Are you Undiagnosed?

You’re not just burning the candle at both ends; your candle is completely engulfed in flames.  You’re overwhelmed, exhausted, and you can’t keep this up much longer.  You have so much to do that you can’t afford to take a break, but sometimes your brain just switches off and you realize you’ve been staring blankly at your computer screen for twenty minutes.  You feel like you’re slowly drowning, but no one else sees it.

You’ve told friends or family, but they don’t understand.  Maybe they suggested yoga or kale, or maybe they told you to just “get out more” (in your copious spare time?).  You may have already tried diet, exercise, and supplements, but nothing seems to help.

Maybe you’ve even been to a doctor or two (or twelve), but they brushed you off, saying “everyone feels tired.”  Or maybe they recommended you lose some weight, like it’s some sort of panacea (spoiler alert: thin people get sick, too!).  Maybe they labelled you with an anxiety disorder just for asking questions (and/or having a vagina).  Maybe they blamed all your symptoms on your kids, your job, or your stressful life, but offered zero solutions.  Or maybe you’ve given up on the medical field entirely, and are now skipping even your yearly checkups just to avoid hearing more BS or being lectured about your weight.

If this is you, I understand. I went decades without a diagnosis or treatment for a life-altering genetic disorder, and survived medical neglect, misdiagnosis, gaslighting, and worse at the hands of medical professionals I trusted.  It made me question my own sanity and wonder if I would ever get any answers, much less effective treatment.  I felt lost and alone, but you don’t have to feel that way anymore; I believe you.

It’s funny how powerful those three little words can be.  I can still remember how it felt the first time I was truly believed about my illness.  Of all the dozens of medical professionals I saw over the years, it was actually a therapist who first took me seriously.  Instead of blaming my symptoms on anxiety or depression, she had the gall to question my doctors’ assumptions and to ask the critical question that eventually led to my diagnosis.  She believed me, and it changed my life forever.

I can’t promise you’ll find all the answers you’re looking for, but I can support you on this journey.  Together we can work on self-advocacy, balancing your symptoms with the rest of your life, and making space for what’s most important to you.  I know how hard it is to trust anyone at this point, but if you have any trust left in you, please consider trusting me.