This Is What It’s Like To Have An ‘Invisible’ Autoimmune Disease

As told to Carina Storrs Jody Quinn, 58, was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis 13 years ago. Symptoms of the autoimmune disease appeared gradually; at first, she only experienced pain in her wrist and elbow. As a result, her friends had trouble understanding what she was going through. But by becoming her own advocate, Quinn has helped educate those close to her about the painful disease. I was first diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis in 2003, when I was in my mid-40s. But looking back, I suspect I had the disease for about 10 years before that. It was a long road to get my diagnosis. At first, the pain was confined to my wrist and elbows, so doctors assumed I had repetitive stress injuries. They recommended modifications to my daily routine, such as using an ergonomic keyboard. Once I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, I found that many people weren’t familiar with the disease. And when people can’t see the effects of a condition, they tend to assume that it isn’t serious. Once I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, I found that many people weren’t familiar with the disease. And when people can’t see the effects of a condition, they tend to assume that it isn’t serious. RELATED: 9 Things People With Psoriatic Arthritis Want You to Know I had trouble relating to friends and family Everyone seemed to have advice to offer. People would tell me that I could cure my psoriatic arthritis by losing weight, cutting gluten out of my diet, or mak...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news