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What’s your experience with functional medicine?

As defined by the Institute for Functional Medicine, this approach to health is based in systems biology and focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease — from inflammation to vitamin deficiencies. It takes into account one’s genes, environment, and lifestyle (including stress management, nutrition, and movement), but it also blends conventional medicine with more “traditional” or complementary practices and approaches.

In the most simplistic terms, functional medicine treats a patient as a whole person as opposed to dissecting one’s health organ by organ, symptom by symptom.

I’m about to see a functional medicine doctor for the first time after my rheumatologist “dismissed” me from her care after diagnosing me with lupus less than a year ago. (To be clear: I absolutely love her, but her hands are a bit “tied” when it comes to insurance approving the next tier of meds, and I have a dangerous history of medication side effects.)

And like many of you in this community, I’ve had a lot of triggering experiences across the spectrum of holistic practitioners (I once saw someone who wanted me to stop all of my medications cold turkey with absolutely no tapering plan). One of the biggest cons to seeing a functional medicine provider is cost, as it’s entirely out-of-pocket and not covered by my insurance. On the other hand, they’ve been incredibly thorough, validating, kind, and responsive. I still can’t get over the fact that when I call their office, they always answer and help me immediately. (No voicemail? No repeated attempts to communicate via the patient portal?) I’m cautiously hopeful that they’ll help me move in a better direction — I don’t have a ton to lose at this point.

I’d love to hear any tips, advice, or general experiences with functional medicine. What have you tried? What’s worked? What happened?

🤓 P.S. I have found this website to be super helpful when doing my research: www.ifm.org

#Spoonie #Lupus #Migraine #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #RareDisease #CheckInWithMe #Fibromyalgia #AutoimmuneDisease #Undiagnosed #Caregiving #Cancer

The Institute for Functional Medicine

Information and educational seminars and conferences on functional medicine.
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Update After Seeing My Doctor

I went to see my new rheumatologist today. She said my blood work was consistent, but the pain and swelling seemed like arthritis. She didn’t have any answers for me though. I know it’s never “too early” for joint pain/arthritis, but it’s not fair. I know life isn’t fair, but I wanted an answer for my hands. I hope everyone is doing well 💜
#Undiagnosed #CheckInWithMe #ChronicPain #AutoimmuneDisease #MightyTogether

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My spouse is the only adult person in my physical life that understands and helps me in regards to my illness and limitations. After years of needing help and being more dependent on him, I have developed anxiety over the possibility of losing him. What wouId I do if I no longer had him in my life? How would I take care of me and my kids?

(Thank you all for being a community where I can be open and share things like this without bad judgment.)

#ChronicIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicPain #Disability #Family #Parenting

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Sometimes, pain is not temporary

For years, I’ve heard people say that pain is always temporary, and I’ve struggled to understand it because for me it’s really not. Maybe, when one has some help for what is causing the pain, then it can be more temporary. But I don’t have that help, so my symptoms and pain are constant and permanent until I do. ~

I do everything I can to try to manage the pain, but none of those things are treating the cause of it. Doctors are the only ones who have access to and can prescribe what can treat the cause of my pain. My potential relief is completely dependent on them. For years now, my pain has not been temporary even though treatments do exist. ~~

Anyone having a similar experience?

#ChronicIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #AnkylosingSpondylitis #ChronicPain

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99 reactions 33 comments
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Searching for good doctors

Does anyone know of a rheumatologist that is good at treating rheumatological and autoimmune conditions specifically in women?

#Lupus #AutoimmuneDisease #Rheumatology

Poll

36% ●
True, I feel like my doctor actively listens to me.
24% ●
False, my concerns are often overlooked.
40% ●
Both, my doctor listens but doesn’t do much to help.
105 votes
105 votes10 reactions2 comments
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Looking for suggestions on where to go next

Hi! I’m 27 years old and have been struggling medically from the time I was 5. At 7 I was diagnosed with Crohn’s, but since have been told “you don’t have any active colitis” or “we can see something wrong in your bloodwork but can’t identify it”. I have been to GI, hematology, ENT, derm (horrible skin rashes and HS diagnosis), asthma and allergy, nephrology, and nowwwww rheumatology. My rheumatologist has done work ups and landed on “fibromyalgia” and chronic systemic chrons disease. I have symptoms such as intense stomach pain from time to time, Reynolds, anemia, chronic inflammation, constant nausea, intense fatigue and in the past few years Ive developed severe joint pain at my shoulders neck and hips. I’ve started humira but I feel like it makes me worse and sick for 2-3 days, I feel great for 3-4 days, then have to do another injection. It sucks.

So….. I’m here to ask you, what else can I do? I’m looking into getting a genomic sequencing study done and traveling to the Mayo Clinic or John Hopkins for another opinion. Does anyone have any suggestions for genetic doctors (I live in the Boston area but willing to travel anywhere at this point)? And does anyone have any recommendations for who to go to first, immunology at a large institution like Mayo Clinic or genetics clinic? I’m overwhelmed. Any advice would help!!!!

#Undiagnosed #AutoimmuneDisease #Fibromyalgia #CrohnsDisease #RheumatoidArthritis #InflammatoryBowelDiseaseIBD

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What’s your most challenging autoimmune symptom to manage?

Autoimmune diseases can be tricky to navigate, especially when it comes to managing the consistently fluctuating or unpredictable symptoms they bring. (Don’t even get us started on how hard they can be to diagnose, too!)

In addition, some symptoms (or all of them, honestly) can heavily impact your productivity, mental health, and life as a whole.

What autoimmune symptoms do you find most challenging to manage and regulate? (Butterfly rash? Temperature regulation? Joint pain? Inflammation?)

📖 What to read more of what other Mighty members have mentioned? Check out this Mighty article by @erin-migdol here: The 23 Worst Symptoms of Autoimmune Disease We Don't Talk Ab...

#AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #MentalHealth #CheckInWithMe #Disability #RareDisease #ChronicFatigue #Migraine #Insomnia #Fibromyalgia #HashimotosThyroiditis #GravesDisease #RheumatoidArthritis #Lupus #MultipleSclerosis #DiabetesType2
#Psoriasis #SjogrensSyndrome

The 23 Worst Symptoms of Autoimmune Disease We Don't Talk About (and How to Cope)

"It can feel very isolating..."
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