tomorrow, but the truth is you can. From one day to the next, you don't know how things will go. 

The first time my body was attacked, I was about fifteen years old. I was having trouble swallowing and felt like I had a huge knot in my throat. My grandmother checked me for mumps but said that wasn't it because I would have had two lumps in my throat, not just one. I would have a hard time eating, I could barely swallow and it often felt like I was being stabbed in my throat. I was eventually checked out and my school clinic diagnosed me with hyperthyroidism. I had no clue what that meant. I was so young and I simply wanted to be a kid. I struggled with walking up stairs, lost weight quickly and could barely pursue my passion for dance. I was placed on medication, my hair sometimes fell out and let's not talk about my patchy skin.

After dealing with the thyroid problem, around age nineteen, I found myself having headaches, thinking I was going blind and worried. Going to get contacts for the first time and only needing a new prescription because of that, turned into my eye doctor diagnosing me with papilledema which was increased pressure in/around my brain that caused my optic nerve to swell. He called us in and told my god mother to get me to the emergency room immediately. It was found to be true and I was suffering from pseudotumor cerebri. The symptoms I had mimicked a brain tumor but to God be the glory, there was no tumor present and they caught it before I went blind. 

By the time I was twenty-two, after having an unwanted break thrown into teaching dance, I became very ill. It's like the moment I stopped moving, the moment I stopped dancing, my body was completely under attack. My joints ached so badly that I could hardly move. It started in my ankles and worked it's way up every joint in my body. At the time we had no idea that I was battling the autoimmune disease respectfully known as Rheumatoid arthritis. 

My god mother had taken me back and forth to the hospital but all they did was give me pain meds and send me home. We all know how it is when you are uninsured in America. If you can't pay, you can't stay. In this time I lost about 25-30lbs and doped up on painkillers daily just so I could make it to work and to school. I also suffered from extreme fatigue and still do because of my RA. One day it hit me so hard. I was so young and so sick. I became depressed about it for a while, but then I decided to fight. It was either fight for my life, or die young. 

I began researching my symptoms and figured I was either suffering from lupus, arthritis, or fibromyalgia. I began to try natural things, change my diet, and drink more water. I even drank "Elations Joint Juice" to restore chondroitin and glucosamine. My primary care physician was determined to help me, even though I was uninsured which was truly a blessing. She finally had me diagnosed and the winner was a very high rheumatoid factor. By this time I was twenty-five and insured. Once diagnosed, I had nursed myself back to decent health and chose to refuse the treatment plan Rush offered. I wasn't up for being on so many different medications, especially when I wasn't nearly as sick as I had been in previous years. 

Today, I continue to battle autoimmune disease but not as someone who is helpless or hopeless. Some days are tough and I can't do and go like I want to, while other days I'm a dancing machine and the life of the party. I try so hard to take care of myself because without good health you can't live your best life. It is important to eliminate processed and canned foods, eat more foods with omega 3 in them, drink lots of water (I'm working on that) and alleviate stress. I have recently given acupuncture a try and am also trying the all natural vitamin turmeric.

I know people on the outside looking in don't really get it, but if you know someone who deals with autoimmune disease, try asking questions or doing some research so that you may gain a better understanding of your friend or loved one. You'll find that they aren't putting you off just because and may even be able to help them through their complex journeys. 

Much love, 

Unwrittentruths32