Anyone else who's under 25 with chronic illnesses?
Chronic illnesses are hard to deal with anyway, but I feel there's an extra difficulty when you're younger because of people's perceptions. They assume you're capable of more because you look fine. Some of you who use wheelchairs may get more hate from the public or if you have a blue badge. I also feel like my future has been shut down already; what I wanted to achieve may not be possible or it is achievable, but a lot harder, so it can have an impact on your mental health sometimes. I think there's a prejudice for those young people who may apply for a disability benefit too.
So I just wanted some people under 25 with health conditions to share their stories and how they feel their younger age affects them when living with a condition.
@MythologicalMayhem I
@rationalWillow5379
We are glad you are here. We do have chats rooms, and there is an entire section devoted to teens. I hope you meet lots of people to chat with!
Hello! I'm Amanda and I got rheumatoid arthritis. A kind of illness that effects my joints, and almost all of them. Don't know if it's "bad" enough?
@EvilRegalsReadToo
Yes! You count! Your suffering matters just as much as anyone else's! Glad you are here and I hope you enjoy meeting others and getting support. We have a disability forum on the teen side as well.
I don't know why I said that because you did not say you were a teen. My apologies.
Hi @RubberDasies !
I'm 16 with hEDS which essentially makes all the collagen in my body super weak. This in turn causes super unstable, loose, painful joints. Gives me almost the exact same symptoms as POTS, just with a slightly different cause. Causes me to have blood pressure that plummets or skyrockets whenever it pleases which causes constant flight or fight. The constant FoF makes me have a bad digestive system, dosen't let me sleep well, and give me anxiety.
The worst thing is that because it's an "invisible" disability, people, particularly those who are older, write my symptoms off as an excuse or something made up. This particularly applies to the joint pain.
So I completely understand what you mean! (This might sound bad but...) I'm really glad someone else out there experiences, and understands how I feel.
P.S. I apologize for the wall of text. I got very into it while writing.
@WorriedWolf yess queen HEDS squad in the building. I feel your pain it's terrible because most people don't believe what they cant see so my pain isn't there. Anyway hope you are doing well
@Littiedo2
It's especially annoying because people don't understand the that same thing that causes joint pain can cause GI issues and also anxiety.
@WorriedWolf yeah! People dont understand that it's a tissue disorder. That means pretty much any tissue in your body is affected. Like i break bones super easy because of the same reason my joints are always in pain
Im 15 and recently got diagnosed with POTS (basically my nervous system is messed up and doesnt get the blood to my head so my heart beat faster idk if i explained that right sorry im very tired) and im already not a socail person but now i barely ever see anyone my age and its sooooo icolating I really just want to go back to being able to live my life again it feels like my future has been taken away (im a dancer) doesnt help my mother refuses to let me take medication...
@Spacegay04 hey I
Under 25 and I've got a solid handful of chronic illnesses.
💮 Celiac disease (and DH)
💮 Dysautonomia
💮 Arthritis
💮 Mild/moderate lung damage
💮 Possible EDS (currently a differential diagnosis)
It's stressful being in college and having to battle my body, while also having to battle people who don't believe me...
@delicatdreamer16 If you need listener or just someone to talk to, you can text me.😊
@delicatdreamer16 I am understand that. I was a former D1 football player and a car accident left me pretty messed up. Im glad to have both my legs after that accident and honestly to be alive still. Going to school can be difficult because I do not sleep well with all the plates screws and rods in my body. I know last night I got about 2 hours of sleep because of the pain and didnt focus or perform well in any of my classes today. If you ever wanna talk Im open and I get what youre going through
@delicatdreamer16
Hi, I'm a listener and I have chronic mental and physical illnesses.
I have:
-Schizophrenia
-Depression
-GAD
-PTSD
-Muscular Dystrophy (either Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy or Tibial Muscular Dystrophy)
-PCOS
You're not alone! If you need to talk to someone, I'm here.
@involuntaristua
I admire your courage in helping others when you also need alot of help...... I know of a healer that I can guarantee you that she would be able to cure at least two of your ailments my sister is a living proof. Let me know if you are interested. Much love X
@delicatdreamer16
I feel your pain.... You're not alone, I'm sending all the love and support from over here.
I know of a healer, a very powerful woman who can cure at least two of your ailments if not all, my sister is a living witness of her power and I assure you of your health being restored. Let me know if you are interested
I am 15 and I have heart disease I was born with it and I get such terrible pain in my chest I scream in pain in class and people are scared of me. I am in and out of the doctors constantly and my heart could decide it doesn
Hello everyone. Id really appreciate if you would take the time to read my story. I wonder if anyone has been through the same and if youve learnt something after this (and if so please do tell).
Im a 21 year old male. About 6 years ago I remember being bothered by strange symptoms. I would wake up and feel...disgusting. I would feel drugged and fatigued. This would last the entire day. I couldnt think clearly anymore, my memory got worse and I felt it affected my performance in school. This feeling was constant. I kept pushing myself through high school hoping this thing would go away but it didnt. I saw doctors and had basic blood work done to check for the most common things. As the years passed by and I entered university I could no longer just push myself and try to ignore how I feel. The workload was more now, so I couldnt just push myself and get by as I had done in school.
4 years since I started university, I havent even finished my degree, Ive completed half of it and failed course after course several times as I was too fatigued to do anything at all, I wouldnt read for weeks. Throughout this period I saw doctor after doctor thinking something had to show up as my main troubles were the physical symptoms. The symptoms are constant fatigue and desire to rest, feeling drugged and zombie-like, constant strong tingling all over body, IBS-like symptoms, constant body pain all over. 2-3 years ago I also started having difficulty fully feeling emotions, sort of numb feeling that is constantly there now, like Im too fatigued to even feel emotions. I also find I dont have the energy to really care about things the way I used too, as the fatigue has seemed to intensify.
The only abnormalities were an elevated rheumatoid factor which was extremely high (624) and a mildly elevated IgM. Nothing has been found, after an extreme number of doctor appointments and test after test. I saw a psychologist and he said my test score indicated severe depression, but at the same time he said he doesnt think Im depressed as I complain mostly of physical symptoms and I still do feel optimistic and am motivated to do things and I do feel happy from time to time. He also said he hasnt had any depressed patients with a similar picture. Yet the plan now is to try pain medication and antidepressants as nothing helps, not even exercise helps that much (helps for about one hour but then the symptoms are back).
So Im left a bit confused and wondering if depression can present itself in this way? Maybe I was depressed all this time but didnt know it? Does anyone have a similar experience?
@Wanonymous
I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when I was 22; what you describe reminds me of some of my symptoms Ive had since middle school. I was not diagnosed until I temporarily lost feeling in my face and subsequently got an MRI and then spinal tap.
Not saying this is what you have, but it might be worthwhile to ask your doctor about the possibility of some type of immune disorder.
Hi, Im sorry to hear that so many people are struggling. Im 19 years old and I have been struggling with back pain and neuropathic pain-like symptoms in my arms and legs for the past two years. Its taken a while to get treatment as its come on quite gradually and because I was diagnosed with anorexia last year, with the pain thought to be a consequence of that which would get better if I got to a healthier weight. Im currently repeating my last year of A levels after being in treatment for my ED and pain is making it very hard to get through each day and concentrate on studying. Im hoping Ill be able to find out whats causing it soon...is there anyone else struggling to manage chronic pain and studying?
@lintilla it's so overwhelming to maintain studies when you have chronic pain. It's like you're either too sore or tired to do the school work, or when you do feel better the last thing you truly want to do is school work. On good days, all you want to do it the things you enjoy while you still feel well enough to truly enjoy them.
I'm 18 with POTS, EDS, and fibromyalgia.
I've had three surgeries. One to remove a benign tumor, and two in attempts to relieve my chronic headaches.
I was on homebound status for three years of high school and I've lost nearly all my friends due to my chronic pain. I just barely, by the grace of a truly caring teacher, managed to graduate high school on time. But now the struggle of balancing a part-time job and college has arrived.
Not to mention, I've just gained custody of two children, a 2 year old and a 6 month old.