At the moment I am in the middle of my first ever uni finals. So I'm pretty stressed and stress, chronic pain and me don't go very well together. Last week it was the flu, today it's a migraine and stomach issues. I can't even drink water without feeling sick, and as a POTS patient that's pretty bad as ther are two thing I need to eat, salt and water. Currently I've got some rice cooking and hopefully I'll be able to stomach that! I can't wait until exams are over!
Day 2 of the chronic illness challenge: how have these illnesses affected my life?
Well when I first started getting migraines I was virtually incapacitated. I couldn't more, couldn't work, didn't go to school and when I did I spent the day in the sick bay, I spent all my time crying and wanting answers. Eventually, after attending a pain clinic and then months later a neurologist I managed to finish high school and get into my preferred course, occupational therapy. Hypermobility and chronic pain has taught me the importance of pacing, to enjoy every moment when I can, to try not to be scared of the future. My chronic conditions, even my allergies affect every aspect on my life. From physically not being able to go out to places, for fear of allergies or inaccessibility, to serious emotional/psychological reasons. I've always had to be strong because of my severe allergies, but I don't think someone is strong. It's not the right word. No one person is stronger than another. Some people just have to deal with more than others. I'm not strong. I don't have a choice. In fact I'm probably more fragile than most, I just have to get over it and have managed to hide it better.
So I missed a couple of days of the challenge so I'll answer them now.
Day 3: How did you get a diagnosis?
Answer? I didn't. I was diagnosed with allergies when I was 5 months old, but I never really thought of how it affected my until I started getting migraines. It took over a year to get a diagnosis of chronic migraines, vestibular migraines and daily headaches. Somehow, no one thought to actually diagnosis me with these things, that are that hard to diagnosis until I saw a neurologist. Then I broke my elbow, and of course it took 6 weeks to find out it was broken. It didn't show up on the x-ray, I had to have a MRI. The surgeon said that it was a tiny brake that shouldn't even be causing as much pain as it was and should heal fast. Ha! He was so wrong! With my hip, I haven't been diagnosed yet. They don't even know what I really did to it to end up in hospital and in this much pain. My physio has said that it is most likely Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Type Hypermobility and is even treating it that way, but it's really hard to get a diagnosis when you are not a child. So I'm still waiting...
So I missed a couple of days of the challenge so I'll answer them now.
Day 3: How did you get a diagnosis?
Answer? I didn't. I was diagnosed with allergies when I was 5 months old, but I never really thought of how it affected my until I started getting migraines. It took over a year to get a diagnosis of chronic migraines, vestibular migraines and daily headaches. Somehow, no one thought to actually diagnosis me with these things, that are that hard to diagnosis until I saw a neurologist. Then I broke my elbow, and of course it took 6 weeks to find out it was broken. It didn't show up on the x-ray, I had to have a MRI. The surgeon said that it was a tiny brake that shouldn't even be causing as much pain as it was and should heal fast. Ha! He was so wrong! With my hip, I haven't been diagnosed yet. They don't even know what I really did to it to end up in hospital and in this much pain. My physio has said that it is most likely Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Type Hypermobility and is even treating it that way, but it's really hard to get a diagnosis when you are not a child. So I'm still waiting...
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