Learn important ulcerative colitis facts, including symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment options, and lifestyle tips to support better gut health and improve quality of life.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ulcerative-colitis-facts-you-should-know-better-gut-health-arya-jain-31bpc

#UlcerativeColitis #GutHealth #DigestiveHealth #IBD #InflammatoryBowelDisease #ColonHealth #HealthyGut #GutCare #ChronicIllnessAwareness #HealthEducation

Looking Back: 30 Years of Shame and Finally Understanding My Experience

I’ve lived with this illness for over 30 years, and for most of that time I was ashamed of it.

Doctors kept telling me it was all in my head.

They said I was depressed, anxious, or that I just didn’t want to work hard enough. They usually prescribed antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications, claiming these drugs would fix me. While the medication may have helped my emotional state somewhat, it did nothing to fix the physical symptoms.

Thankfully, I eventually stopped letting them gaslight me into taking more and different medications.

Every time I tried to explain how my body would completely crash after doing normal things, I was met with skepticism or pity.

So I started doubting myself.

I felt weak.
I felt crazy.
I carried a lot of shame for something I couldn’t control.

The fatigue and exhaustion that comes with this illness is crushing.

It’s not normal tiredness. It’s a deep, heavy exhaustion that sleep doesn’t fix. Even the smallest activities can leave me completely wiped out for days.

My sleep tracker consistently shows that I get adequate deep sleep and REM sleep, yet I still wake up exhausted. That helped me understand something important:

The problem isn’t simply how much I sleep.

It’s that my dysautonomia prevents the sleep from being restorative.

In the early years, the emotional side of it felt a lot like PMS — that same sudden emotional dysregulation, irritability, and feeling completely off — except instead of happening once a month, it could hit at any time.

Only recently have I finally understood what’s really happening.

What I have is dysautonomia.

My autonomic nervous system doesn’t regulate properly anymore.

That’s why I can suddenly feel freezing cold in a warm room. That’s why I’m much more comfortable lying down than sitting or standing. And that’s why even mild activity can make my whole system short-circuit — suddenly bringing on intense brain fog, overwhelming exhaustion, headaches, insomnia, anxiety, and sometimes depression all at once.

ME/CFS always felt like an incomplete label to me.

Yes, I crash after exertion.
Yes, sleep doesn’t fix it.
Yes, my body has never functioned the way people expect it to.

But understanding it as dysautonomia finally explains the day-to-day reality of living in a body whose nervous system breaks down so easily.

The only thing that actually helps is pacing — staying within my energy envelope.

I try to live as close to the edge as I can, but carefully. Migraines and tinnitus have become warning signs for me. If I respect those early signals, I can often avoid triggering insomnia, which is far worse than a regular crash and completely throws me off balance.

After 30 years, I’ve finally stopped blaming myself.

That alone has been healing.

I’m sharing this journal entry in case it gives someone else a little more language for their own experience.

And for family members, friends, and doctors: please know that when we keep turning down invitations, or seem withdrawn, or disappear for long stretches of time, it’s not because we don’t want to be around you.

Our energy is extremely limited.

We have to be very careful to avoid crashes.

Even now, I keep a little journal between doctor visits so I can clearly communicate what I’ve been experiencing. If you’re struggling to explain this illness during appointments, writing things down and bringing it with you can be incredibly helpful.

Sometimes understanding does not cure the body.

But it can begin to release the shame.

And after so many years of being misunderstood, that matters.

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗶𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱: 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀

May 20th marks 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗶𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆, a vital moment to understand autoimmune arthritis—a group of chronic diseases where the immune system attacks healthy joints and tissues, causing pain, swelling, stiffness, and potential joint damage.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄:
- Autoimmune arthritis includes conditions like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Reactive Arthritis.
- Symptoms often include morning stiffness lasting over an hour, persistent joint pain, swelling, fatigue, and sometimes rashes or nail changes.
- Early diagnosis through blood tests and imaging is crucial for effective management.
- Treatment options include DMARDs, biologics, NSAIDs, corticosteroids, physiotherapy, and sometimes surgery.
- Lifestyle changes such as regular low-impact exercise, maintaining healthy weight, stress management, and a balanced diet help improve quality of life.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀:
Autoimmune arthritis affects millions globally but remains misunderstood. Raising awareness leads to early diagnosis and better treatment outcomes. Together, we can support patients and push for more research.

𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀!
#WorldAutoimmuneArthritisDay #AutoimmuneArthritis #RheumatoidArthritis #PsoriaticArthritis #ChronicIllnessAwareness #JointHealth #InflammatoryArthritis #AutoimmuneDisease #PainManagement #HealthEducation #SupportAndAwareness #SCABPharmacy

𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗲 (𝗜𝗕𝗦) 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.

IBS is more than just a stomachache. It affects mental health, confidence, and quality of life. This month, let’s talk openly about IBS to reduce stigma and help those affected.

If you have symptoms like abdominal pain, changes in bowel habits, or discomfort, see a doctor early for diagnosis and treatment.

𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗜𝗕𝗦:
- Eat homemade meals with fresh ingredients.
- Avoid fatty, spicy, and processed foods.
- Keep a food diary to find triggers.
- Don’t skip or delay meals.
- Practice relaxation and exercise regularly.
- Limit fresh fruit to 3 portions a day.
- Drink no more than 3 cups of tea or coffee daily.
- Avoid alcohol and fizzy drinks.
- Eat slowly.

Let’s raise awareness and support people with IBS.

#IBSAwarenessMonth #YouandIBS #IBS #DigestiveHealth #GutHealth #MentalHealthMatters #ChronicIllnessAwareness #HealthTips #WellnessJourney #IBSSupport #SCABPharmacy

Rags to Riches Hero: Quest to Cure my Cancer Curse | Real Stories

https://peertube.gravitywell.xyz/w/sMtoXupjE2PY3qgUZJTh4i

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆 | 𝟯𝟬 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱
Today, we stand together to raise awareness about Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system. MS disrupts communication between the brain and body by damaging the myelin sheath around nerve fibers, leading to various physical and cognitive challenges.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀:
- MS primarily affects people in their most productive years, impacting lives and communities worldwide.
- Around 2.8 million people globally live with MS.
- Early diagnosis and access to treatment can improve outcomes but challenges remain.

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲: “𝗠𝘆 𝗠𝗦 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀”
This year focuses on breaking down barriers to early and accurate diagnosis, promoting better diagnostic tools, clinical training, and fair access to care everywhere. Sharing real stories helps build understanding and supportive communities.

Let's support those living with MS by spreading awareness, encouraging research, and fostering inclusion.

#WorldMSDay #MultipleSclerosis #MyMSDiagnosis #MSAwareness #AutoimmuneDisease #CentralNervousSystem #EarlyDiagnosis #SupportMSPatients #HealthcareForAll #MSResearch #SCABPharmacy #InvisibleIllness #ChronicIllnessAwareness #DisabilityInclusion